Cosmos in the Lostbelt 7: Golden Sea of Trees Travelogue, Nahui Mictlān
Opening
Mash:
This is— Just what is this place—
Kadoc:
An operating room, and...some kind of life form, or—a corpse...?
Fujimaru 1:
...
Fujimaru 2:
By the look of things, this person was
Kadoc:
...Yeah. Seems like this being was the Master of every Servant who was in the Singularity.
Kadoc:
Moriarty called it “Subject: E”.
Mash:
Oh! I'm sorry, my mind went blank. Commencing data collection for the surrounding area!
Kadoc:
I'll do the same. We mustn't leave any stone unturned. I'll check for any signs of magical energy or spells that might be in effect.
Kadoc:
I wouldn't hold my breath, though... Modern equipment of this grade wouldn't share the room with magecra—
Fujimaru 1:
That was—
Fujimaru 1:
Mash, Kadoc, something's wrong!
Kadoc:
Don't scare me half to death by yelling all of a sudden! But then again, that look on your face is one I know all too well by now!
Kadoc:
Damn, there's no denying something's amiss. Wrap up the scans, Mash!
Mash:
Right! Just ten more seconds until I've measured and recorded all available information in this space!
Kadoc:
Good, the door is still open! Let's head out the moment Mash's scans are complete!
Kadoc:
Fujimaru! Get over here too—
Kadoc:
Why are you trying to bring the corpse with you!? Don't go touching things you don't know about, you colossal moron!
Fujimaru 1:
(...I won't deny the thing is scary...)
Fujimaru 1:
But having at least made it here,
Fujimaru 2:
we should get it outside...
Mash & Kadoc:
Ah...
Mash:
Senpai!?
Kadoc:
Hey, that was a precious sample...!
Kadoc:
Never mind, nothing we can do about it! Are you feeling abnormal in any way!? No? Great!
Kadoc:
Mash, your ten seconds are up! It's not safe here any longer. Hurry!
Mash:
Okay! Data collection completed! Let's hurry, Master!
Fujimaru 1:
R-Roger!
Fujimaru 1:
Although, that was...
Fujimaru 2:
(Something very...)
Kadoc:
Fujimaru! What are you doing? Hurry!
Mash:
Subatomic bonds are unraveling!
Mash:
There's also a disturbance in spacetime, but the passage will collapse first!
Mash:
In light of the emergency, I'm forcibly transporting all personnel! Master, Kadoc, if you wouldn't mind!
Kadoc:
Woah, Kyrielight!? (Is she grabbing us with one hand each!?)
Fujimaru 1:
Well, she's powerful!
Mash:
Yes, because I'm a Demi-Servant!
Fujimaru 2:
Well, she's our Super Kyrielight!
Mash:
P-Please forget about that!
Mash:
Round Table Shield, fastened into a board! Thrusters at maximum deployment!
Mash:
Ortenaus Charger–Slider Mode, heading out! Both of you, make sure not to bite your tongues!
B：Both:
S-Slider!? And what do you mean by “charger”, Maaaaaash!?
Gordolf:
—And now that our three field investigators have returned from the anomalous space—
Gordolf:
Mm, it looks like an hour's rest has cooled your heads. Have you sent your Mystic Codes for cleaning as ordered?
Mash:
Yes, sir. I dropped the Mystic Codes we used in the Singularity off at the lab. Thank you for seeing to their maintenance.
Gordolf:
Mm, that's a good response, Kyrielight. Same goes for your nodding, Fujimaru.
Gordolf:
How about you, Kadoc Zemlupus? Did you make sure to drop yours off as well?
Kadoc:
...Right. I'm not foolish enough to go against a direct order from our great commander.
Gordolf:
Mm, it's good to be pliant. I have certainly changed my opinion of you.
Gordolf:
You did very well in this Singularity. An olive. Yes, you distinguished yourself like an olive.
Gordolf:
Fujimaru may be a veteran Master, but [♂ his /♀️ her] roots are in the general populace and not magi.
Gordolf:
As a hard-headed, cold-blooded magus, there are times when we come to disagreements.
Gordolf:
That's where you can come into play, to cushion our clashes. You're the right man for the job.
Gordolf:
So, keep up the good work, Zemlupus. You don't want the collar back on your neck, correct?
Kadoc:
...
Nemo:
Gordolf. I know you want to dole out accolades, but it's time to get down to business. There's little time.
Gordolf:
Ah, sorry. That's very true. Well, ahem.
Gordolf:
Well done on your return from the large-scale Singularity. Thank you again for your hard work, one and all.
Gordolf:
The large-scale Singularity, codenamed “Traum”, was successfully eliminated thanks to your efforts.
Gordolf:
Though it is a pity that our Administrative Advisor... Heroic Spirit Sherlock Holmes could not return with us.
Gordolf:
But then again, I'm sure that man will return in due time. Upon which, we'll have enough questions to make him regret his choices!
Gordolf:
Other matters take priority at present. The data obtained at Area 51 by Kyrielight...
Gordolf:
The mystery room in Area 51, as well as this “Subject: E”.
Gordolf:
Currently, the computer room, led by Da Vinci, are analyzing these as the highest priorities.
Nemo:
Da Vinci and Sion, Professor, Records Clerk Elron, Spiritron Engineering Mechanic Marcus,
Nemo:
and Assistant Octavia. The computer room hands are at full steam. Their report is sure to come soon.
Kadoc:
...So we're on standby until then? Is that why you had us turn in the Mystic Codes?
Nemo Nurse:
That's right. The ship is presently on standby over the North American continent.
Nemo Nurse:
The next phase of the operation, the Seventh Lostbelt... will be the Amazon rainforest in South America.
Nemo Nurse:
There should be about 48 hours to rest and recharge.
Mash:
So the Storm Border will have two days of downtime. A well needed break for Senpai and Kadoc,
Mash:
who were both active in the field.
Kadoc:
...Well, if I'm honest, the goings got pretty tough. A breather would be very beneficial.
Kadoc:
For [♂ him /♀️ her] much more than me. A hearty meal and bed rest will do more good than nutritional supplements.
Sion:
You mean for recovery of mental health?
Sion:
Since willpower is a key factor in the summoning of Servants. True, you'd want two days off per week for that.
Fujimaru 1:
Sion!
Fujimaru 2:
We're back!
Sion:
Congratulations on completing the mission. That you're all safe and sound is what matters most.
Sion:
Not that I was worried in the slightest. Let's just say it all went just as calculated, if I may!
Kadoc:
...Just as calculated?
Kadoc:
When the top elite alchemist to come out of Atlas says that, it doesn't come across as a joke.
Kadoc:
...You knew all along about Holmes, didn't you?
Kadoc:
That he was an Apostle of the Alien God, and that he would lose to Moriarty in the Singularity?
Sion:
You sure know when to go for the throat... No, maybe you're grabbing for the muzzle like a wolf would?
Sion:
As you pointed out, I had come to believe that Holmes was an Apostle of the Alien God.
Sion:
There were two reasons. The first was the Sixth Singularity, as reported from the Atlas Institute.
Sion:
“Holmes synchronized with TRI-HERMES in order to acquire information.”
Sion:
I haven't elaborated on the implications of this before, but TRI-HERMES is the brain and heart of the Atlas Institute.
Sion:
A mere Heroic Spirit gaining access would rupture their Saint Graph from the information overload.
Sion:
Not even Sherlock Holmes has memory capacity akin to a Divine Spirit.
Sion:
There's no way a Heroic Spirit based on a human–on anything mundane–could bear that.
Mash:
That's...for certain.
Mash:
I had taken it at face value, seeing as it was Holmes...
Sion:
The other reason was that he, of all people, wasn't advancing his theories on the Alien God.
Sion:
Not out of being unable to proceed because he didn't know, but being impeded because he shouldn't.
Sion:
...The detective who ought to be revealing the truth had been deceiving himself.
Sion:
I can't put into words how agonizing a decision that must have been for Holmes...
Sion:
His intent was evident.
Sion:
“Investigating this uncertainty would bring me to ruin.” “For Chaldea's own good, we mustn't proceed with these enquiries.”
Sion:
For the choices he had, that must have been the neatest thing to do. Perhaps the only neat thing to do.
Sion:
He may have been an Apostle of the Alien God, but in forgetting that, he became an ally of Chaldea.
Sion:
And even now, he remained one.
Sion:
Once Holmes came to realize his true identity, he threw himself down the waterfall to curb becoming an enemy.
Sion:
Considering Holmes' calibre as a Heroic Spirit...
Sion:
“Why would he voluntarily agree to become an Apostle upon being summoned by the Alien God?”
Sion:
The answer to this “why” is kiiiinda out of reach.
Sion:
But in any case, he had no choice but to erase his own memories and bow out before realizing the truth about himself.
Sion:
It was his only way to remain an ally of Novum Chaldea.
Sion:
That's as far as I was able to read into it. —Does that satisfy you, Kadoc Zemlupus?
Kadoc:
...Meaning, you didn't trust the great detective Sherlock Holmes, but you trusted Holmes, the ally of Chaldea?
Kadoc:
If you knew that much, then what about his objective? Given that Holmes was an Apostle of the Alien God,
Kadoc:
what was his initial purpose in making contact with Chaldea?
Kadoc:
What did the Alien God want him to do?
M：Sion:
That goes without saying — to collaborate with Chaldea.
Kadoc & Gordolf:
What?
Sion:
Holmes' actions could be split between “Apostle” and “after forgetting that”, but that shouldn't change what he was doing.
Sion:
He was an Apostle of the Alien God whose purpose was to help Chaldea clear the Lostbelts.
Sion:
Up until recently, he had followed his assigned duty, and thus wasn't purged by the Alien God.
Sion:
But in the last singularity, the young Professor Moriarty was chosen as an Apostle, and Holmes made a target to be purged.
Sion:
Here's his most likely command from the Alien God:
Sion:
“Collaborate up to point A, but not past point B.”
Sion:
Or something along those lines. Point A being the Fifth Lostbelt, and point B afterwards.
Sion:
Or, possibly...
Sion:
“If Chaldea has crossed point A, make them collapse from within.”
Sion:
...One way or another, the time had finally come. Holmes was forced into a dilemma.
Sion:
Was he for the Apostles, or for Chaldea?
Sion:
The result was his plunge down the falls. He chose to be Chaldea's Administrative Advisor.
Nemo:
...That doesn't sound right.
Nemo:
Even if Holmes had to face defeat in order to do the same to Moriarty...
Nemo:
Wouldn't coming back to us alive be the best way to rise in revolt against the Alien God?
Sion:
That's the part that gets me... Honestly, self-destruction is completely out of character for him.
Sion:
Which makes it the biggest mystery, as well as the biggest hint pointing to the nature of the Alien God.
Sion:
“Even if I were Administrative Advisor to Chaldea, I would be bound to obey the Alien God for as long as I live.”
Sion:
It was with this understanding that Holmes had no option but to exit the stage.
Sion:
There's a thorough difference from a Servant contract there; a disposition that can't be worked around–
Da Vinci:
Sorry to interrupt the chat! Are you all still in the control room!?
Gordolf:
Y-Yes, we are! I hate to ask, Technical Advisor, but what's happened?
Da Vinci:
I was checking over the data on Subject: E when I got an amazing bonus!
Da Vinci:
There was virus data discreetly hidden in the corner of that space, wired to blow, but—
Da Vinci:
Oh, the data is bursting out of its folder! I'll patch it through to your end so you can watch. Don't blink, now!
Gordolf:
D-D-Don't give me such nonsense about bursting...!
Gordolf:
H-H-Hold on. Hold on now! Find a way to lock this file and trash it...!
Moriarty:
Hm. Mic check, mic check. Can you hear me? Am I in full view?
Moriarty:
Well, right then. That's a good angle. A pity there are no chairs, but no matter.
Moriarty:
Good day, ladies and gentlemen. Or perhaps good evening. This is James Moriarty, evil genius.
Moriarty:
By the time this file is opened, I expect to have disappeared. Truly a shame.
Moriarty:
This is a Moriarty video recorded in advance, should the worst come to pass.
Moriarty:
Now, I know there's some rocky history between us. But I'd like to forgive and forget.
Moriarty:
I wanted to save the world. The burden is too heavy on Chaldea's—no,
Moriarty:
on Fujimaru's shoulders. I am far better suited to saving the world than [♂ him /♀️ her].
Moriarty:
I'm sending you this message because I have unshakeable confidence in this statement.
Moriarty:
Not at all out of consideration for Master Fujimaru.
Moriarty:
Shy as I am, no doubt I will have not brought it up directly, so I'm stating it here.
Moriarty:
I have no high regard for Fujimaru. Make no mistake on that account.
Mash:
Excuse me. May I delete the video now?
Fujimaru 1:
You need to be patient.
Fujimaru 2:
We need to be patient.
Moriarty:
You've obtained the information on Subject: E.
Moriarty:
It's Chaldea's own job to analyze what Subject: E is... but I can kick in a freebie or two.
Moriarty:
That is no life form native to the Earth.
Moriarty:
It's the remains of a creature who spent a century in that laboratory concealed, examined, and experimented on.
Moriarty:
I believe that its death throes called its kin, the Alien God...
Moriarty:
But that's as far as my theory goes. I didn't have the numbers needed to derive this equation.
Moriarty:
Perhaps the TRISMEGISTUS II in the Storm Border will be able to reach the answer that I could not.
Moriarty:
Farewell then, Chaldea. I pray you find your way to the truth–no, I shouldn't say that at all.
Moriarty:
A miracle will occur if it's meant to occur. Prayers to God are what students do when they forget their homework.
Kadoc:
Does this son of a bitch have anything remotely pleasant to say!?
Mash:
Professor Meanie could be a terrible influence on Master's personality!
Moriarty:
I take it Kadoc Zemlupus and Mash Kyrielight have now ceased their banter?
Moriarty:
Well, ahem. Let me share one last freebie.
Moriarty:
After all, if I don't make myself more likable... I mean, if I don't contribute enough to the cause, I'm at risk of Chaldea never wanting to summon me.
Moriarty:
I'll make it clear, you have far less time than you think.
Moriarty:
U-Olga Marie, manifested as the Alien God, is plotting to further enhance her Saint Graph.
Moriarty:
The Existence Outside the Domain slumbering in South America. The utmost taboo the Mage's Association classifies as exclusive to the Department of Lore.
Moriarty:
A bonafide space invader on our planet.
Moriarty:
The alien organism called ORT. Her current goal is to fuse with it.
Moriarty:
Hahaha, are you surprised? You must be. Hopefully, your reaction will make my own heartburn pass.
Moriarty:
There's very little time left. You've no time to rest having merely defeating me.
Moriarty:
The moment the Alien God obtains ORT, we Earthlings lose.
Moriarty:
Make all due haste. Unless you want this planet to be split in twain for its potential for evil.
Gordolf:
O-O-O—ORT, YOU SAAAAY!?
Fujimaru 1:
What is this ORT?
Gordolf:
How do you know nothing about ORT, you ignoramus!? Damn it, I suppose you wouldn't!
Gordolf:
“ORT will come and crunch your head down, if you don't go to sleep at bedtime. It'll crunch the entire mansion.”
Gordolf:
How I envy that you never heard that in your upbringing!
Kadoc:
ORT is, where to start...
Kadoc:
In terms you'd understand, it's a horror story in the world of magecraft.
Kadoc:
They say this alien organism landed in South America long before the Common Era, and anyone who approaches is killed instantly.
Kadoc:
No magus has ever stepped into its territory and made it out alive.
Kadoc:
Nonetheless, either due to being considered too dangerous to ignore or just pure academic curiosity,
Kadoc:
a Grand-ranked magus led the long-awaited expedition accompanied by six Brand-ranked colleagues in the 16th century.
Kadoc:
The title of Grand is the peak of what a mage can reach. Any one is a monster capable of taking down a whole nation on their own.
Kadoc:
And the Brand mages one rank below them are also vaunted geniuses with abilities comparable to a Grand.
Kadoc:
Seven of them united on the same venture is a major event never seen before or since.
Kadoc:
There's actually a fair deal of commentary on the festive atmosphere in the exploration camp they made in the jungle.
Kadoc:
But... only one magus came back from the expedition.
Kadoc:
His last words were, “The creature must still not be touched. No life on the planet is up to the task as of now.”
Kadoc:
“Wait for the next geologic period. We'll entrust our hope to the new evolved life that will come after our extinction.”
Kadoc:
Mid-speech, the man became living crystal before everyone's eyes.
Kadoc:
The mage's name was Astea. One of the twelve Clock Tower Lords of his time.
Kadoc:
After the incident, the person at the top of the Mage's Association and Headmaster of the Clock Tower announced that the monster would be named “ORT”.
Kadoc:
Since then, that specific region of South America has been widely infamous as a hellhole forbidden to mankind.
Kadoc:
...Though it was a fairy tale met with skepticism by a family of magi on the fringes like mine.
Kadoc:
By the state of Gordolf, it looks like the blue-bloods were raised to believe it was fact.
Kadoc:
Going so far as threatening a misbehaving child that ORT will come for them.
Fujimaru 1:
Which means... Earth had other extra-terrestrials?
Gordolf:
Precisely!
Gordolf:
Make no contact with ORT, and let sleeping aliens lie! According to the Headmaster,
Gordolf:
“Only the planet's screams will awaken ORT. It's hibernating nice and cozy in South America's underground.”
Gordolf:
“So you keep your hands off it. The planet will lose its anthroposphere if that thing starts moving.”
Gordolf:
This goes to show how much of a monster we are talking about! One of worse nature than the Alien God!
Nemo:
Was such a Mystery lying dormant in South America? As a ship's captain, it certainly appeals to my sense of adventure...
Gordolf:
That kind of curiosity right there was what took the world to the brink of destruction! Be warned!
Mash:
I just remembered. Chaldea's library had a description of ORT.
Mash:
ORT is the toughest and most inexplicable creature currently known in the world of magecraft.
Mash:
This giant spider-shaped alien is known for its hard, soft, hot, and cold skin; its energy production via internalized nuclear fusion...
Mash:
...and for converting every substance it touches into crystal. A threat to mankind.
Mash:
We can only hope that our technology will be able to analyze it somewhere around the year 3000.
Kadoc:
Wait, seriously?
Fujimaru 1:
It's that crazy...?
Sion:
—This is so far outside of my calculations that I don't know where to even start.
Sion:
For the Alien God to fuse with ORT?
Sion:
Why go to such gross excess when you're already at more than adequate heights of ability?
Nemo:
...Though she has gone so far as to deem herself president of Earth, so she'll be thinking such things should belong to herself.
Sion:
Well now. If the current capability of Chaldea is level 50, the Alien God would roughly be level 1000.
Sion:
There's no need to build on that, yet she wants to fuse with ORT to reach level 10,000?
Sion:
What could she even be so worried about?
Sion:
Seeing how Moriarty left behind so elaborate a video, it must at any rate be true.
Sion:
Gordolf, Da Vinci, I'm suggesting an urgent change to our schedule.
Sion:
It's imperative that we verify whether the Alien God, U-Olga Marie, can fuse with other organisms.
Sion:
Since if she were to merge with ORT, we don't stand a shadow of a chance.
Sion:
The Holy Sword Construct we worked so hard to just complete won't faze her. Our operation in Britain will be for naught.
Sion:
Taking into account TRISMEGISTUS II's observations and predictions, no threat of such scope has ever occurred on Earth.
Sion:
For whatever reason, the Alien God has been delayed in reaching ORT.
Sion:
If that's the case, then there's not a moment to lose.
Sion:
The Storm Border will immediately depart for the Seventh Lostbelt while making final tunings to our equipment.
Sion:
Let's find the Alien God and crush her before she can merge with ORT!
Section 1: To the Land of the Dead
Fou:
Fou, fou!
Nemo Nurse:
Thank goodness. It's a perfect fit. A job well done, as expected of Habetrot.
Nemo Nurse:
That there is the Mystic Code for use in the Seventh Lostbelt...no, for Anti-Alien God use.
Nemo Nurse:
The Storm Border is en route to the South American Lostbelt at a ground speed of 900 km/h.
Nemo Nurse:
ETA is four hours.
Nemo Nurse:
While you won't be able to get some proper rest, how about taking a nap for about two hours?
Fujimaru 1:
I'm fine.
Nemo Nurse:
A cup of tea to calm your nerves then. I'll add plenty of honey to it.
Fujimaru 2:
(...Anti-Alien God gear...)
Fou:
...
Da Vinci:
Thank goodness there don't seem to be any complications due to the Assault Shift from Traum.
Da Vinci:
Looks like I won't have to worry about our operation in South America. Full time operation is a go.
Mash:
Thanks, Da Vinci. That's reassuring to hear.
Mash:
Umm, I may be self-diagnosing here, but I also feel like I'm better than ever...
Mash:
Usage of the Black Barrel aside, the Ortenaus has become easier to handle.
Da Vinci:
Seems like it, too. Your physical capacity values are higher than they used to be.
Da Vinci:
At your current growth rate, it's no pipe dream for you to become a Top Servant.
Da Vinci:
You are literally the face of Novum Chaldea's might.
Mash:
Y-Yes, that is a very flattering evaluation. I will strive to live up to it.
Da Vinci:
Oh, but I'll be placing further restrictions on the Black Barrel's usage.
Da Vinci:
For the most part, your primary usage of it will be bombardment via magical energy compression.
Da Vinci:
The calculation of Life Scale via the Accomplish Measure, the establishment of the Black Barrel,
Da Vinci:
and the generation of the Dead Counter are forbidden. It puts a strain on both your body and your Master's force of fortuity.
Da Vinci:
Furthermore, even this primary usage will be restricted in urban areas. I've said as much to Fujimaru too.
Da Vinci:
The area of effect is too wide. It will inevitably harm innocent civilians.
Mash:
Yes, I believe that to be the right decision. The Dead Counter breaks the laws of this world.
Mash:
I understand that it is not something to be abused.
Da Vinci:
Yes, precisely. This thing weaponizes the “concept of death”. No wonder the Atlas Institute finds it dangerous.
Da Vinci:
Besides...
Da Vinci:
Regular Servants, exceptions aside, are spiritual bodies. Even if they materialize, they're still made of ether.
Da Vinci:
Not something you'd call flesh...and they won't grow beyond the abilities they wielded in their lifetimes as recorded in the Throne of Heroes.
Da Vinci:
But as you know, a Demi-Servant is the result of transplanting a Heroic Spirit's Saint Graph into a human vessel.
Da Vinci:
You may not be able to dematerialize, but you possess a physical form from the start. That trait is now turning out to be an advantage.
Da Vinci:
I've said this before, but your Saint Graph pattern is starting to grow in response to your physical growth.
Da Vinci:
Rather, it's not your physical growth but your mental changes that appear to have caused this growth. But, well, let's leave that be for now.
Da Vinci:
The problem is that you're “becoming more of a Heroic Spirit while you still live”.
Da Vinci:
I take it you know what Servants are called in the world of magecraft? Ghost Liners.
Da Vinci:
Either way, you will soon cease to be a “Demi-” if you seek greater power than you already have.
Da Vinci:
Keep that in mind. There's no reversing growth.
Da Vinci:
Come on, if you ever get a bad feeling about it, all you have to do is remove Ortenaus and return to the Border.
Da Vinci:
We are no longer what we used to be. We have trustworthy companions in Novum Chaldea.
Da Vinci:
You're not our only combatant. If we're ever in a jam, we'll think of a way out together.
Da Vinci:
Fujimaru knows it too.
Da Vinci:
Neither of you have given up on Director Olga Marie, right? I will, of course, stand with you.
Da Vinci:
I mean, she's obviously THE Olga Marie from our records, right?
Da Vinci:
I still have no clue how we'll do it, but if we can incapacitate her, we can start talking.
Nemo:
The ship will soon pass over Central America! No hostile interference from Mexico up to Guatemala!
Nemo:
Not much more land and sea ahead before we reach the Storm Wall of South America! The operation is estimated to commence in 20 minutes!
Gordolf:
A-Alright! All Novum Chaldea personnel, I take it you're all at your stations!
Gordolf:
The operation may have been put together at short notice, but the preparations for it have already been completed in advance.
Gordolf:
No need to panic! Am I right, Technical Advisor!?
Da Vinci:
Of course. Our Anti-Alien God trump card.
Da Vinci:
The Holy Sword Armament weaponizing the concept of the Holy Sword—
Da Vinci:
Artillery that utilizes the legitimacy of Pan-Human History, the Human Order itself, as its bullet. Our Human Order theorem and proof of our future: Hume-Barrel Rayproof.
Da Vinci:
We have conducted over 100,000,000 simulations within TRISMEGISTUS II,
Da Vinci:
confirming a success rate of 99.99%. There are no problems with deploying it in actual combat, even factoring in its transformation sequence.
Gordolf:
Reliable indeed! As expected of our Technical Advisor!
Gordolf:
By the way, when you say “artillery”, does it mean what I think it means?
Gordolf:
As in, will there be a gun-like launcher in this control room here when we fire it? Do make sure to show me later.
Meunière:
We've already decided that Marine will be the gunner, you old codger. Be a good sport now.
Gordolf:
Yes, I get it, Gibier! I was merely feeling adventurous for a moment!
Sion:
Would you care to hear my report, Commander? Regarding the analysis results of Subject: E.
Kadoc:
I'd like to hear, anyway. What have you discovered?
Sion:
Nothing vital. I have discovered the following three key points:
Sion:
(1) The operation room was as advanced as our civilization. The equipment was state-of-the-art.
Sion:
(2) Subject: E is a never-before-seen lifeform. It matches no data found within TRISMEGISTUS II.
Sion:
(3) A considerable amount of bloodstains and cells were detected in the room, although they were wiped clean. These are human in origin.
Sion:
A more thorough analysis will take time, but since we are currently prioritizing the elimination of the South American Lostbelt,
Sion:
I have discontinued TRISMEGISTUS II's analysis. Any questions so far?
Fujimaru 1:
...Do the bloodstains mean...a murder took place?
Sion:
Quite perceptive of you. While the room was nicely cleaned up, a fair amount of blood and pieces of flesh were detected.
Sion:
Assuming these weren't self-inflicted, one can assume a murder did take place.
Mash:
...Seeing how it was an operating room, could we not assume a mistake happened during an operation?
Sion:
Oh, yes. That is halfway possible.
Sion:
Although under normal circumstances, you won't get blood splattering on the floor more than a meter away from the operating table.
Nemo:
Enough about Subject: E. We are about to enter the combat zone. How goes the replenishment of our firepower?
Nemo Professor:
Ri~ght, leave it to me. Reporting from electronics, no, from the summoning room.
Nemo Professor:
For this mission, TRISMEGISTUS II recommends summoning fo~ur Servants.
Nemo Professor:
It would be more energy efficient to summon them after entering the Lostbelt, but Britain has set a precedent.
Nemo Professor:
For starters, we've finished summoning the first unit. They're headed for the control ro~om.
Nemo Professor:
The remaining three will be with you soon, so look forward to it.
Gordolf:
Hmm, a wise decision indeed. Finding out we can't summon anyone after entering the Lostbelt is not an option.
Gordolf:
Now, I wonder whom the first of the glorious Heroic Spirits we are to clear the last Lostbelt with will be?
Gordolf:
South America is an unforgiving land.
Gordolf:
Surely it has to be a muscle-bound, brutish, uncivilized, apish gorilla-like Servant,
Nitocris:
Who are you calling apish!? How blasphemous of you, Commander of Chaldea!
Fujimaru 1:
Nitocris!
Nitocris:
Yes. You seem to be in good spirits, Fujimaru. As you can see, I have come forth in response to your call for help.
Fujimaru 2:
The person in the Medjed costume!
Nitocris:
T-There is no person, or Pharaoh, in any costume of the great Medjed!
Nemo:
That reaction...do you know us?
Nemo:
Nitocris.
Nemo:
Do you have the memories of the Nitocris who met Mash and Fujimaru in the Sixth Singularity?
Nitocris:
It would appear so. A summoning from the Saint Graph in Chaldea's records...
Nitocris:
...could cause this “experience transfer” to occur.
Nitocris:
Regardless, this is our first meeting, so I suppose greetings are in order.
Nitocris:
Ahem. You may raise your heads, Chaldeans... I see they're already raised. I will overlook this blasphemy.
Nitocris:
I am Nitocris. The sky god incarnate. The wielder of the Netherworld Mirror.
Nitocris:
I may be unfamiliar with South America, but even in foreign lands, the Pharaoh remains ever incandescent.
Nitocris:
Revere me to your heart's content, for you can rely on me.
Mash:
So Nitocris is the first of our travelling companions. How reassuring.
Mash:
But...something about you seems different from the Nitocris we met...
Nitocris:
Hehehe. It's the state of my Saint Graph that's different, Mash. This is me starting off at full power.
Nitocris:
Thanks to the tremendous amount of magical energy provided by the Storm Border, my Saint Graph is in its “ideal state”.
Nitocris:
Furthermore, the Independent Action function has been added to it, enabling me to act without a Master!
Fujimaru 1:
Amazing...!
Fujimaru 2:
So you can move about freely!
Nitocris:
You're happy about it? I'm not sure if I should be amazed or disappointed.
Nitocris:
On this occasion, I am, so to speak, a self-sufficient Servant.
Nitocris:
A magical energy supply from my Master is not essential, nor am I bound to Chaldea. Total freedom.
Nitocris:
However, I am aware of what needs to be done to ensure victory for Pan-Human History and for Chaldea.
Nitocris:
Even without a binding contract, the power of Pharaoh Nitocris is yours until the very end.
Kadoc:
...I mean, having the escort Servant be capable of independent action is convenient...
Kadoc:
An impressive amount of magical energy made this possible, but equally impressive is the courage to sign off on this.
Kadoc:
I guess Nitocris is a Servant the lot of you can trust to such an extent.
Fujimaru 1:
Yeah, she saved my life plenty despite being on the enemy side.
Da Vinci:
I'd like to assign Nitocris the role of escorting Master... or rather, the team on-site.
Da Vinci:
We expect you will be doing a lot of exploring on foot in South America. We need someone who is adaptable,
Da Vinci:
capable in mass combat, and who uses magecraft resistant to fever and defilement.
Habetrot:
Hmm. So pretty much a bodyguard then. If so, I'd better pop in and say hello too.
Habetrot:
Heya! I'm Habetrot! I'm basically a guardian fairy living in Mash's shield!
Nitocris:
How courteous of you. I take it you are in Bastet's service? Pleased to meet you.
Habetrot:
...? (What's a Bastet?)
Gordolf:
Right. So three more permanently-manifested Servants are going to be summoned later.
Gordolf:
How promising! Lostbelts over Singularities, I say!
Gordolf:
This time, unlike Tunguska, it's looking like we'll be able to field a large number of Servants!
Gordolf:
Let's chop that Fantasy Tree down as soon as we find it!
Gordolf:
Oh, wait. That's not right. There's no Fantasy Tree signal detected in the South American Lostbelt.
Gordolf:
Isn't that right, Sion?
Sion:
Precisely. There is no energy signal characteristic of Fantasy Trees in the South American Lostbelt.
Sion:
That said, since the Lostbelt remains there, there must be something equivalent to a Fantasy Tree somewhere.
Sion:
Either it has been forced to wither for some reason like the one in Britain, or it has been concealed like the one in the Chinese Lostbelt.
Da Vinci:
Either way, the Fantasy Tree will have to wait. Our top priority will be to neutralize the Alien God.
Da Vinci:
We must stop U-Olga Marie before she fuses with ORT.
Da Vinci:
Keep that in mind, everyone.
Nemo:
—Looks like everyone's on the same page regarding our mission objectives. Perfect timing.
Nemo:
The ship is about to reach the Storm Wall. All hands, take your seats and fasten your seatbelts.
Nemo:
Run Triton Engines No. 1 through No. 3 in parallel. 60% goes to propulsion and 40% to our defensive barriers.
Nemo:
We will breach the spatial fault type supercell surrounding the Lostbelt with the Storm Border.
Nemo:
Deploy the dimensional perforation mechanism at the bow! We hereby commence the operation to neutralize the Alien God!
--ARROW--
Nemo Marine:
We breached the Storm Waaall!! The ship, of course, sustained minimal damage! Woo-hoo!
Nemo:
That last part was unnecessary, focus on giving concise reports!
Nemo:
Monitor, show us the situation outside! We will visually confirm the status of the South American Lostbelt!
Nemo Marine:
Roger! Here comes the monitor!
Fujimaru 1:
Wastelands...as far as the eye can see?
Gordolf:
What is this hellish visual!? Wasn't this supposed to be the Amazon rainforest of South America!?
Gordolf:
Parched land! Thick thunderclouds! No plants or animals in sight! It's raining volcanic ash!
Gordolf:
If the Amazon jungle, said to be the lungs of the earth, is in THIS state, then mankind cannot possibly have survived!
Gordolf:
This is like a volcanic winter! Even Lostbelts ought to draw the line somewhere!
Sion:
Gordolf has it right. You can hardly call this Biosphere 1.
Sion:
Even if Lostbelts are “discontinued human histories”, this is far too much of a deviation.
Sion:
What could've caused...no, what circumstances could have led to this sort of environment...
Nemo Professor:
Yeah, yeah, what a surpri~se. May I have a word?
Nemo Professor:
I'm done scanning the surface, so I'll be transmitting you the data~. Your opinion please, Sion.
Fujimaru 1:
What is...this?
Fujimaru 2:
(I know this. If I recall)
Gordolf:
Hmm? What is this? I feel like I've seen this before somewhere...
Gordolf:
Do you know what it is, Zemlupus?
Kadoc:
...Y-Yeah.
Kadoc:
This is that, you know, that thing. Hey, Kyrielight, tell 'em what it is.
Mash:
Could this be...the continent of Pangaea? But, that should be impossible...
Sion:
No, it's exactly what you think it is. This is unmistakably the Pangaean supercontinent.
Gordolf:
Right. Pancakes. Pancakes from which country, exactly?
Meunière:
We're not talking about cooking here! Pangaea refers to how the Earth was back during the Mesozoic era!
Meunière:
In ancient times, vigorous crustal movements caused continents to shift and collide.
Meunière:
And there was this time when all the continents came together,
Meunière:
which is the supercontinent of Pangaea said to have existed during the Mesozoic era!
Fujimaru 1:
The Mesozoic era would be...
Mash:
Yes, it refers to the geological time before our current Cenozoic era.
Mash:
If we count them starting from the oldest,
Mash:
The timespan starting from 4.6 billion years ago and ending 539 million years ago is comprised of many eras, and is more generally known as the Precambrian.
Mash:
The era starting from 539 million years ago to 252 million years ago is the Paleozoic era.
Mash:
The era starting from 252 million years ago to 66 million years ago is the Mesozoic era.
Mash:
And the era starting from 66 million years ago to present day is known as the Cenozoic era.
Mash:
Each era is further subdivided into “periods”, but we'll leave that be for now.
Fujimaru 2:
252 million years ago to 66 million years ago!?
Kadoc:
Yep, that's right. The Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods of the Mesozoic era.
Kadoc:
(...Damn it, that didn't come out right off the bat... does Fujimaru like paleontology...?)
Gordolf:
Hahaha, what are you greenhorn rookies talking about?
Gordolf:
Listen up, folks. This is 2017 A.D. we're in right now, alright?
Gordolf:
So why, pray tell, am I looking at the Earth from 66 million years ago?
Da Vinci:
That's what I'd like to know. To be more precise, it's not quite Pangaea.
Da Vinci:
I mean, mankind cannot come into being under these conditions.
Da Vinci:
It's said that the life that became the progenitor of mankind first appeared 6 million years ago,
Da Vinci:
but no life can exist in these conditions. I can only consider this a post-extinction event—
Da Vinci:
I see, an extinction event! Could this situation be—
Fou:
Fou, fooou!
Mash:
Fou? He just started jumping about all of a sudden, like he wants to tell us something...
Nemo Marine:
Emergency broadcast! An unidentified object is approaching from ten kilometers ahead!
Nemo Marine:
It's fast, scary fast! It's not flying through the air, it's leaping through space!
Nemo Marine:
It's repeatedly warping and approaching our shiiiiip! What do we do, Captaaaiiin!? (Sob)
Nemo:
Don't panic! Deploy electromagnetic barriers on the Storm Border's surface! Brace for attack!
Nemo:
Spotter, hurry up with the confirmation! Put the feed up on the monitor!
Nemo Professor:
Right away~. I've spotted the enemy... Oh, crap.
U-Olga Marie:
...Just when I was wondering what's going on, it turns out to be the lot of you. To think you'd actually come here yourselves, are you stupid?
U-Olga Marie:
...Hmph. Most likely, you came here to fell the seventh Fantasy Tree, all caught up in the moment. How short-sighted of you.
U-Olga Marie:
Where do you even think you are? I'll have you know that this is the Lostbelt that I chose specially for my homestay.
U-Olga Marie:
I can instantly detect any abnormalities. As ruler of Earth, I would never allow you to smuggle yourselves in.
U-Olga Marie:
I was going to generate a gravitational sphere right off the bat and pulverize you along with that sad excuse of a vehicle...
U-Olga Marie:
But rejoice. For I am in the greatest of moods at present! Those Grand Servants, I believe they were called?
U-Olga Marie:
The apex of mankind, the so-called Decisive Magecraft. I just got rid of all seven of them.
U-Olga Marie:
I know, I'll give you a chance!
U-Olga Marie:
In this lecture, I'll factually prove I'm worthy of administering this planet, since you won't take my word for it.
U-Olga Marie:
Now show yourselves, pathetic humans!
U-Olga Marie:
This will be the last time, so I shall savor this so-called brawl with you!
Fujimaru 1:
—(Shocked speechless)
Fujimaru 2:
You've got to be kidding me, this soon?!
Gordolf:
Mmmmm! This is all too sudden, I can't think of anything either!
Gordolf:
Not to mention, the accursed Alien God is acting like she's some kind of exchange student on Earth! I don't get her at all!
Gordolf:
But it is evident that this is our chance! While she's getting carried away, and that super destructive attack...
Gordolf:
She seems to have no intention of using the pseudo-black hole! What a fool!
Gordolf:
If that's what she wants, then let us fight her with our Servants!
Gordolf:
Master Fujimaru, summon your Servants here in the control room and command them!
Gordolf:
Mash Kyrielight, you are the cornerstone of our defense! Head out on deck and back those Servants up!
Gordolf:
And—Sion, Da Vinci! There's no time to ease into this, but you did say it's ready to go anytime, didn't you!?
Da Vinci:
Of course! The Hume-Barrel is ready to initiate its firing sequence!
Gordolf:
Alright! Let's commence the operation! Our enemy is the Alien God, U-Olga Marie!
Gordolf:
First we need to pummel her in a Servant battle and tear her off the deck!
Gordolf:
Then we land a direct hit on her with the main battery, the Hume-Barrel, and utterly neutralize her!
Gordolf:
The fate of Chaldea rests upon this one battle! Let's do this, everyone! Put your backs into it!
--ARROW--
U-Olga Marie:
Hahahahahahaha!
U-Olga Marie:
You can't harm me at all, but I quite like this feeling of being pushed around!
U-Olga Marie:
Those techniques are quite handy. Skills, did you call them? It was worth taking my time to learn about them from you!
U-Olga Marie:
And now for the finisher you've all been waiting for. Get ready for my gravity field, the “Haste Makes Waste”!
Mash:
Not if I can help it! I should be able to take on something of that level on my own...!
Mash:
O Shield of Chalk, let only those free of sin pass...! Now, a Fragile Fortress of Distant Utopia - Mould Camelot...!
U-Olga Marie:
Wha... You just hit it back like a ball!? This is...tennis! Yes, tennis, I saw it in the records!
U-Olga Marie:
So you were a Heroic Spirit of tennis—!
Mash:
I always wanted to play at Wimbledon, but no! Control Room, now!
Nemo Marine:
Mash hit the Alien God with her own attack, forcing her to reposition! She's currently reached the tip of the bow!
Nemo:
Full reverse to propulsion! Pull us back as we deploy the main battery! Da Vinci!
Da Vinci:
I'm on it! The firing sequence is almost complete!
Da Vinci:
You've bought us enough time, Fujimaru!
Da Vinci:
The Storm Border has completed conversion to unsheathed mode! Anti-threat reaction valve, released! Beginning magical energy circulation!
Nemo Engineer:
Virtual Triton Engines #5 and #6 are operating within normal parameters! Maintaining maximum power drawn from Imaginary Numbers space!
Nemo Engineer:
We can do it, Cap'n! Blow her away before the numbers go down!
Fujimaru 1:
Amazing! But...
Fujimaru 2:
What the heck does it all mean!?
Nemo Professor:
Well...it's kinda like an application of the Black Barrel, y'see~?
Nemo Professor:
The Barrel measures the “lifespan” of its target, and converts that into the energy of the shell it fires.
Nemo Professor:
On the other hand, the Holy Sword Construct measures “threats to human history”, and depending on the level of the threat, the Earth's defensive ability...
Nemo Professor:
That, y'know. The autopurifactory activity. Like a white blood cell? That's basically how we get our energy supply from the Earth's core.
Nemo Professor:
In both cases, the attack power and amount of energy used isn't coming from us, but is being pumped into the weapon from “something gre~ater”.
Da Vinci:
Yeah. This way, the Storm Border itself doesn't use all that much magical energy.
Da Vinci:
That means it doesn't hinder our flight. All that's left is—Captain!
Nemo:
Gun crews, take aim! Make sure you're on target! We'll never get another chance like this!
Nemo Marine:
No worries! A human-sized target may be too small, but the main gun has a huuuuuuuuge emission radius!
Nemo Marine:
Compensating for margin of error! Confirming direct hit safety release from SHEBA!
Nemo Marine:
Main gun, switch to Hume-Barrel! —Rayproof, FIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIRE!
Nemo Marine:
The enemy Alien God is still active! If anything, she seems to have powered up!
Nemo Marine:
She transmuted the shot from the main cannon into energy and absorbed iiiit!
Nemo:
—what?
Da Vinci:
How!?
Nemo Professor:
Wow, that's overpower~ed. Is that an ability of her ho~rns?
Sion:
...No. We made the Rayproof under the assumption she could do that, and still...
Sion:
(...right before we fired, the output of the main cannon was far below expected parameters... which means...)
Gordolf:
Aaah, don't just stand there gawking, look at her!
Gordolf:
Even she doesn't know how she managed to do it. It's written all over her face that she's disappointed with this outcome.
Gordolf:
She's going to take it out on us! She'll drop the gravity field that destroyed the Wandering Sea!
Da Vinci:
...! We need a second shot! Hurry!
Da Vinci:
I'll change the settings for the next one! If we trade the photon-reaction shot for a high-alchemy shot, we might...
Nemo Marine A:
Hold up, hold up, hold up! Confirming an abnormality in the Earth's crust! It's a massive-scale collaaapse—!
Nemo Marine B:
Confirming a huge cavern formation underneath the continent! Whoa, how many kilometers is this, exactly!?
Nemo Marine C:
Huge heat signature approaching from the underground area! Wah, it's right underneath the shiiiip! (Sob)
Gordolf:
What the hell is that!? Is this some new attack of the Alien God's!?
Sion:
No, it's something else. Its Human Order Foundation Level is showing negative!
Sion:
It's something native to the Lostbelt!
Sion:
Internal pressure of 200 billion, temperature 16 million degrees Celsius, 160 times as dense as water—No other way around it, that's the Sun!
Da Vinci:
...! Meuniere, what's the situation on deck!?
Meunière:
That pillar and the Alien God are facing each other!
Meunière:
Mash is on standby to face either one! Honestly, she's trying way too hard!
Nemo:
Mash, you can return inside! Remain on standby in the Shadow Border hangar!
Mash:
Copy that. Mash Kyrielight, falling back to hatch #1!
Nemo:
Fujimaru, Kadoc, and Meuniere! You all go too!
Nemo:
All Chaldea staff, hurry to the Shadow Border hangar!
Gordolf:
Does this mean we're abandoning ship!? But what about me!? What about Sion Eltnam!?
Nemo:
It's still too early for the commander to abandon his post. And Sion is necessary to maintain my manifestation.
Nemo:
Da Vinci, get out of the computer room as fast as you can and head for the hangar!
Gordolf:
T-That means I'm the only human staffer left here! I may be the commander, but I'm still just one man!
Nitocris:
Do not be frightened! You are under my protection!
Fujimaru 1:
But what about the Nemos...?
Kadoc:
Nemo is the Storm Border itself. If he says we're in danger, we do as we're told!
Kadoc:
If we rendezvous with Mash, then Nemo will have that much more freedom to act as he wants! Isn't that right!?
Nemo:
Exactly, Kadoc. Now please get everyone to the hangar as quick as possible.
Nemo:
I can spare one Marine to go with you. If you need anything, you can contact me through him.
Nemo Marine:
Aye-aye, sir! Leave the liaison work to me, Captain!
U-Olga Marie:
—What is this light? There was nothing like this in that subterranean world—
U-Olga Marie:
...!?
U-Olga Marie:
What do you think you're doing!?
U-Olga Marie:
That ship is my prey! If you so much as lay a hand on it—!
U-Olga Marie:
This sensation, neither light nor flame—plant and mineral, combined in a single form...!?
U-Olga Marie:
A sun, but also a plant. A flame, but also a mineral—
U-Olga Marie:
Where could such a substance—!
U-Olga Marie:
I can't defend against it...! Am I actually inferior here...!?
Meunière:
Whoa, what's all this noise and heat! It's getting crazy out there!
Kadoc:
We don't have time to watch! Just run!
Kadoc:
When Nemo said to get to the hangar, he meant to get on the Shadow Border!
Kadoc:
He's afraid the ship is in danger of crashing! Am I right, Fujimaru?
Fujimaru 1:
...Yes, exactly.
Fujimaru 2:
Huh?
Kadoc:
Get with the program! That thing you've done a few times now, paradropping the Shadow Border!
Kadoc:
I never thought I'd be experiencing it myself so soon!
Nemo Marine:
No waaaaaaaay! Cold-blooded move, Captaaaiiin—!
Nemo Marine:
But this isn't in our job description! Our duties are to carry things, clean up, and make repooorrrts!
Fujimaru 1:
—Ah.
Kadoc:
Hey, wai—
Meunière:
No way...
Nemo Marine:
...!
Fujimaru 1:
—I'm dead.
Fujimaru 2:
Sorry, everyone.
Nemo:
...hah...hah...
Nemo:
...I am broadcasting to all evacuating staff. The ship has been heavily damaged by the enemy attack. Navigation is now impossible.
Nemo:
I am now heading for the surface...or rather, the open space on the surface, where I will carry out an emergency landing. Brace for impact.
Nemo:
In addition, all remaining magical energy resources were used for Heroic Spirit summoning instead of navigation.
Nemo:
Summoning of the remaining three planned units is complete. They will be of use to Master Fujimaru.
Nemo:
...Ngh... Sorry, that is all there is to report.
Nemo:
All of Captain Nemo's remaining power shall be diverted towards ensuring a successful landing.
Nemo:
—I will do all I can to ensure the safety of the staff. After touchdown, I wish you all good luck and godspeed.
Section 2: Golden Sea of Trees
Fujimaru 1:
...Where am I...?
Fujimaru 1:
...The afterlife...?
Fujimaru 1:
...I can't see a thing...there's no one here either...
Fujimaru 1:
...But for some reason, I feel content...
Fujimaru 1:
...Either way, I'd better get a move on.
Fujimaru 1:
A bonfire...?
F：Man:
Huh...? Oh, a new face. You're dressed pretty lightly... which era are you from?
F：Man:
Oh well, now that you're here, you're one of us. Take a seat. You're exhausted, aren't you?
Fujimaru 1:
Uh, yes. I'll take you up on that.
F：Man:
Sitting right across from me, eh? You've got balls. Or is it that you're used to meeting people on your travels?
Fujimaru 2:
...(Stay on guard)
F：Man:
No need for such caution. Or have you yet to shake off those habits you had in life?
F：Man:
No one's getting hurt here. Everyone here already concluded their battles.
F：Man:
If you still wish to stand, then suit yourself. I'm not gonna force you to do anything.
F：Man:
Oh, no need to name yourself. No need for that at all anymore.
F：Man:
A handshake will suffice as a greeting. That's all the rage these days, ain't it?
Fujimaru 1:
...I don't know about a handshake.
Fujimaru 2:
"No magus flashes their hands carelessly."
F：Man:
Is that so? How unfortunate. I wanted to see what the hands of an unblemished warrior looked like.
Fujimaru 1:
That's...
Fujimaru 2:
The Storm Border...!
K：Man:
Not too shabby for a weapon. Is that thing yours?
K：Man:
I like modern weaponry. They're cumbersome, tasteless, and above all else, costly.
K：Man:
I, for one, welcome 'em. After all, tools of war should evolve. Just as life does.
K：Man:
Though the same doesn't automatically apply to you, the wielder. Were your battles really worthy of that weapon?
K：Man:
The battles you approve of are the ones I loathe the most.
K：Man:
I gotta admit the purpose behind your battle and the vigor that drives you to the battlefield look good,
K：Man:
but I don't like the way you conduct those battles. A battle without casualties? What a bad joke.
K：Man:
There should be an equal amount of casualties from both sides. I won't acknowledge a battle without deaths as a proper battle.
K：Man:
Remember this, the reason your side hasn't suffered any casualties yet is not because your battle was well-fought.
K：Man:
You were just lucky. And luck always finds a way to even out.
K：Man:
That skyborne ship, for starters. Not a single human within it will survive.
K：Man:
There are no warriors on it. They won't make it here after death either.
K：Man:
...Hmm? Hold on a second, does that mean I've acknowledged you as a warrior?
K：Man:
...I can never tell what Blue's thinking. Oh well, I suppose it's just the usual fluke.
Fujimaru 1:
—No one will survive—
Fujimaru 2:
I have to go help them...!
Man:
You're a restless [♂ guy /♀️ girl], aren't you? You won't make it to that ship. After all, they're still alive.
Man:
It's currently in freefall from the surface...from the Silent Ilhuicatl.
Man:
Since you're dead, you're worlds apart from it. Do you still wish to reach it? Even if you know it's pointless?
Fujimaru 1:
—Yes. Even if it's pointless.
Man:
I see. My impression of you is getting worse, but since we've met, I'm obligated to be your guide.
Man:
I'm willing to show you the way in exchange for your weapons.
Man:
As you can see, I'm a bit of a modernist. With a particular interest in the firearms of the 21st century.
Man:
How about it? What will you offer up for the sake of your doomed companions? Do you possess any worthwhile weapons?
Fujimaru 1:
...I don't have any weapons.
Man:
Oh, no deal, then. I can't send you back. You're gonna have to stay here like a good little deceased.
Fujimaru 1:
But there's something I could call a weapon–!
Man:
You're offering up the whole thing!? Well, color me surprised. I can hardly believe what a foolish decision you're making, I salute your resolve!
Man:
That'll do. I have no use for it, but I can tell that it's your greatest weapon.
Man:
Well received. I'll thrust you away from a fate of death.
Man:
Step away from the fire. I'll send you back up right away.
Man:
Oh? What's that about? No need to thank me with that weepy face.
Man:
This is a clear-cut deal, it's just business. Ah, there is still one problem though. Hold on.
Man:
This weapon is worth more than your life, and your decision just now was worth even more.
Man:
In which case, just bringing you back to life isn't gonna be a fair trade. Here's a little extra. I suppose this'll do.
Fujimaru 1:
This is...?
Fujimaru 2:
Thank...you?
Man:
Calavera de azúcar. An irresistible luxury for those with a craving for it.
Man:
It might come in handy if you hold onto it. —So long.
Fujimaru 1:
A pit suddenly opened up behind me!?
Fujimaru 2:
I-I'm falling!?
???:
...ke up! ...I said wake up, Fujimaru!
???:
Everyone's going to die at this raaaate! (Sob) You're the only one we can count ooooon, Fujimaru! (Sob)
Fujimaru 1:
Ugh...
Fujimaru 2:
Where am I...
Nemo Marine:
Woah! Thank goodness, you woke uuuuup!
Nemo Marine:
I'm sorry I can't take you back to the shiiiip! But I really am glad you're alriiiight!
Nemo Marine:
Oh right, you probably don't get what I'm going on about! We're in some weird cave right now.
Nemo Marine:
The corridor on the Storm was breached, and you got hurled outside, Fujimaru.
Nemo Marine:
Umm, and yeah, I got hurled outside too, and I held onto you,
Nemo Marine:
so we fell together!
Nemo Marine:
And by the time I realized, we were already in this cave. And that's the gist of it☆
Fujimaru 1:
What happened to the world of fog?
Nemo Marine:
Fog? What are you talking about? We passed out when we fell and next thing I knew, we were here.
Fujimaru 2:
...I see...
Fujimaru 1:
That aside, why are you whispering?
Nemo Marine:
...Yeah, about that.
Nemo Marine:
Look over there, Fujimaru. Keep quiet, okay?
U-Olga Marie:
...
Fujimaru 1:
Director Olga Marie!?
Fujimaru 2:
The President of Earth!?
Nemo Marine:
Oh no, that's a really, really bad ideaaaa! Especially when she's asleep! You're just gonna wake her uuuuuuup!
U-Olga Marie:
Hm...hmmmm? Cut it out with the noise...
U-Olga Marie:
Have you no intention of providing any hospitality to an aristocrat hailing from the far reaches of outer space...?
U-Olga Marie:
And here I was expecting a welcome parade, but there's not even a single applause to be heard.
U-Olga Marie:
—Huh!?
U-Olga Marie:
Who the hell are you people!? Are you unaware that this is my castle!?
U-Olga Marie:
No, surely they aren't. They would not have entered if they had been.
U-Olga Marie:
And judging by the fact that they don't appear to have assaulted me while I was in suspended animation...
U-Olga Marie:
That would imply...?
U-Olga Marie:
I get it, they must be harmless indigenous eukaryotes!
U-Olga Marie:
I am not so out of options that I would sully my hands in the blood of Earthlings who happened to wander in.
U-Olga Marie:
Hear me, eukaryotes! I am a superior life form, one who has come to rule this planet!
U-Olga Marie:
I am known as–
Fujimaru 1:
You're Director Olga Marie, right?
U-Olga Marie:
Yes, I am U-Olga Marie.
U-Olga Marie:
...How do you know that? Who are you? Are you not merely some newfound life form?
U-Olga Marie:
No, more importantly—
U-Olga Marie:
...Who am I? Why am I in a place like this, having a conversation like this?
Nemo Marine:
Fujimaru, could this, like, be—
Fujimaru 1:
It's amnesia!!!
Fujimaru 2:
(In medical terms) It's a memory disorder!
Fujimaru 1:
So, to sum it up...
Fujimaru 1:
Miss U is an alien who arrived from outer space,
Fujimaru 1:
and she knows her name and purpose,
Fujimaru 1:
but she sustained near-fatal injuries in some accident,
Fujimaru 1:
and now she can't remember anything else. Is that all?
U-Olga Marie:
Exactly! Succinctly organized, Earthling! I wouldn't mind appointing you as my secretary!
U-Olga Marie:
If I have one nitpick, it's that I didn't “arrive”, I “transitioned to this plane of existence”.
U-Olga Marie:
I created “this vessel” in order to operate in this space-time. Well made too, wouldn't you say?
U-Olga Marie:
So, what about you? What's your name? Of course, the name of that gofer unit there as well.
Nemo Marine:
Waahh, I'm Marine No. 4! Please don't kill me! Please don't kill meeeee!
Fujimaru 1:
I'm Fujimaru.
U-Olga Marie:
—Huh? Fujimaru, you say?
Nemo Marine:
See? She's angryyyyy! PLEASE DON'T KILL MEEEEE!!!
U-Olga Marie:
I wouldn't kill you for no reason...but, it is strange.
U-Olga Marie:
When I heard the word Fujimaru, for some reason I felt like slugging [♂ him /♀️ her]. How inexplicable.
Fujimaru 2:
Please don't kill meeeee!
U-Olga Marie:
Hm? Is that your objective? Hmm. How interesting. So your primary objective is the prolongation of your life.
U-Olga Marie:
And your name was what again? Hmm, Fujimaru...
U-Olga Marie:
Fujimaru, you say?
Nemo Marine:
See? She's angryyyyy! PWEASE DON'T KILL MEEEEE!!!
U-Olga Marie:
I would not kill you without reason. I was just done asking you what your objectives were.
U-Olga Marie:
...But, it is strange.
U-Olga Marie:
When I heard the word Fujimaru, for some reason I felt like slugging [♂ him /♀️ her]. How exceedingly inexplicable.
U-Olga Marie:
Never mind that, now that we've met, we're friends. Disappointing of a friend as you may be.
U-Olga Marie:
While I have my own complaints about my first friends on Earth being these two dullards,
U-Olga Marie:
first contact is to be held in high regard. Meeting the other party halfway is the first step towards dialogue.
U-Olga Marie:
Now then, give me a tour of the Earth!
U-Olga Marie:
Fujimaru, Marine! I hereby appoint you as Interstellar Goodwill Ambassadors!
Nemo Marine:
What do we doooo, Fujimaru!? We aren't getting through to this president at aaaaall! (Sob)
Fujimaru 1:
I'm an...Interstellar Goodwill Ambassador...!
Fujimaru 2:
So I've finally hit the big time...
U-Olga Marie:
Oh, no need for the outpouring of gratitude. Save it for later.
U-Olga Marie:
I can tell from your mental wavelengths that you are in a state of distress.
U-Olga Marie:
Seeing as how I'm here to rule this planet, I can hardly ignore a sapient being in need.
U-Olga Marie:
Let's head out together. We'll probably find the exit over there.
Nemo Marine:
This is really bad! We're probably getting killed if we don't comply, right!?
Fujimaru 1:
This is just a feeling, but...
Fujimaru 1:
Maybe things will be alright after all...?
Nemo Marine:
...? Really?
--ARROW--
Nemo Marine:
What a reaaaaally suffocating smell of greenery! This is the South American jungle!
Nemo Marine:
There's the sky, the breeze, the sun! It's sweltering! If I were human, I'd be sweatiiiing!
Nemo Marine:
Come check this out, Fujimaru! There's this blooming flower I've never seen before!
Nemo Marine:
What is this? An agave? Or something similar? Ahaha, this is so fuuuuun!
U-Olga Marie:
...
Fujimaru 1:
Is something the matter?
Fujimaru 2:
Is something bothering you, Miss President?
U-Olga Marie:
It's nothing. I just feel like this is scenery I've seen before. I must have been familiar with this landscape.
U-Olga Marie:
I was wondering what glitches I must have suffered to lose even that experience. What else was I supposed to think about?
U-Olga Marie:
...Never mind that.
U-Olga Marie:
I now understand that gazing upon that which I “know” will allow me to “remember”.
U-Olga Marie:
In which case, my functions will be restored to normal in no time...or at least they should be. Back to how I used to be, I'm sure.
U-Olga Marie:
More importantly, you really need to pull yourself together. Do you really think you'll make it with that mindset?
U-Olga Marie:
There's an organism emitting a dangerous wavelength coming from over there. An enemy of yours? It appears to be a savage beast.
Fujimaru 1:
...! Marine, get over here!
Fujimaru 2:
(I've got to summon a Servant...!)
U-Olga Marie:
What were you doing just now? Nothing's happening.
Fujimaru 1:
(Now that she mentions it...)
Fujimaru 1:
My Command Spells—are gone.
???:
Nemo Marine:
Y-Y-You saved us!? Thank yooou, you were really cool! I'm kinda falling for you here!
U-Olga Marie:
F-F-Falling!? Cool!?
U-Olga Marie:
I-Is that so? Then this one's on the house! Those pushovers are no match for me!
U-Olga Marie:
We may be utterly irreconcilable life forms, our objectives may be entirely unaligned,
U-Olga Marie:
but it is only courteous for sapients to exchange words first!
U-Olga Marie:
Looks like someone needs to teach you a lesson! There's no need to hold back, hit me with all you've got!
--ARROW--
???:
U-Olga Marie:
Leaving without an apology? Well, now I'm sure those eukaryotes were enemies.
Nemo Marine:
So...
Fujimaru 1:
Cooooooooooooool!
Fujimaru 2:
So very, very strong.
U-Olga Marie:
Well, of course. Who do you think I am? U-Olga Marie, future ruler of Earth!
U-Olga Marie:
An obstacle of that level is no different than a minor typo in a report. Once I find one, one finger is all it takes to fix it!
Nemo Marine:
Such an everyday problem, and something you usually overlook! What a folksy metaphorrrrr!
U-Olga Marie:
O-Oh? It just suddenly came to mind...
U-Olga Marie:
(I probably learned it before I came to Earth... Did I misread the study material...?)
Fujimaru 1:
Anyway, let's move on.
Fujimaru 2:
There might be more coming.
Nemo Marine:
Oh yeah! Fujimaru is right!
Nemo Marine:
It's dangerous to stay in one place for long. Who knows if there might be a group of them nearby?
U-Olga Marie:
It doesn't matter how many there are if the hostile organisms are that weak.
U-Olga Marie:
But that's not the case for you, I suppose. You're organisms that can be damaged by physical barrages.
U-Olga Marie:
Why would the animals of this planet evolve in such a way? There's no practical advantage to this.
Nemo Marine:
Thank you for your conceeerrrn! Then I'll be our watchmaaan!
Nemo Marine:
I can't fight like Captain can, but I'm good at this sort of thing!
U-Olga Marie:
Did he just say “watchman”...? Why not hide meekly behind me?
Fujimaru 1:
Everyone in the crew has a job to do, I guess?
Fujimaru 2:
He wants to do anything he can.
U-Olga Marie:
...hmph. Cosmically speaking, it's awfully tedious.
U-Olga Marie:
Why not leave everything to the strongest one?
U-Olga Marie:
And what about you? You stayed out of that previous battle too. Are you another “lookout” type?
U-Olga Marie:
You immediately hid behind a tree and assessed the situation, so you seem used to combat...
U-Olga Marie:
...but how much experience do you have operating with such a fragile vessel, exactly?
Nemo Marine:
Geez, what are you two doing!?
Nemo Marine:
I see a huge plant over there! It's probably edible!
Nemo Marine:
Hurry up! It's gonna be super tasty!
U-Olga Marie:
Wha!?
Nemo Marine:
Hm? What is it? Ah, is it more of those guys from before!?
U-Olga Marie:
...no. You just suddenly grabbed my hand. Earlier, you were radiating a red wavelength to me.
U-Olga Marie:
That means either caution or fear. Why did you suddenly switch to blue, for dialogue?
U-Olga Marie:
And for some reason, Fujimaru has been yellow since the start, for “friendship” or “joy.”
Nemo Marine:
Well yeah, you're unsettling, but I came to learn you're not scaryyy!
Nemo Marine:
It'll be fun to work together! Sion and the others won't like to hear this, but right now you have my full support, Earth President!
U-Olga Marie:
You mean...you'd become my supporter just because of a simple rescue operation?
U-Olga Marie:
...is this some kind of trap? Or are the people of Earth really this simple-minded?
Fujimaru 1:
Speaking of simple-minded...
Fujimaru 2:
(It really is just like back then.)
U-Olga Marie:
...! What!?
Nemo Marine:
Huh? That wasn't me just now. Are they back again?
Nemo Marine:
I thought they might eventually come back! They seem like they took things personally!
Nemo Marine:
But we're safe with Miss U here. Should we really try to talk this time?
Nemo Marine:
If you do it right, maybe you'll get more supporters!
U-Olga Marie:
Heh heh. It seems like you're starting to understand me now, child!
U-Olga Marie:
Yes, I did not come to Earth to exterminate all its primitive life! I've got much better things to do!
U-Olga Marie:
As one who has heard the screams from this planet, I have descended to help improve its management!
U-Olga Marie:
A dialogue must come first, no matter how ferocious or barbarous the other party.
U-Olga Marie:
Cosmically speaking, # this is impossible!
--BATTLE--
Evidently, a Dinosaur:
—!
U-Olga Marie:
Kyaaaaaaaaaaah! These things freak me out! Retreat, retreeeeeeeat!!
Nemo Marine:
No way, the President is scared of reptiiiiiles! (Sob) I'm changing my voooooote!
U-Olga Marie:
C-Can't everyone have their phobias!? Fujimaru!
U-Olga Marie:
Get over here and handle this! Don't you have some trump card to use!?
Fujimaru 1:
Believe me, I'd love nothing more...!
Fujimaru 2:
(I've got no Command Spells, I can't summon anyone...)
Evidently, a Dinosaur:
—!
Chaldean:
I know this is your first encounter, but can you really not deal with a pack of feral deinos...?
Chaldean:
For the so-called “Mankind's Last Master”, this is downright pitiful.
Chaldean:
Or perhaps—
Chaldean:
Have you grown arrogant after removing six Lostbelts? Piling mistake upon mistake...such a human folly.
U-Olga Marie:
—You're—
Nemo Marine:
Hm? Who's this? Do you know him, Fujimaru?
Fujimaru 1:
Yeah. Romani Archaman—
Fujimaru 1:
...or so he calls himself.
--ARROW--
Fujimaru 1:
You're...
D：Chaldean:
Someone calling himself Romani Archaman? Yes, you speak the truth.
Romani Archaman:
I'll be using that name, if you don't mind the brazenness.
Romani Archaman:
“It's what's inside that counts.” A phrase often used by humans. A fake name is just a conversation simplifier.
Romani Archaman:
You understand that this container holds someone else. In that case, it does not matter what name I assume.
Fujimaru 1:
It matters.
Fujimaru 2:
I want that name used by someone who deserves it.
Romani Archaman:
I see. A difference of opinion, then? You remain as stubborn as ever.
Romani Archaman:
I know that you have witnessed the tragedy of Britain and scoured the depths of the most extreme Singularity.
Romani Archaman:
But there is no indication that you were grievously wounded in the process.
Romani Archaman:
Why not call out to your Servants? Don't tell me that you're suffering from psychological trauma?
Romani Archaman:
There are no abnormalities in your Mystic Code. If there were, there is no way you could survive down here.
Fujimaru 1:
...That's...
Fujimaru 2:
(Can I really trust him...?)
Romani Archaman:
You subconsciously conceal your right hand. The whole crest for your Command Spells is gone...
Romani Archaman:
Astonishing... You've pawned off your very ability to serve as a Master.
Romani Archaman:
Fujimaru. You are no longer a Master.
Romani Archaman:
In that state, you can never again summon a Servant. If you want to survive, you'll have to change your strategy.
Fujimaru 1:
Wait...!
Romani Archaman:
What? I don't think you have any business with me. Likewise, I have no business with you as you are now.
Fujimaru 1:
Can't I go see Mash?
Romani Archaman:
Unbelievable... For all your lack of power, you know exactly where to aim for.
Romani Archaman:
Go south of here to the mountain that looks like a large horn. Mash Kyrielight is inside a cave there.
Romani Archaman:
Like the Servant with you, she jumped off the Storm Border in order to save you.
Romani Archaman:
The Apostle Holmes may no longer be present, but what you have to do hasn't changed.
Romani Archaman:
One more thing... It's quite awkward that I have to say this, but...
Romani Archaman:
If mankind is able to excise all seven Lostbelts, then I will finally acknowledge you as an enemy.
Romani Archaman:
Though I expect that won't be the case...
Romani Archaman:
You're up against Daybit Sem Void. Defeating ORT is impossible for the likes of you.
Nemo Marine:
I see. So that was Dr. Roman...or someone who looked just like him.
Nemo Marine:
Sorry... Everything we know about him comes from the records.
Nemo Marine:
I don't know how to react to all that. What about you, Miss U? You've kind of frozen up.
U-Olga Marie:
I can't form an opinion. Was that a living being? It had no wavelength whatsoever, and completely ignored me.
Fujimaru 1:
(...I figured she wouldn't recognize the doctor.)
Fujimaru 2:
I'm pretty sure he knew you, Olga Marie.
U-Olga Marie:
Huh? Impossible. He didn't even call me by name.
U-Olga Marie:
More importantly, are you sure this is the right way? He said something about that mountain off in the distance.
Nemo Marine:
Oh! Oh yeah, that's right! He said Mash was over there!
Nemo Marine:
Let's go, Fujimaru! Let's hurry up and get Team Chaldea reassembled!
U-Olga Marie:
...? Team...Chaldea?
--ARROW--
Nemo Marine:
Haah, I'm exhausted! Is this cave our destination?
Nemo Marine:
I'm used to walking, but what was with those people carrying guns!?
Nemo Marine:
I can't even count how many times we were attacked along the way. Could they be the Lostbelt King's underlings?
Nemo Marine:
That would make all the pieces fit. They think Chaldea is a threat!
Fujimaru 1:
We don't know that yet.
Fujimaru 2:
If that were so, they would know about us already.
U-Olga Marie:
Hey, can I ask something? You've been using some strange terms for a while now.
U-Olga Marie:
Your name is Fujimaru, right? And yours is Marine.
U-Olga Marie:
So then who's Chaldea? Are there other eukaryotes around here?
Fujimaru 1:
Sorry, let's settle down before we talk.
Fujimaru 2:
More importantly...
Nemo Marine:
Whoa, it feels so cool here! There's light, and even a desk!
Nemo Marine:
This is a human living space! Plus, it's so peaceful and cultured!
Nemo Marine:
Look, there're no guns to be found! I'm sure whoever lives here is kind and reasonable!
???:
Oh, new visitors? Are you the Chaldeans that Mr. Romani mentioned?
Nemo Marine:
Huh? Did you just hear a voice coming from that wall?
???:
Hahaha, it looks like I surprised you. I'll turn off my camouflage now.
???:
I like to be alone when I'm deep in thought, so I tend to subconsciously blend into the landscape. Please excuse my rudeness.
Fujimaru 1:
—Awuh?
Nemo Marine:
DINOSAAAAAUR—! SAAAAVE MEEEEEEEEE—!
Evidently, a Dinosaur:
Hm? It looks as though this is your first encounter with a deinos, the dinosaurian mankind.
Evidently, a Dinosaur:
Please remain calm, guests from Pan-Human History. Could you be...Servants, was it?
Evidently, a Dinosaur:
My name is Tepeu. I am a secluded deinos living in this cave.
Evidently, a Dinosaur:
A prime species of different appearance, but with the same kind of intellect based around environmental learning and memory accumulation—
Evidently, a Dinosaur:
In other words, the mankind of this world.
Evidently, a Dinosaur:
As a general rule, we don't eat other intelligent beings.
Evidently, a Dinosaur:
In addition, we are herbivorous. And so long as there is water and sunlight, even that isn't necessary.
Evidently, a Dinosaur:
Rest assured, you will not end up in my mouth for the sake of nourishment.
Evidently, a Dinosaur:
Ah yes, let me prepare some refreshments. Mictlan is under quite the heat wave at the moment. Perhaps you would like some water?
Nemo Marine:
D-do-do-don—D-don't b-b-bother, w-we're just about to leave...!
Habetrot:
Yo, grandpasaurus! We've finished pumping the groundwater!
Habetrot:
What next? Should we tidy up those weird statues up out on the mountain?
Mash:
Those are probably used for stargazing, Habetrot.
Mash:
You measure the stars by using instruments engraved with different angles—
Mash:
Sen—
Mash:
We...We've been waiting for you, Master Fujimaru!
Mash:
The last communication we recieved from the Border said that you were safe, but...
Mash:
I'm so glad that you were able to find us so soon! I'm really—really, so very glad...
Fujimaru 1:
I'm sorry for worrying you.
Fujimaru 2:
It's good to see you so soon, too.
U-Olga Marie:
So this human is the Chaldea you spoke of? She isn't how I imagined...
U-Olga Marie:
Not that I mind. Hello, Chaldea. I am U-Olga Marie.
U-Olga Marie:
As a friendly neighborhood alien, I have brought Fujimaru to you.
Mash:
—Eh? You're Olga Marie? Director Olga Marie?
U-Olga Marie:
U-Olga Marie, not “You're-Olga Marie”!
U-Olga Marie:
Use my full name. It's only respectful.
U-Olga Marie:
And don't cut it down to some crass abbreviation, like “Miss U” or “U”!
Mash:
Y-you—you, you, you, you...!?
Mash:
All right, I've gotten it out of my system now...
Mash:
I'm very sorry for that previous display of mine...
Habetrot:
You have nothing to be sorry for, Mash! Anyone would freak out at something like this!
Habetrot:
I mean, she's the Alien G–
U-Olga Marie:
Alien Guh? What's that?
Mash:
N-nothing. I completely understand the situation!
Mash:
You're having a bout of amnesia...you can only remember your name and your purpose!
Mash:
And in spite of that, you still decided to help both Senpai and Marine! We're extremely grateful!
U-Olga Marie:
Yes, and you should be. If I hadn't been there—
U-Olga Marie:
...I wonder? Maybe they would have survived anyway. I get that feeling somehow...
Habetrot:
(Mmmmmph! Why did you cover up my mouth!? She's the Alien God, isn't she!?)
Mash:
(We're not calling her that anymore now, Habetrot!)
Fujimaru 1:
(At least Mash immediately caught on!)
Nemo Marine:
M-More importantly, I want to hear more from Tepeu! Could you tell us more about this world?
Fujimaru 2:
A-Anyway, I want to hear more from Tepeu!
Tepeu:
From me?
Tepeu:
As you can see, I'm a bit of a hermit, so I'm not exactly well-informed on current events...
Tepeu:
But if you don't mind, I would be pleased to be of service, Fujimaru of Pan-Human History.
Tepeu:
Thanks to others, I have some knowledge of Pan-Human History. Yours is the strongest, most correct history, or so I have been told.
Tepeu:
I also know that our world is something referred to as a “Lostbelt”.
Tepeu:
An impossible world, and one that should by all rights have been pruned...
Fujimaru 1:
Then...
Fujimaru 2:
You also know about Chaldea?
Tepeu:
Yes, the one who told me called himself a Chaldean. It was a most enlightening discussion.
Tepeu:
Pan-Human History and Lostbelts. History that should remain, and histories that should be removed.
Tepeu:
I understand their relationship decently enough. In addition, allow me to state this in advance.
Tepeu:
I do not consider you Chaldeans to be foreign invaders. Rather, you are my guests.
Tepeu:
You are not invaders or conquerors who threaten our world or our way of life.
Tepeu:
I should think of you instead as friends from another world, who came here to do what you must.
Nemo Marine:
R-really? But we're—
Tepeu:
Here to bring this world to its end, yes? Have no fear, we deinos have no interest in the matter.
Tepeu:
Yours might be an exception, but worlds always end.
Tepeu:
How that comes about is of no concern to us. Therefore, you are not our enemies.
Nemo Marine:
Y-you really mean it...? But if this world ends, then you'll—
Tepeu:
Vanish as well, true. But then what?
Tepeu:
If this world were to disappear because I did, then I would resist.
Tepeu:
Fortunately, we do not have such a relationship. Rather, I am more concerned for you.
Tepeu:
If you were to die, it is your world that would vanish, yes?
Tepeu:
Your situation is different from ours. And so, as another form of mankind, I support your cause.
Tepeu:
From now on, please be at ease. Be proud of the path you believe in; the one you chose.
Fujimaru 1:
—
Fujimaru 2:
(He's surprisingly amicable)
U-Olga Marie:
Mankind...huh.
U-Olga Marie:
It's vastly different from the mankind I had imagined.
U-Olga Marie:
You called yourself a deinos? Compared to Fujimaru and [♂ his /♀️ her] friends, you're several levels above them biologically.
U-Olga Marie:
But your voice ticks me off more than anything.
U-Olga Marie:
How can you have a conversation when your waveform is completely different?
Tepeu:
That is the work of Malla... An alteration in cognition applied by this very world.
Tepeu:
A new culture introduced to our world in past times. Courtesy of a gentleman named Crypter.
Tepeu:
Malla analyzed his language and cognitive standards, then tuned it so a mutual dialogue was possible.
Tepeu:
I suppose you could consider it a universal translator cast upon the entire world.
Nemo Marine:
I see. Come to think of it, your vocal cords are completely different from ours, Tepeu.
Nemo Marine:
So who is this Malla? They sound pretty amazing...
Tepeu:
Malla is not a person. They are more of a... life essence.
Tepeu:
Collective good will, as it's called in your world. The sentiment to make the world a better place to live.
Tepeu:
The source and guiding principle of everything that makes up this underground world—Mictlan.
Fujimaru 1:
Mictlan?
Fujimaru 2:
Underground world?
Mash:
Yes. It may be difficult to believe, but this Lostbelt is a vast cavity that extends underground within a Hollow Earth.
Alternative Line
The following line displays if player has finished Agartha.
Mash:
It's different from Agartha, where the ground extended over a horizontal structure.
Alternative Line
The following line displays if player has not finished Agartha.
Mash:
What's more, despite the normal gravitational pull... the topography is vertical rather than horizontal.
Mash:
This world is a cylinder, with its gravity pulling towards the inside surface.
Mash:
The overall structure resembles the inside of a space colony, although it isn't rotating.
Mash:
How has gravity remained unchanged? Why is there a sun, water, and a breathable atmosphere?
Mash:
What's more—to the naked eye, this world appears to be a million square kilometers of open space.
Mash:
The distance to the lower levels is at least 1000 kilometers. Geologically speaking, that's impossible.
Fujimaru 1:
Why is that?
Fujimaru 2:
If I remember, the Earth's crust is only...
Mash:
Yes. As of 2017, the deepest recorded dig by mankind was only 12 kilometers.
Mash:
And the continental crust, where mankind resides, is at most 40 kilometers thick.
Mash:
Below that is the mantle. In other words, the exterior of this world is—
Nemo Marine:
A world of rocks and microbes! There might even be magma blowooooffs!
Tepeu:
Intriguing. It seems that Pan-Human History's environment is completely different from a Lostbelt's after all.
Tepeu:
The name of this world is Mictlan. It is a world of deinos, divided into nine layers.
Tepeu:
However, it was only given that name recently.
Tepeu:
It is a word coined by Izcalli, the lead Ocelotl.
Tepeu:
Unfortunately, the deinos did not come up with it.
Fujimaru 1:
What's an Ocelotl?
Fujimaru 2:
(Where have I heard that word before...)
Jaguarman:
Hey there! Good to meet ya!
Mash:
It's a Nahuatl word, from Central and South America. It means “jaguar”.
Mash:
They were the elite jaguar warriors of the Aztec empire and their mythology...
Mash:
They're said to be representations of the war god Tezcatlipoca, or terrifying Elementals living in the jungle...
U-Olga Marie:
Could they be talking about that bunch?
U-Olga Marie:
The ones who attacked us with guns. They wore jaguar masks, right?
Tepeu:
So you've already encountered them. To think they've made it this far...
Tepeu:
They appeared alongside Crypter.
Tepeu:
Right away they started hunting us deinos for the honor of combat. They're currently building a large city in the fifth layer.
Tepeu:
Izcalli, their leader, seems dead-set on wiping out mankind, well, us deinos.
Tepeu:
They have already claimed the lives of many deinos.
Tepeu:
They're either captured and beaten to death, or deprived of their wits by use of various poisons.
Tepeu:
Either way, there are few deinos left living in the wild like myself.
Tepeu:
Oh, now that I think about it, the Ocelomeh look rather like you people.
Tepeu:
So their weapons are called guns? How surprising.
Fujimaru 1:
(They appeared with the Crypter...)
Fujimaru 2:
(Then, are they humans, like us...?)
Nemo Marine:
What a savage bunch... But why are they doing this?
Nemo Marine:
Are you fighting over territory here in Mictlan?
Tepeu:
It's not so much about territory as it is about resources. They're after revenue.
Tepeu:
They strip off our hides, process our bones, and distribute our hearts as treasure.
Tepeu:
Malla disapprove of such behavior, but the Ocelomeh are a cunning bunch who can escape the eyes of their law.
Tepeu:
Systematic violence organized as a distributor of goods. That's what the Ocelomeh are.
Nemo Marine:
That's just a mafia! Is the jungle really so scary!?
Mash:
Yes...it sounds exactly like some sort of trafficking ring. If that's the case—
Fujimaru 1:
Everyone on the Border is in danger!
Fujimaru 2:
We really need to find the others now!
Mash:
Yes. We need to regroup with the Storm Border as soon as possible.
Mash:
However...their contact four hours ago was the last one.
Mash:
We heard from Sion that most of the ship's functions are offline, and it would take several days to effect repairs...
Fujimaru 1:
So that's what happened...
Fujimaru 2:
Either way, I'm glad they're safe.
Habetrot:
Bwaaaaagh! Can I finally get a word in now!?
Habetrot:
We can pick up the pace now that we've met up with Fujimaru and Marine!
Habetrot:
The Storm Border was going down somewhere to the south of us. Probably about 300 kilometers away, if I had to guess!
Habetrot:
Who knows how many days it would take to get through that sea of trees? We don't have time to waste.
Habetrot:
The jungle would have been dangerous if it was just Mash and myself, but with Fujimaru here, it's no problemo.
Habetrot:
If any of those oce-loonies attack us, you can just summon a Servant to take care of 'em.
Habetrot:
If we really need to, [♂ he /♀️ she] can just pump us some magical energy to blow 'em away with the Black Barrel.
Fujimaru 1:
Yeah, about that...
Fujimaru 2:
The thing is...
Habetrot:
You can't...summon Servants?
Nemo Marine:
Oh...so that's why...
Nemo Marine:
...I never even noticed...I'm sorry for being such a worthless Servant...
U-Olga Marie:
...?
Fujimaru 1:
But that's a whole other issue.
Fujimaru 2:
Right now we need to get to the Storm Border.
Tepeu:
By “Storm Border,” do you mean the “Flying Rock” that came down from the Heavenly Barrier?
Tepeu:
It fell on the far side of Chichen Itza.
Tepeu:
From here, you'll need to cross through Tlatlauhqui. You only just arrived, so I can't recommend that.
Mash:
Um, Tepeu? What are you doing?
Tepeu:
Getting dressed up. It has been some time since I went out, after all.
Tepeu:
I trust that you would go even if I stopped you? Then you'll need a guide.
Tepeu:
Allow me to introduce myself once more. I am Tepeu. Tepeu the Stargazer.
Tepeu:
Perhaps it's fate that brought you here? Allow me to show you the way through Mictlan, the Golden Sea of Trees.
--ARROW--
Nemo Marine:
It's soooooo hawwwwt!
Nemo Marine:
It's insanely hot outside the caaaaaave! What is it, 58 degrees celsius!?
Nemo Marine:
It's even hotter than the deserrrrt! I'll have you know we're the children of the seeeaaa!
Mash:
It is definitely hotter than I expected...
Mash:
Although it's still tolerable if you find some shade. Master, is your Mystic Code's properly regulating your body temperature?
Fujimaru 1:
Maximum cooling leaves me at 38℃.
Fujimaru 2:
I'll be fine. I'll have some grilled meat.
Tepeu:
The sun is now at the third layer, so expect this heat to continue for a good while.
Tepeu:
As the sun recedes, the temperature will drop. No need to make haste until then.
Tepeu:
How about we take a breather here? Rest is essential, even if you're in a hurry.
Fujimaru 1:
I'll take you up on that...
Mash:
Understood, I agree too. We've been on the move for approximately two hours, so let's have a 15 minute break.
Nemo Marine:
Okay! I'll go fetch some water then! I can tell there's a river flowing nearby☆
Habetrot:
For someone who's always whining, Marine sure gets the job done.
Habetrot:
Feels like he wants to be of use to us, especially since he can't fight. Oh well, give me some magical energy, Mash.
Habetrot:
I'll go with Marine and help out if something happens!
Mash:
It's reassuring that even in a Lostbelt, they're both the same as always.
Mash:
I... hope the same goes for us, too.
U-Olga Marie:
A jungle. Quite densely packed information. Not too shabby. A harsh yet vibrant atmospheric temperature. Humidity. Atmospheric pressure. Scents.
U-Olga Marie:
Is this what they'd call an outpouring of life? From the micro to the macro, a suffocating wave of colors.
U-Olga Marie:
The vibrant colors make me feel like vomiting if I focus on them with my senses!
U-Olga Marie:
I wonder if you people get what I'm saying? As we speak, I am in a state where something is about to come out of my mouth (Blarrrrrrgh)
Mash:
Oh dear, she's throwing up. Director Olga Marie's vomiting some rainbow-colored stuff!
Mash:
I'd recommend reducing the sensitivity of your senses until you get used to the environment!
U-Olga Marie:
Stop rubbing my back! And I've already told you not to call me that strange name!
U-Olga Marie:
But I will heed your advice. Lowering the sensitivity is proving quite effective.
U-Olga Marie:
...You said your name was Mash Kyrielight. Are you a human too?
U-Olga Marie:
The composition of your body differs from Fujimaru's.
Mash:
Yes, I am a Demi-Servant. A hybrid between a Servant and a human.
Mash:
My body happens to be relatively sturdy, Direc–
Mash:
Miss U-Olga Marie, please feel free to ask me if you need any manual labor done.
U-Olga Marie:
Hmm. A Demi-Servant. I see. I know what that is. Yes, THAT.
Fujimaru 1:
(Yep, she has no idea.)
Fujimaru 2:
Would you like me to explain?
U-Olga Marie:
I know what it is, it's that Earth specialty product, right!? I already know the name. I don't slack on my studies!
U-Olga Marie:
But, well, while I have nothing against you personally...
U-Olga Marie:
...I don't really like the sound of that word. Why don't you think of an alternative name for it?
Mash:
—
Nemo Marine:
Wait a minute, am I feeling some good vibes here!? Are you having fun? If so, I'm soooorrryyy!
Nemo Marine:
I'm being chased by this scary dinosaur right now! Miss President, Mash, help meeeee!
Deinos:
—!
Fujimaru 1:
Tepeu, who is this person!?
Fujimaru 2:
(It's the polar opposite of Tepeu...!)
Tepeu:
These are deinos whose brains have deterioriated, causing them to lose all intellect. They are neither alive nor dead now.
Tepeu:
They're like the jungle's malignant tumors who prey upon surrounding animals to convert them into energy.
Tepeu:
Dialogue won't work here. Either you run or you stop them.
Fujimaru 1:
Your calm is unshakable, huh, Tepeu!?
Tepeu:
No, I am in fact panicking. You see, I have no combat experience.
Tepeu:
Truth be told, I'm almost regretting becoming your guide out of worry for you. Goodness me.
Mash:
Y-You're a more jolly fellow than I pegged you for, Tepeu.
Mash:
But if that's the case, you don't need to worry!
Mash:
I swear on the name of Shielder that I won't allow any hostile creature to get past me!
Mash:
Your orders, Master! Commencing Lostbelt combat!
Fujimaru 2:
No other way around this...!
U-Olga Marie:
Yes, it's time for me to shine, Fujimaru! Leave it to me, I'll pulverize them!
U-Olga Marie:
But don't let them get close to me! Mash, I order you to be my shield!
Mash:
R-Right, with pleasure! Now for open combat!
--BATTLE--
Fujimaru 1:
Overcoming numerous battles and leaving the jungle,
Fujimaru 2:
a maize field awaited us.
Nemo Marine:
Wow, they're huuuuge! Each stalk's about two meters tall!
Nemo Marine:
Are these edible, Tepeu!? These aren't meant to be used as fuel, are they?
Tepeu:
Yes, this is the greatest of treats for deinos. The one and only food we eat for pleasure.
Tepeu:
Having said that, what did you mean by “used as fuel”, Marine? What do you use maize for in Pan-Human History?
U-Olga Marie:
Oh, I know! Ethanol! Biofuel manufactured from organic matter!
U-Olga Marie:
But aren't these grains a source of nourishment for you eukaryotes?
U-Olga Marie:
Are Earthlings prioritizing fuel over Earth's natural cycles?
Mash:
No, not quite. They are cultivated differently depending on their intended usage.
Mash:
There's edible maize, with their taste and nutritional value maximized via selective breeding. And then there's maize geared towards ethanol production.
Mash:
In recent times, the issue of greenhouse gas emission from maize fields grown for biofuel production has “cropped” up,
Mash:
but both these feats can be considered the result of humanity's accumulated technological achievements.
U-Olga Marie:
Hmm, the development of civilization necessitates the destruction of its environment...
U-Olga Marie:
Though I suppose the evolution of a sapient species is but a race to see how far it can go before it devours the planet.
U-Olga Marie:
You Earthlings appear to be on a losing streak! As I'd feared, you're in dire need of a strong leader!
Habetrot:
Hey, I'm glad our president's in good spirits and all, but have you noticed it, Fujimaru?
Habetrot:
It's been about six hours since we left that cave. We left while the sun was up, didn't we?
Habetrot:
Isn't that strange? Why isn't the sun setting yet?
Fujimaru 1:
Now that you mention it...
Fujimaru 2:
Could it be that it's noon for almost half the day?
Mash:
Wouldn't it be the other way around? We should assume that there is no night here.
Mash:
Mictlan is a world underground, a closed structure that folds inwards.
Mash:
The sun doesn't set on the horizon...
Mash:
No, it's not like the sun in our world sets on the horizon either... That's only a figure of speech.
U-Olga Marie:
Hmm...
U-Olga Marie:
But that sun is moving, though? Moving south bit by bit... rather, towards the depths of the Earth.
U-Olga Marie:
At that rate, the sunlight in this area will dim and it'll turn to night in about five hours.
U-Olga Marie:
This must be what passes as celestial motion in an underground world like Mictlan where there's neither rotation nor revolution.
U-Olga Marie:
...I don't know where it's being controlled from, but it's something that the technology of mankind in the 21st century cannot achieve.
Fujimaru 1:
...One mystery after another, as usual.
Fujimaru 2:
Let's ask Tepeu.
Tepeu:
Did you call for me?
Tepeu:
My deepest apologies for not offering you an explanation, even though I'm supposed to be your guide. Talking with Marine was just so much fun that it slipped my mind.
Tepeu:
So, what is your question?
Tepeu:
How Mictlan is structured. Its solar mechanism. Deinos ecology. Life in its cities. Crypter. The maize field.
Tepeu:
I believe these are the things you'd be interested in knowing about.
Mash:
Y-You're right, but if we could take it one step at a time...
Mash:
Senpai, which question would you like to start with?
Fujimaru 1:
Mictlan's structure.
Tepeu:
Very well. Mictlan's structure, it is.
Tepeu:
Since you seek the Storm Border, this knowledge will be most essential to you.
Tepeu:
Mictlan may be a jungle on flat terrain, but the truth is, it's divided into nine layers.
Tepeu:
This here is the first layer, Tlalocan. Where a precipice serves as the ceiling leading to the surface.
Tepeu:
The second layer is the first Underworld Border. A river without end where the colossal iguanas dwell, the Red Border, Tlatlauhqui.
Tepeu:
The third layer is a great, fertile plain. The Golden City of Chichen Itza.
Tepeu:
The fourth layer is the second Underworld Border. A vale of blades and wind where bones are discarded, the White Border, Iztauhqui.
Tepeu:
The fifth layer, the blood vessels of the land. The lake of blood and birds, Tula.
Tepeu:
The sixth layer is the third Underworld Border. The galactic dunes, the thundering gardens of the void, the Blue Border, Xoxoauhqui.
Tepeu:
The seventh layer, the melodious Ilhuicatl. Metztitlán, the astronomical observatory.
Tepeu:
The eighth layer is the fourth Underworld Border. A sunless, underground mountain range, the Black Border, Yayauhqui.
Tepeu:
And then we have the ninth layer, at the foot of the Ceiba tree. The Land of Fear, Xibalba.
Tepeu:
They are, of course, interconnected. So you can traverse them at will.
Tepeu:
However, the Underworld Borders are dangerous. For they are the layers of trials where the dead roam.
Tepeu:
Furthermore, going any deeper than the seventh layer is considered dangerous, even for us deinos.
Tepeu:
Put simply, this is because the eighth and ninth layers are covered by a fog that brings death to the living.
Tepeu:
This fog will only clear up when the sun takes its 360th intermission, and it only takes five cycles for it to set back in.
Tepeu:
To venture down to the ninth layer during this period of clearing is known as the Underworld Pilgrimage. However, not a single deinos has successfully done so.
Mash:
Underworld Pilgrimage... Xibalba...
Tepeu:
There is however no reason for you to head for the ninth layer, so what I've just told you is merely trivia.
Tepeu:
The Storm Border likely fell to the bottom of the third layer, near the entrance of the fourth layer.
Tepeu:
You can get there in four cycles, but there's a massive hurdle you'll need to overcome first.
Tepeu:
The second layer, Tlatlauhqui, the Red Underworld Border. The war god that Crypter brought with him,
Tepeu:
Tezcatlipoca, has turned it into a demonic realm. A dreadful world.
Fujimaru 2:
The maize fields.
Tepeu:
We deinos can live off nothing but water and sunlight,
Tepeu:
but unsatisfied with that alone, we cultivated it to serve as a luxury product.
Tepeu:
That is what this maize is, a gift from the great sun. The all-purpose food that Malla created for us.
Mash:
Even in Pan-Human History, maize is a grain that holds special significance in South America.
Mash:
In fact, maize was an indispensable source of nutrition in Latin America.
Mash:
To the point that it was said to be a gift from the gods, or the gods themselves, for being a life-giving food.
Mash:
Now let's get down to business, Senpai. We ought to be asking about Mictlan's structure.
Redirect
After this, player will get Mictlan's structure loredump.
Mash:
The war god that the Crypter brought with him —That is, in other words...
Fujimaru 1:
The Servant summoned by Daybit.
Mash:
And one of the supreme gods for the Aztecs in Pan-Human History...the god of war and sacrifice, Tezcatlipoca.
Tepeu:
I see. The mankind of Pan-Human History, much like you, are Homo sapiens,
Tepeu:
and there are six continents as well as countless nations. It is a cooperative society despite being made up of different races, each having established their own culture.
Tepeu:
If we go by your standards, we deinos would be categorized as reptiles.
Tepeu:
Your biosphere is on the surface of the planet. You have yet to advance into space. Oceans? This is the first time I've heard such a word. Please do tell.
Tepeu:
Right, so something other than continents exists. Life must be thriving under conditions like those.
Tepeu:
Are there no aquatic reptiles among the deinos, you ask? Deinos who have adapted to marine life are a rare breed.
Tepeu:
Because life in water causes our skeletal frames to enlarge, causing difficulties when moving on land.
Tepeu:
Democracy, communism. I have a solid understanding of how politics and society work, and so you can skip the lecture on this topic.
Tepeu:
Judging from your characteristics, your comprehensive research must have progressed much in the manner of stacking stones.
Tepeu:
Needless to say, you've explored your own planet. Yet despite lacking the power to take flight, you've been making progress in observing other celestial bodies.
Tepeu:
Genes. Cells. Elements. Atoms.
Tepeu:
It is necessary to understand the miniscule laws to grasp the vastness of the cosmos—How delightful.
Tepeu:
It is truly a-maize-ing.
Tepeu:
Mankind of Pan-Human History, your chronicle is like a rolling cube that changes patterns with each roll.
Fujimaru 1:
—(Turns out we're the ones bombarded with questions)
Fujimaru 2:
(That's some amazing comprehension)
Mash:
Are you surprised?
Mash:
I felt the same way when I met Tepeu back in the cave.
Mash:
If you bring up a topic with him, he'll start talking about ten things that come afterwards.
Mash:
Even if it's something Tepeu had no idea about prior, such as laws.
Mash:
We aren't talking about your average exceptional genius here. I wouldn't be exaggerating if I said he has a super brain!
Fujimaru 1:
You're right.
Fujimaru 2:
(I wonder if he's not like the other deinos...)
Nemo Marine:
We still don't know a thing about the deinos yet.
Nemo Marine:
...But would you happen to be a loner, Tepeu? Were you living all alone in that cave because you were too smart?
Tepeu:
Exceptional humans are ostracized by the herd... I believe your word for it is an “outcast”.
Tepeu:
You're spot on, the other deinos and I no longer see eye to eye, and so I moved to the remote reaches of the first layer.
Tepeu:
Deinos never had a thirst for knowledge to begin with. Because we never needed to supplement our bodies with our intellect.
Tepeu:
Homo sapiens are short-lived, vulnerable, and inferior to the other species in terms of survivability.
Tepeu:
As a result, both your bodies and intellect evolved. However, that's not quite the case for deinos like us.
Tepeu:
You see, Mictlan holds no threats. So there was never a need for us to evolve.
Fujimaru 1:
I see.
Fujimaru 2:
If dinosaurs had intellect, they'd be unbeatable.
Tepeu:
And yet we still know nothing of our world.
Tepeu:
Your digestive capabilities are awe-inspiring. It is all but impossible for us to be omnivorous to that extent.
Tepeu:
You decompose the toxins in plant matter, allowing you to extract nutrients from it...
Tepeu:
You take it for granted, but it is monumentally revolutionary.
Tepeu:
How I envy you. Imagine being able to utilize such a wide variety of plants and organisms as food!
Nemo Marine:
R-Really? Now that you mention it, mankind may have a monopoly on food culture!
Nemo Marine:
Bakery would be overjoyed to hear thaaat!
Nemo Marine:
She sometimes sulks, saying that she's the only one whose job lacks that “oomph”!
Mash:
Tepeu, if we're not overstepping our bounds here, would you be able to tell us more about the deinos?
Mash:
We still haven't had proper contact with any other than you, so...
Tepeu:
Then let me explain the deinos ecology and how it came to be.
Tepeu:
We deinos are the mankind of this Lostbelt... the prime species entrusted with the administration of this world.
Tepeu:
A long, long time ago, at the origin of Mictlan, our ancestors migrated here from the surface.
Tepeu:
Our ancestors were beings analogous to the dinosaurs of Pan-Human History.
Tepeu:
From what Mash has told me, dinosaurs are divided into several categories.
Tepeu:
The aquatic reptiles, Plesiosauria. The avian Pterosauria.
Tepeu:
And the land roving Theropoda, of which I hear there were many. For the most part, the deinos belong to Theropoda.
Tepeu:
Having said that, Malla has had some degree of influence on our spawns,
Tepeu:
so there are always at least some Plesiosauria or Pterosauria class deinos among us.
Tepeu:
Pterosauria do exist, rare as they may be. I may have used the word “outcast” earlier,
Tepeu:
but I was ostracized by the herd due to problems with my conduct.
Tepeu:
On the other hand, Pterosauria and Plesiosauria are labelled “outcasts” from birth.
Tepeu:
I hear dinosaurs were primarily herbivores, with only a few being carnivores. But deinos are exclusively herbivorous.
Tepeu:
There is no such thing as a carnivorous deinos.
Tepeu:
Ingesting meat would result in an inability to decompose toxins, causing pain, loss of intellect, and eventually death.
Tepeu:
The feral deinos who attacked you were in such a state.
Tepeu:
Either they renounced their intellect in the face of death, or they went berserk after being administered poison by the Ocelomeh.
Nemo Marine:
So that's what happened... They were scary, but I feel awful for those deinos...
Nemo Marine:
To die in agony, and to be forced to consume meat they don't even want on top of that. That's just like zombifying them...
Fujimaru 1:
Why would the Ocelomeh do that?
Tepeu:
They call it the “new doctrine”. Religion, as you people might call it...or shall we say, a creed?
Tepeu:
I can tell now that the Ocelomeh are members of the genus Homo, just like you...
Tepeu:
They are, most likely, human. They appeared in Mictlan out of nowhere, and began expanding their territory.
Tepeu:
Their creed is to “offer strong hearts as tribute to their god”.
Tepeu:
And since the deinos are the strongest creatures in Mictlan, we inevitably became their targets.
Tepeu:
They have established the city of the Ocelomeh on the fifth layer, where they ritualistically gouge out hearts from the deinos.
Tepeu:
Having shared my knowledge with you, I am now able to lay down the current state of Mictlan.
Tepeu:
Mictlan is, at present, in the midst of a civil war between two factions.
Tepeu:
We deinos are one side.
Tepeu:
The Golden City of Chichen Itza, ruled by the Dinosaur King, and protected by the sun god Kukulkan.
Tepeu:
And the Ocelomeh are another.
Tepeu:
Mexico City, the city of death built by the god of sacrifice, Tezcatlipoca,
Tepeu:
and the Pan-Human History man who brought the new god along with him, Crypter.
Tepeu:
The crash site of the Storm Border, which is your destination, lies halfway between these two cities.
Fujimaru 1:
The god in Mexico City...
Fujimaru 2:
Is that where Daybit is...?
Mash:
Please wait a minute. I know that the Servant summoned by Crypter...by Daybit,
Mash:
is a Divine Spirit from our Pan-Human History.
Mash:
But is there a god in the deinos city too? And Kukulkan at that.
Nemo Marine:
Huh? Why did THAT catch your attention, Mash? Gods being in a Lostbelt isn't anything new, is it?
Mash:
No, Kukulkan is the god of wind and water from Mayan mythology in Pan-Human History.
Mash:
But seeing how the deinos have nothing to do with the mythologies of Pan-Human History,
Mash:
it makes no sense that a god bearing that name would be in Mictlan.
Mash:
Oh, wait...on second thought, Mictlan itself is the name of the underworld in Aztec mythology...
Tepeu:
You mean to say that our world and yours have nothing in common.
Tepeu:
An understandable point. But the situation couldn't be simpler.
Tepeu:
Both the name and the concept of a “sun god” were born recently.
Tepeu:
You see, we were ignorant of such things.
Tepeu:
We barely had any verbal exchanges prior to Crypter's arrival.
Tepeu:
So even the concept of a “god” is something Pan-Human History introduced to us.
Tepeu:
Gods did not exist in the world of the deinos before Daybit Sem Void came along.
Tepeu:
His summoning of Tezcatlipoca, a god from Pan-Human History, gave meaning to many a thing.
Tepeu:
What we used to take for granted became “something special”. While this act replaced phenomena—
Tepeu:
For the first time ever, our world produced stories.
--ARROW--
Tepeu:
I will take my repose first. I have a great deal of new information to digest this cycle.
Mash:
And with that, Tepeu went to sleep early.
U-Olga Marie:
—
Mash:
U-Olga Marie is watching the night sky about twenty meters from us.
Fujimaru 1:
...Good timing. It's a snub to her, but let's clear things up.
Mash:
...Yes. Let's talk about how to deal with U-Olga Marie as well as the future of our operation from here.
Mash:
What are you thinking regarding U-Olga Marie, Senpai?
Mash:
The situation is that she's currently suffering from amnesia, only remembering her name and purpose.
Mash:
“U-Olga Marie is a space alien who has come to rule the Earth.”
Mash:
“She has no other personal memories. Only the video records she had watched to understand Earth.”
Mash:
...She's ignorant about Chaldea, about the bleaching of Earth, and about her fight with the Storm Border.
Mash:
I don't...want us to be enemies, even if she is the Alien God.
Mash:
She's been friendly to us these past twelve hours. In which case, if she still doesn't regain her memories...
Fujimaru 1:
...We'll keep quiet for now about her being the Alien God.
Nemo Marine:
It feels manipulative, but I agree with that. U keeps saying over and over that she's ruling the Earth.
Nemo Marine:
But the nuance is less about “dominating” mankind and more “improving its management”.
Nemo Marine:
That's different from when she was attacking the Storm Border as the Alien God.
Nemo Marine:
I bet she was putting up a facade back then and this is her natural self. So then—
Habetrot:
She at least won't be the enemy if she can't remember that she's the Alien God, right?
Habetrot:
In that case, I'm with you. But you have to promise one thing.
Habetrot:
Let's not hold back anything else. Real friends don't keep each other in the dark about everything.
Fujimaru 1:
That goes without saying!
Fujimaru 2:
Now that our minds are made up
Fujimaru 1:
Miss President!
Fujimaru 2:
Miss U!!!
U-Olga Marie:
What is it? I've been rather occupied coming up with a presidential astrological sign.
Mash:
E-Excuse us, that is quite a lot of work! I think it's quite romantic to come up with constellations!
U-Olga Marie:
The first thing to do when reaching a new celestial body is play at constellations. That's a noble's prerogative, but no matter.
U-Olga Marie:
If you want to talk, then talk. I'm sure it's a subject that will gratify me.
Fujimaru 1:
...And that about sums up our background.
U-Olga Marie:
Servants, Masters, magi, Chaldea and the Human Order Incineration, Singularities...
U-Olga Marie:
The bleaching of Earth, Crypters, Fantasy Trees, Pan-Human History, Lostbelts, Earth's many crises...
U-Olga Marie:
Hm. Hmm. Now I clearly see the follies of mankind. You have endured much.
U-Olga Marie:
Although—you did well restoring your future, even if only once.
U-Olga Marie:
I see you in a better light now, Fujimaru. Excellent job, Mash.
U-Olga Marie:
Chaldea is quite the organization.
U-Olga Marie:
Ensuring a future for the people without them even realizing it—truly a noble job to perform.
Mash:
Director—
U-Olga Marie:
What is the meaning of this “die-recter” talk?
U-Olga Marie:
Do your kind tend to suffer from bugs that make you spit out nonsense?
U-Olga Marie:
No–That's not what I should be saying. Right. About your whole story, it's a 90 out of 100.
U-Olga Marie:
I've never heard anything more gratifying, but it's a 90. Do you understand why?
Mash:
N-No, I wouldn't know. Have you ever felt all the way gratified?
U-Olga Marie:
I mean, it's missing something. You see?
U-Olga Marie:
Though I will concede that the both of you gave your all.
U-Olga Marie:
But it's missing one piece of the puzzle. It's well-crafted but that one finishing touch isn't there.
U-Olga Marie:
It could be even better with one light of hope filling that hole. Though I won't say what would that be. I have no idea who would fit that description.
Mash:
Ah—!
Fujimaru 1:
We lost 10 points for doing it without Olga Marie!
Fujimaru 2:
Wanna perform this noble job?
U-Olga Marie:
—!
U-Olga Marie:
Heh! Mankind is deducted 100 foolishness points from that remark alone!
U-Olga Marie:
After hearing it, I'll help you with your work to save the Earth. Count on me fighting by your side, as friends!
Fujimaru 1:
All right!
Alien Priestess:
—
Mash:
Well, it seems to be getting late despite our glad enthusiasm. I think it's time we get into our sleeping bags.
Mash:
Tepeu said that the sun should take about half the daytime hours to arrive.
Mash:
A rough conversion of that interval ought to be about twelve hours.
Mash:
So after seven hours of solid rest, we'll leave the maize field while it's still night.
Nemo Marine:
Count on me to keep a lookout at night! You can all sleep in peeeace!
Fujimaru 1:
Thanks, Marine.
Fujimaru 2:
I'll take you up on that right away.
U-Olga Marie:
...?
Man in Priestly Garb:
...Hmm. What a vexing state of affairs this has become.
Section 3: First Underworld: Tlatlauqui
U-Olga Marie:
Now then, Tepeu! Explain more about these “Underworld Borders”!
Tepeu:
The Underworld Borders are anomalous zones within Mictlan. Places where the magnetic field is so warped that the blessings of Malla cannot register.
Tepeu:
I say magnetic field, but they're more accurately dimensional distortions.
Tepeu:
They were once places where mindless deinos would wander about, but since the arrival of Tezcatlipoca,
Tepeu:
the underworlds became places where the dead are compelled to face trials in order to reach a “complete death”.
Tepeu:
Without having recognized the trials as being “surmounted”, the Underworld Borders will be impossibly hellish to traverse.
Tepeu:
It's dependent on your respective state of mind in that sense—
Mash:
I see. As long as you've passed through once, you've “conquered the trial”, and so you won't be in danger again.
Mash:
Since this is our first-ever visit, it must mean that the Underworld Borders will be very challenging places.
Mash:
This may be an silly question, but Tepeu, but have you crossed them before?
Tepeu:
Yes. The first underworld is a relatively simple trial. I have surmounted as far as the third underworld.
Mash:
By the way, you mentioned last night that there are colossal iguanas in the first underworld...
Mash:
Would one happen to be named the Xochitónal?
Tepeu:
Oho. Do you know of it, Mash? Does Pan-Human History have a similar underworld?
Mash:
It does. “Mictlan” refers to the underworld of Aztec mythology in Pan-Human History.
Mash:
Aztec mythology had worlds representing the heavens, the earth, and the underground.
Mash:
There's the thirteen-layered heavenly world of the gods, the earthly world inhabited by humans,
Mash:
and the nine-layered underworld stretching under the ground. This underworld is called Mictlan.
Mash:
Humans who died of natural causes and not death in battle descended through the nine-layered Mictlan.
Mash:
After surmounting various trials, they would face their own lives at the lowest layer, Chiconahualóyan, and return their souls to nature.
Mash:
The Aztec civilization had one of the cruelest societies in human history, with sacrifice, slavery, and constant warfare.
Mash:
But at its roots was harmony with nature, and gratitude towards the gods—and the world.
Mash:
I understand that the same kind of faith in gods wasn't born within this Mictlan.
Mash:
But in regards to emphasizing the harmony with nature, I would hypothesize that this world shares the same roots.
Tepeu:
I see. A Mictlan of Pan-Human History. And the Xochitónal was there as well?
Mash:
Yes, in the first underworld layer of Itzcuintlán. When nearing the enormous Apanohuacalhuia river,
Mash:
the dead had to be kept from being devoured by the great Xochitónal iguana by asking help from a hairless dog.
Mash:
That's how it's said the river is crossed.
Tepeu:
And what is a “dog”?
Nemo Marine:
It's an awesome animal! It's hard to describe, but I'll draw you a picture later!
Tepeu:
Thank you, Marine. But I would suppose...
Tepeu:
It's an animal along these lines?
Nemo Marine:
Wah! How did you know!? And your sketch looks so good too!
Mash:
Such power of imagination...no, of study. You're already a scholar of Pan-Human History, Tepeu.
Tepeu:
Yes. I should like to learn all that I can.
Tepeu:
Your history is a most dreadful one, yet equally fascinating at the same time.
U-Olga Marie:
Hmm. The Mictlan of Pan-Human History, and the Mictlan of this Lostbelt...
U-Olga Marie:
The humans of Pan-Human History live above ground, while the deinos live under the surface.
U-Olga Marie:
Now why is that? You deinos aren't composed of the souls of the dead.
Tepeu:
That's most likely because the surface of our world is no longer a hospitable environment for living creatures.
Tepeu:
Long, long, long ago, a meteorite plummeted from space and burnt the ground to ashes.
Tepeu:
We escaped underground and bred in the Mictlan created by Malla.
Tepeu:
As we are a mankind who have thrived in the underworld, we shall not return to the wastes that still burn above ground.
U-Olga Marie:
Wastes that still burn...?
U-Olga Marie:
Even if a meteorite impact set hot winds to sweep fire across the entire surface, wouldn't the world have already recovered after tens of thousands of years?
U-Olga Marie:
How can this planet be so unmotivated...?
U-Olga Marie:
Never mind the trivialities, there's a more important matter—
U-Olga Marie:
Hey, Tepeu. And the rest of you, at that.
U-Olga Marie:
What do you know about ORT?
Fujimaru 1:
—
Tepeu:
Ort, was it? I've never heard such an utterance. What of the others?
Fujimaru 2:
Not much more than rumors...
U-Olga Marie:
Hmm? What's with the serious mood all of a sudden? What sort of rumors?
Mash:
To be completely honest...one of our objectives concerns ORT.
Mash:
There is an organism by that name in Pan-Human History, and Chaldea came to the South American Lostbelt...
Mash:
...in order to reach it before anyone else could. But now...
U-Olga Marie:
Now?
Fujimaru 1:
More urgent things have kinda cropped up...
Fujimaru 2:
I don't think that's our foremost worry right now...
U-Olga Marie:
Finding our way back to the Storm Border is top priority, then comes solving the bleaching of Earth. Yes, indeed.
U-Olga Marie:
True, there's no time to waste looking for so strange a creature! I'm in full agreement!
U-Olga Marie:
And besides, you have me with you! I have all the firepower you need!
Mash:
T-Then are you not in search of ORT, U-Olga Marie?
U-Olga Marie:
Why would I be? Can't I at least ask, when it's one of the few terms I still recall?
U-Olga Marie:
Well... Now that you mention it... I feel like... I was searching for it. I guess...it doesn't seem to matter?
U-Olga Marie:
Don't sweat the details!
U-Olga Marie:
After all, I'm quite fond of infinitesimal creatures. Pursuing a minimal doubt would be unkind to minimal lives!
Fujimaru 1:
Y-Yeah, that's for the best.
Fujimaru 2:
(I'm relieved, but is it all right for her to just leave it at that?)
Nemo Marine:
Ah! I can hear running water! We'll be at the river soon!
Nemo Marine:
All right, Captain Marine is first to ariiiiiive!
Nemo Marine:
By Triton's name, we'll cruise the rivers of the jungle with ease!
Fujimaru 1:
This is the first Underworld Border—!?
Fujimaru 2:
Can you even consider this a river!?
Nemo Marine:
No waaaaaay! Even all two dozen of us Marines at full strength would fail to croooss!
Nemo Marine:
But it's so majestic that my mood won't sour! This huge waterfall is so refreshiiiiiing!
Habetrot:
Yeah. Not even in the Fairy Kingdom can you find such sprawling scenery.
Habetrot:
South American mythology is really quite something! The grandeur of nature is like night and day in comparison!
Mash:
Yes. Just like how the Guiana Highlands in South America are the last unexplored region of the earth!
Mash:
And Tepeu was able to cross such a massive waterfall, wasn't he?
Mash:
It wouldn't be an overstatement to say his leg strength and exploratory ability are of superhuman level.
Mash:
I'm dying to learn more. For starters, what route did you take in order to cross?
Tepeu:
Oh, yes. I believe I crossed that, maybe.
Mash:
Mr. Tepeu?
Fujimaru 1:
Super Tepeu?
Tepeu:
No, I know nothing of that. Help. What's going on? I'm scared.
Tepeu:
Begging your pardon, this is not the same river I crossed... The river was vast, but not nearly to this degree...
Tepeu:
Is this the manner of landscape that you imagined, Fujimaru and Mash?
Fujimaru 1:
Hell
Fujimaru 2:
No
Tepeu:
Then...the cause for this is not your differing states of mind?
Tepeu:
...I should think the arrival of Chaldea gave way to changes in the Underworld Borders, much as Crypter's had.
Tepeu:
Would that be the most logical conclusion... No, that aside—
Nemo Marine:
What aside?
Tepeu:
What a thrilling spectacle this is! If only my fellows could see such a stupendous watering hole!
U-Olga Marie:
...!
U-Olga Marie:
Save your excitement. Tepeu, Marine, Fujimaru, behind me!
U-Olga Marie:
Something is climbing from the base of the waterfall! It must be the giant iguana!
U-Olga Marie:
Mash and I will deal with it, with Habenya as non-combat escort! All clear, you two?
Habetrot:
(Habenya, me!?)
Mash:
Yes, I'm ready! Please count on me, Olga Marie!
--ARROW--
Nemo Marine:
Despite the surprise attack, you guys crushed it! Mash and the President are both super awesome! Thank yooou!
Fujimaru 1:
Mash is the best kouhai, after all!
Mash:
T-Thank you. But it was all because Olga Marie was on offense.
Fujimaru 2:
Naturally, the President bows to no one.
Nemo Marine:
That's right! Operation “Believe U Justice” is the beeest!
U-Olga Marie:
Heh. Of course, I'm used to big lizards by now. I have nothing to fear if size is all they have going for them!
Habetrot:
Good work you guys. Looks like I didn't even need to lend a hand.
Habetrot:
But you might be getting a little overprotective. Fujimaru is a full-fledged Master, after all.
Habetrot:
So long as [♂ he /♀️ she] keeps [♂ his /♀️ her] distance, [♂ he /♀️ she] can defend [♂ himself /♀️ herself] and keep [♂ his /♀️ her] eye on the battle at the same time.
Habetrot:
Have a little faith, eh?
U-Olga Marie:
O-Oh? ...hmph. Well, it's commendable you can do that much.
U-Olga Marie:
But that wasn't for Fujimaru's sake just now.
U-Olga Marie:
I did it for you and Mash, Habenya.
U-Olga Marie:
Habenya, when you materialize, you're using the energy stored in Mash's shield.
U-Olga Marie:
That can only be replenished on the Storm Border, right?
U-Olga Marie:
Then you need to conserve it while you can. Plus, my senses aren't omnidirectional.
U-Olga Marie:
I may be the strongest, but I'm not all-powerful.
U-Olga Marie:
If Mash ends up isolated, you'll have to be her support. Do you understand, Habenya?
Habetrot:
Izzat so? Guess I'll take you at your word, Olga Marie. If Mash gets into a pinch, I'll pop out.
Fujimaru 1:
So that's how it is...
Fujimaru 2:
So you're not worried about me...
U-Olga Marie:
T-That was just a figure of speech!
U-Olga Marie:
You're about as important as a single fragment of a particularly shiny rock!
U-Olga Marie:
—Hmph. Anyway, we sure beat up that giant iguana.
U-Olga Marie:
What next, Tepeu? Don't tell me we have to swim across?
Tepeu:
Oh, I cannot swim.
Tepeu:
Last time I was here, I cut down trees in order to make a raft, but such a thing won't take us very far this time around.
Mash:
Yes. This time there are cascades we can't traverse, and more importantly, it's too vast. It wouldn't be much of an exaggeration to call this an ocean.
Tepeu:
Oh? You mentioned that word earlier in the maize field. Would this “ocean” be such a large body of water?
Nemo Marine:
Yeah! It's a huuuuuge, super-vast world of water!
Nemo Marine:
Our home full of adventure, romance, and wonder! I can't wait to tell you all about it!
Tepeu:
I very much look forward to that. You have a most wonderful way of viewing the world around you.
Mash:
Unfortunately, we can't be caught up in the view right now.
Mash:
Crossing this expanse by foot or raft seems impossible. What do you think, Master?
Fujimaru 1:
If only I could summon a Heroic Spirit to cross this...
Fujimaru 2:
If only I could summon a Heroic Spirit that could fly...
Mash:
Noah, Moses, or perhaps Icarus or Sinbad.
Mash:
Any one of them would definitely have a Noble Phantasm to get us safely over a river like this...
Mash:
But at present, Master is unable to summon for some reason...
U-Olga Marie:
... ...
U-Olga Marie:
With our current party, it wouldn't matter even if you could summon. Doesn't matter if they could swim, sail, or fly.
U-Olga Marie:
Don't let your eyes deceive you.
U-Olga Marie:
If we wanted the mythological approach, it would have to be a Servant tied somehow to the underworld.
Mash:
Oh! That's it, Director! That's why you're Chaldea's—ah.
U-Olga Marie:
Chaldea's what...?
Mash:
No, um...like Chaldea's... wise, knowledgeable grandma!
U-Olga Marie:
Are you calling me an old lady...?
???:
Um...did you say Chaldea just now?
???:
I hope I didn't just mishear you...it would be great if you really did...
???:
But if I did mishear... I'll probably get in trouble... They'll be mean to me... so...
Everyone:
Wh—wh—wh— (Stunned)
Kingprotea:
So I'll just crush you all first, okay?
Kingprotea:
I'll do it really quick. That way it won't hurt or be scary, okay?
Everyone:
WHEEEERE DID SHE COME FROOOOOOOM—!?
--BATTLE--
Kingprotea:
I did it again... I'm sorry I scared you...
Kingprotea:
I thought you had to be the bad guys who sunk the Storm Border...
Kingprotea:
But, you're the Master of Chaldea...aren't you? Do you know me?
Flag
The following choices trigger a flag that may affect one or more scenes.
Fujimaru 1:
Of course I do!
Kingprotea:
What a relief. So it is you, Fujimaru.
Kingprotea:
Kingprotea has been summoned with a big boom! It's good to be with you again!
Fujimaru 2:
Sorry, I don't remember.
Kingprotea:
Is that right? Even though I remember...
Kingprotea:
If only I remember meeting you in the past...
Kingprotea:
So maybe...it'll be in the future for you, Fujimaru?
Kingprotea:
I'm still glad to have met you. I'm Kingprotea, an Alter Ego.
Kingprotea:
I came with a big splash from the sea of imaginary numbers to lend you all a hand!
U-Olga Marie:
W-What are you talking so friendly for!? You're not dangerous!? Don't tell me, you're an ally?
U-Olga Marie:
Are there really Servants like this!?
Mash:
I-I was surprised, myself. But yes, Protea isn't exhibiting any signs of hostility.
Alternative Line
If player remembers KP, then this line displays.
Mash:
Master seems to be acquainted with her...
Alternative Line
If player does not remember KP, then this line displays.
Mash:
Master seems to be unacquainted with her...
Mash:
She completed an introduction with all courtesies. It's a pleasure to meet you, Protea!
Nemo Marine:
Right, I get it! The Servants we'd been summoning on the Border!
Nemo Marine:
There were three more units slated besides Nitocris. Weren't you one of those, Protea?
Kingprotea:
Yes, Marine, that's right. I'm part of the Chaldea Helpful Servant Quartet.
Kingprotea:
And while...I thought I could lend Chaldea a hand as a Servant of Pan-Human History,
Kingprotea:
I woke up in this river, with nobody around, and the bats making so much noise...
Kingprotea:
I was too anxious to move around, and then I heard all of you talking...
Kingprotea:
Hehe, I'm glad I had the courage to get to my feet.
Kingprotea:
I know I gave you a scare, but despite that, we're all together again! I'll be in your care from here, Master!
Fujimaru 1:
It's good to have you, Protea!
U-Olga Marie:
W-Well. If Fujimaru and the others don't mind, then it's fine.
U-Olga Marie:
What sort of Heroic Spirit are you?
U-Olga Marie:
There shouldn't be such a class as Alter Ego in Pan-Human History.
Kingprotea:
You mean me...?
Kingprotea:
I'm a Servant formed from the amalgamation of essences from multiple goddesses and an aspect of my mother's personality.
Kingprotea:
The goddesses forming that essence are Earth Mother Goddesses.
Kingprotea:
Plus there's the divine beast Airavata, and...
Kingprotea:
...Huh. Something else is in mixed in...? How strange... What could it be...?
Mash:
Ah! Airavata is from a tale told from India's mythology.
Mash:
Then it's the same Airavata that was created by churning the ocean of milk?
Kingprotea:
Yes! When the gods had declined, the world lost its vitality and became a world of death.
Kingprotea:
In order to restore the world, the troubled devas teamed up with the asuras...
Kingprotea:
...the opposing deities, and together performed the ritual to revive the world.
Kingprotea:
That was the churning of the ocean of milk, a great undertaking to change the world's color from “dead” to “alive”.
Kingprotea:
The gods threw everything in the world into the ocean of milk and churned it to produce amrita, the nectar of immortality.
Kingprotea:
In the process, a white elephant called Airavata was born. A graceful elephant swimming in the ocean of milk!
Tepeu:
A world having lost vitality... Mixing death to give birth to life...
Tepeu:
Hm. From a different perspective, that would make it an incident set in the underworld?
Mash:
That's right. Protea has a trait for not only crossing oceans of life, but also those of death.
Mash:
By extension—
Nemo Marine:
I get it. We can have Protea carry us! She's big enough for us all to ride!
Habetrot:
Now, calling her big is uncalled for, Marine. That can be hurtful even if you mean well.
Nemo Marine:
You're right. I'm sorry! As punishment, I'll make the swim myseeeeelf! (Sob)
Kingprotea:
No, that's okay. I'm glad to hear you say it.
Kingprotea:
But...
Kingprotea:
I could be the raft...that carries you all across the river...
Kingprotea:
... ...
Kingprotea:
...Um.
Kingprotea:
Was that what you wanted, Fujimaru?
Fujimaru 1:
Can I ask you to do that, Protea...?
Kingprotea:
Right away, please leave it to me. Though I worry whether I can be gentle since I'm a giant monster...
Kingprotea:
I've never played such a major role before! I'll do my very best!
--ARROW--
Nemo Marine:
You're fast! You're a real good swimmer, Protea! You'd give the Captain a run for his money back when he was a merman!
Nemo Marine:
Woah, another cascade 200 meters ahead! Oh gosh, what're we gonna do, Protea?
Nemo Marine:
And you jumped effortlessly right over iiiiit! Not even the Nautilus is capable of a maneuver like thiiiis!
Mash:
Marine's playing helmsman on top of Protea's head.
Mash:
Protea's in high spirits too. I suppose denizens of the sea get along well with one another.
Fujimaru 1:
I'm glad she seems to be having fun.
Mash:
Yes. She's swimming gracefully, yet boldly at times. She's practically radiating joy.
Tepeu:
Still, it is a surprise. I never thought she'd be able to carry us all.
Tepeu:
I see Kingprotea is capable of changing her size at will.
Tepeu:
She was towering over us earlier, but I hadn't imagined she could grow large enough for us to fit in the palm of her hand.
Tepeu:
But why is U-Olga Marie on her own up in the air? There's plenty of space here.
U-Olga Marie:
Don't be ridiculous, I have no intention of standing atop the palm of such a peculiar Servant.
Fujimaru 2:
I wanted a ride on her head...
U-Olga Marie:
Have you lost your mind? Those are Tiamat's horns growing on top of her head, you know?
U-Olga Marie:
Someone like you would get all lightheaded from the difference in magical energy density as soon as you touched them. Or is it your will to sleep with the fishes?
Tepeu:
Still, it is a surprise. I never thought she'd be able to carry us all.
Tepeu:
I see Kingprotea is capable of changing her size at will.
Tepeu:
She was towering over us earlier, but I hadn't imagined she could grow large enough for us to fit in the palm of her hand.
Tepeu:
But why is U-Olga Marie on her own up in the air? There's plenty of space here.
U-Olga Marie:
Don't be ridiculous, I have no intention of standing atop the palm of such a peculiar Servant.
U-Olga Marie:
It is a trifling matter for me to hover in the air. I just need to establish a gravitational field on her shoulders, and voila.
Mash:
I see, so it's like being towed.
Mash:
No wasted energy—You truly are the president of an energy-efficient era!
U-Olga Marie:
I don't know whether that's a compliment or a complaint. You should revise that remark of yours.
Mash:
I-I'm sorry... I was just caught up in happiness at being together with you, Director, and...
U-Olga Marie:
...Hmph. I can tell from your color that you meant no harm by it. There's no need to revise anything.
Kingprotea:
We're almost halfway through. Are you scared? Are you hurt?
Kingprotea:
I did my best not to rock you too much, but this river has a strong current...
Fujimaru 1:
It's unbelievably comfortable!
Fujimaru 2:
It's the most fun I've ever had!
Kingprotea:
...!
Kingprotea:
Thank goodness...
Kingprotea:
I was an Ego who could only destroy, but now I'm being useful to all of you.
Kingprotea:
Thank you so much for having faith in someone as big as me...
Kingprotea:
Master of Chaldea, once we reach the other shore, may I—
Kingprotea:
—Huh?
Fujimaru 1:
Protea!?
Fujimaru 2:
(This blood... It's coming from Protea's back!?)
Mash:
Protea!?
Nemo Marine:
No way, Protea got slashed in the back!? Oh gosh, first aid, we need to apply first aid...!
Nemo Marine:
Oh no, I don't have any healing skilllls! (Sob) I'm sorry for not being Nuuuurse!
Kingprotea:
Ugh...ahh! Something's there...! I can't see it, but something's...!
Kingprotea:
No...if I sink here, everyone's going to drown...! I have to stay strong...!
Kingprotea:
Hold on, everyone! I'll put you down on the nearest shore, it's the least I can do...!
Fujimaru 1:
We're down now!
Fujimaru 2:
Come over here, Protea! Quickly!
Fujimaru 1:
...
Fujimaru 2:
That smile on her face
???:
Unsightly. How unsightly. A path opened up by that which was meant to be an obstacle. A betrayal, in other words.
???:
And betrayal calls for death. I call for death.
???:
Then I will have to kill her. She will have to perish in this underworld.
???:
Hah. Haha. Hahahahahahahahahahahaha. Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha...!
???:
Welcome, monkeys! Those who have made a bid for the Underworld Pilgrimage!
???:
I shall receive you, and I shall accept you! New sacrificial blood now dwells in tedious Mictlan!
???:
And now it's time to carve this praise into your memories! Behold the Bringer of Death, the King of the Underworld—
???:
The wings that reap the heads of the living, the eminence of Camazotz!
Fujimaru 1:
You did that to Protea...!
Camazotz:
Hmm? Protea...oh, you mean her. I see. So you'd like to know.
Camazotz:
Very well. Then you shall have it. Unlike Tezcatlipoca, Camazotz abounds with generosity!
Camazotz:
Kuhahahahahahahahahahaha! How very unpalatable!
Camazotz:
I suppose quality is key. One bite's enough. I've learned that lesson, [♂ priest /♀️ priestess] of Chaldea.
Camazotz:
The blood of a Servant has a sour taste to it. It's not something you should drink out of curiosity.
Fujimaru 1:
(He knows what Chaldea is...?)
Fujimaru 2:
Get out of our way!
Camazotz:
Kyahahahahaha! Very well, I'll do just that!
Camazotz:
I want us to be friends! After all, we should be seeing each other a lot!
Camazotz:
But hold on a minute. Give my wings a break here. Heavy labor is ill-suited for a king.
Mash:
Camazotz...the bloodsucking bat god and menacing dweller of the underworld from Mayan mythology...!
Mash:
And if you're calling yourself by that name, then you must be—
Camazotz:
You bet. I'm no deinos. I'm a creature straight out of mythology. I'm just like the lot of you.
Camazotz:
You there, [♂ priest /♀️ priestess]. I'm talking to you, [♂ boy /♀️ girl]. You're just like that so-called Crypter, aren't you?
Camazotz:
If you're intent on undertaking the Underworld Pilgrimage, then you'd best remember my name. Just like that crazed Crypter.
Fujimaru 1:
...Are you talking about Daybit Sem Void?
Camazotz:
Indeed. He is your enemy. You will compete and interfere with one another, each polishing the other's soul.
Camazotz:
Alas, only one of you will survive in the end. I am really, really looking forward to that.
Camazotz:
Oh yes, I was going to behead you here and taste that blood of yours...
Camazotz:
But that look of anger on your face, how interesting. How comical, how funny, how amusing!
Camazotz:
Hehehehe, hahahahahaha! I want to see more of that, I really do!
Camazotz:
This death befits the monkey here who has directed [♂ his /♀️ her] anger at me!
Camazotz:
Come forth, O black Xochitónal! Heed the commandment of this Command Spell!
Camazotz:
I will have the Guardian take care of you lot. It's kill or be killed—
Camazotz:
Choose whichever one you'll enjoy, [♂ boy /♀️ girl] of Chaldea! That's the trick to surviving in Mictlan!
Fujimaru 1:
Was that my Command Spell just now...!?
Fujimaru 2:
(I have a bad feeling about this...!)
Mash:
The signal of the individual claiming to be Camazotz has disappeared! However, I've confirmed the presence of another powerful magical energy signal!
Mash:
Something's rising from beneath the cliff, 40 meters below us...! Be careful, everyone!
Fujimaru 1:
It can't be—
Mash:
Yes! Her Saint Graph has been altered, but it's Kingprotea...!
Fujimaru 2:
Kingprotea...!
Kingprotea:
—
Nemo Marine:
Oh gosh, what're we gonna dooooo!? Protea's really out for blooood!
Nemo Marine:
She's definitely being controoolled! But I don't wanna fight herrrr!
Habetrot:
I get it, but we've got no choice! With that size of hers, she'll catch us immediately even if we run for it!
Habetrot:
We can either beat her or we run, so we're going to have to hit her hard either way!
Habetrot:
Fujimaru, Mash! Fire the Black Barrel without the Dead Counter!
Habetrot:
We should at least be able to scare her off! Focus on surviving over all else!
Mash:
Master! Please prepare for combat! We'll neutralize the hostile colossal Servant!
--BATTLE--
Habetrot:
No way, she actually ate two shots from the Black Barrel and kept coming! She's stronger than the president!
U-Olga Marie:
I hate to even admit it! Oh damn it, why am I so weak?
U-Olga Marie:
We should withdraw in any case, now! She won't be able to see us in the jungle!
U-Olga Marie:
If we're unlucky, we'll be trampled. But it's preferable to being crushed here!
Fujimaru 1:
You said it!
Fujimaru 2:
Everyone make for the jungle!
Nemo Marine:
Awawawawa...! The stomping! The stomping!
Nemo Marine:
Protea's just pounding the ground indiscriminatelyyyy! I can't take it, we're gonna diiiieee!
Tepeu:
Hush, Marine. Camazotz called her the Xochitónal.
Tepeu:
If she is a Watcher of the Underworld, she cannot leave the river to pursue us into the thick of the jungle.
Tepeu:
We just need a spot of good luck to help us retreat to a safe refuge.
U-Olga Marie:
Then it's child's play! As a matter of fact, my luck is galactic-tier!
U-Olga Marie:
Show me a 99% win rate raffle, and I'm certain to get the 1% loss! Hwahahaha!
Fujimaru 1:
—Uh...
Fujimaru 2:
That's actually BAD...
U-Olga Marie:
Hm? Why did it get so dark out of a sudden?
Fujimaru 1:
Director Olga Mariiiieee! (Sob)
Fujimaru 2:
You're just jinxing uuuuus! (Sob)
U-Olga Marie:
Let's have a strategy meeting!
Fujimaru 1:
Coming back uninjured from being squished like a pancake is... Wow...
Nemo Marine:
Yep, I don't even know what to think about it. Is there any way to beat U?
Fujimaru 2:
Hah, nothing can hurt the president of the world!
U-Olga Marie:
Well, you only came back when it was safe. Did you have a good time watching me be buried into the ground?
Mash:
Changing the subject, we were in danger of annihilation, but everyone made it safely. That's the best outcome.
Habetrot:
Yeah, but there's a bigger problem at hand. I don't know what we can do about Protea...
Habetrot:
Our voices couldn't get through to her. Even the river's gotten all sinister-like...
U-Olga Marie:
That's from Protea's bleeding. It's been overflowing from the wound on her back where she was cut.
U-Olga Marie:
I slipped through there mid-air to try to take advantage, but it hasn't slowed her or shown signs of stopping.
U-Olga Marie:
Not even a cry of distress. She might lack a sense of pain. I don't understand these mythological beings.
Mash:
That must be...a state where she can't make a sound, no matter how much blood she loses...
Fujimaru 1:
Protea...
Habetrot:
That pig-headed bat jerk! If we can nab him, then Protea will go back to normal!
Fujimaru 2:
Let's catch Camazotz and bring her back to normal.
U-Olga Marie:
I'd do that myself if I could.
U-Olga Marie:
That creepy thing is nowhere within fifty kilometers. He's nothing if not swift.
Tepeu:
This has become most troubling...
Tepeu:
With Protea's help, we were able to advance halfway across the great river. Yet now she has become an obstacle.
Tepeu:
It will be impossible to cross the first underworld like this, not unless we get rid of Protea.
U-Olga Marie:
Then you mean that we should kill her?
Tepeu:
That is one option. However, it was just recently proven to be difficult.
Tepeu:
We presently have no means to neutralize Protea. So we must either move forward while hidden away, or...
Tepeu:
Could you look away from me for the next part, if you please?
Tepeu:
Or, do we continue to stand by? Miss U, you said that Protea is bleeding out.
Tepeu:
Then she will eventually expire. We can wait for her to disappear before moving onwards.
Fujimaru 1:
...
Fujimaru 2:
...(That's BS.)
Nemo Marine:
Nooooooo! Tepeu, you jeeeeerk! Why would you say something so awfuuuuul!
Nemo Marine:
I feel so bad for Proteeeaaaa! We need to save herrrrrrr!
Tepeu:
Marine's admonishment cuts deep.
Fujimaru 1:
Marine's got the right idea—
Fujimaru 2:
Everyone, hear me out
Mash:
...! Wait a moment, there are footsteps! Someone is coming this way!
Fujimaru 1:
Who's there...?
Rasputin:
Merry Christmas to all.
Rasputin:
Is anything troubling you? If you won't begrudge a passing priest, I would be happy to offer advice.
--ARROW--
Fujimaru 1:
Grigori Rasputin...!
Fujimaru 2:
Father Kotomine...!
Rasputin:
Why thank you, young [♂ boy /♀️ girl], for saving me the trouble of introducing myself to your new friends.
Rasputin:
Be it Rasputin or Father Kotomine, call me whatever you please.
Rasputin:
Still, to think I would run into you while searching for someone myself. Could this also be divine providence?
Rasputin:
Indeed, I understand your situation. There is no need to explain.
Rasputin:
You are breaking through this first underworld in order to reach your Storm Border.
Rasputin:
But you needed to retreat from the underworld's guardian. Have I missed anything?
Fujimaru 1:
No, you got it right...but why intervene?
Mash:
True, our relationship is adversarial.
Mash:
Therefore, we must assume you're here to thwart our attempt to cut down the Fantasy Tree.
Rasputin:
Hahahahaha. Calm down, you appear to be under the wrong impression.
Rasputin:
Have you suffered greatly at the hands of the other Apostles? I despise violence, as clergymen do.
Rasputin:
Rest assured, I appear before you with a different objective this time. As I said, I am searching for someone.
Rasputin:
I would prefer not to resort to hostilities. As it happens, I have found who I am looking for.
U-Olga Marie:
...?
Rasputin:
To think you would be in such a place, my lady. I have come to bring you home.
Rasputin:
I was most concerned when you fell to the ground, but it is quite a relief to see your priceless form unblemished.
Rasputin:
Now, let us both return to our Earth supervision office, the Great Majestic House.
Rasputin:
Much in the way of work, study material, and pleasurable diversions await you there.
U-Olga Marie:
Who is this weirdo?
Rasputin:
Hahaha. As ever, your barbs cut me to the quick.
Rasputin:
I am Rasputin, your faithful butler. Surely you have not forgotten me?
U-Olga Marie:
...? ??? ???????
Rasputin:
Hahahahah. Hahahahahahahah.
Rasputin:
Do excuse me. I was so taken aback by my lady's open-heartedness, I couldn't help myself.
Rasputin:
You need not remember my name. If it pleases you, just “Father” will do for now.
Rasputin:
What is important to know is that I am my lady's humble attendant. I exist solely for her sake.
Rasputin:
You understand that, do you not?
U-Olga Marie:
True. I can't remember at all, but I know you aren't lying to me.
U-Olga Marie:
A blue so deep and dark it's almost black. This shade tells me everything I need to know. It seems like you really are my servant.
Nemo Marine:
Are you serious!? You're not the least bit suspicious about this guy!?
Nemo Marine:
You need to be a lot more careful when you have amnesia, U! Otherwise you're gonna get scammed!
U-Olga Marie:
Hmph. It would be more suspicious if someone of my station didn't have a butler. I can't be fooled.
Rasputin:
Quite so, my lady. You may have lost your memories, but your spirit remains as strong as ever.
Rasputin:
Hahahahahah.
Fujimaru 1:
(His laugh can barely hide his evil intentions...!)
Fujimaru 2:
What are you after, Rasputin!?
Mash:
Your cheap persuasion won't win over our wise Olga Marie...
Mash:
What exactly are you scheming, Father Kotomine!?
Rasputin:
There is no need for such confrontation. A dialogue is the basis for all relationships.
Rasputin:
Need I remind you, these circumstances are as surprising to me as to you.
Rasputin:
I came to look for my lady, only to find she has made some amusing new friends.
Rasputin:
Personally, I would very much like her to recall her position and terminate this current relationship of yours—
U-Olga Marie:
Huh? You want me to be a president who goes back on her words?
U-Olga Marie:
I said I would give my assistance to Fujimaru, Mash, and this Chaldea organization of theirs.
U-Olga Marie:
I don't plan to part ways with them until we reach their Storm Border, at the very least.
Mash:
Olga Marie...! Thank you so very much!
Rasputin:
I see. Then I have no choice, I will have to accompany my lady as well.
Rasputin:
If she wishes to grace Chaldea with her assistance, then I must do likewise.
Rasputin:
However, as you can see, I am but a powerless priest. I cannot assist you in your battles.
Fujimaru 1:
Are you for real—
Fujimaru 2:
You expect me to believe
Rasputin:
It is no lie. I am merely a butler. Is that not more convenient for you anyway?
Mash:
...
Mash:
(He has a point. If we say he's an Apostle of the Alien God...)
Mash:
(Then Olga Marie is certain to put together exactly what the Alien God is.)
Mash:
(In her current state, there's no way of knowing what will happen if she learns the truth.)
Mash:
(The only way to keep things as they are now is to invite him along as her “butler”...)
Rasputin:
How pleasant that we were able to find an understanding. I shall even swear to not influence the young mistress.
Rasputin:
I'm not so starved for entertainment that I would scatter the dreams of friendship that have taken root in the underground.
Fujimaru 1:
I get that much...
Fujimaru 1:
But do you know how she ended up like this?
Rasputin:
Well, I cannot even imagine any circumstance that my lady, lacking any rival on this planet, could have come to lose her memories.
Rasputin:
Indeed, I cannot imagine. Incidentally—
Rasputin:
May I ask a question of you as well? Not out of any great interest, but as a fellow colleague.
Rasputin:
What were Limbo's last moments like?
Mash:
L-Limbo's last moments? I wouldn't know... Senpai?
Fujimaru 1:
He got what was coming to him,
Fujimaru 2:
he got what was coming to him,
？3：and he got what was coming to him.
Rasputin:
...
Rasputin:
Very well, pretend I never asked. Onto the strategy meeting then, ladies and gentlemen.
Rasputin:
You mean to attack this Xochitónal...this Watcher of the Underworld?
Rasputin:
I will lend what insight I can. As it happens, I have a bit of experience with exorcisms.
Mash:
Did you say...exorcisms, Father Kotomine?
Rasputin:
Yes. That Servant has become possessed by an evil spirit. That mask should make it obvious.
Rasputin:
I believe they call it a “calavera” in Mexico. I can sense a powerful Divine Spirit from it.
Rasputin:
The Servant will most likely return to her senses should the mask be removed. I cannot guarantee she will return to her original state, however.
Nemo Marine:
What's that supposed to mean?
Tepeu:
Those who become Watchers of the Underworld are bound to never leave it...
Tepeu:
It is a test for the living to escape the underworld, and a test for the dead to descend further into the underworld.
Tepeu:
So the guardians are forbidden from leaving their posts. Is that what you are saying?
Tepeu:
Is this a new rule established by the god of Pan-Human History?
Rasputin:
Yes. You are quite wise, Tepeu. A god has most likely decreed it so.
Rasputin:
However, this also grants you an opportunity. The Underworld Border has had Pan-Human History superimposed on it.
Rasputin:
It is both of the Lostbelt, and not of the Lostbelt. Can you measure the level of its Human Order Foundation Value with that machine, Mash?
Mash:
I can, but...wait...it's fluctuating...?
Mash:
What does this mean....?
Rasputin:
We're in both a Compiled Event and a Pruned Event.
Rasputin:
All possible pasts, presents, and future are acceptable, you could say.
Rasputin:
As long as you have the magical energy, you could summon as many Heroic Spirits connected to Chaldea as you like here.
Rasputin:
Even “alternate possibilities” are achievable here, albeit temporarily.
Rasputin:
For example, if there was a Heroic Spirit that an A-version of you had no knowledge of...
Rasputin:
You could summon them so long as another B-version of you had encountered them before.
Rasputin:
Be that as it may, there is a limit to the number of summons a magus can perform on their own. That goes without saying.
Rasputin:
However, you could summon them by the hundreds using the Storm Border's engine.
Rasputin:
Much like you tried to do in Tunguska.
Mash:
Y-You know about that?
Rasputin:
Well, dropping the name did get you to loosen your lips. I had assessed that would be your last strategic resort.
Rasputin:
You are honest to a fault, Mash. If only Kadoc were more like you.
Rasputin:
That should be enough of an explanation. Feel free to summon as you please.
Rasputin:
It must be possible to defeat the Xochitónal by calling on Servants that you can reason bear suitable abilities for the task.
Fujimaru 1:
But...
Fujimaru 2:
Even with all those possibilities...
Tepeu:
Father. Fujimaru has been unable to call to [♂ his /♀️ her] Heroic Spirits since coming to Mictlan.
Tepeu:
I am very sorry, but your strategy is impossible.
Rasputin:
So it seems. Your Command Spells have been lost, and are now being used by Camazotz.
Rasputin:
Where did you lose them, Fujimaru?
Fujimaru 1:
I—
Fujimaru 1:
I can't remember...it was a really strange place...
Rasputin:
I see. A world shrouded in mist, and a deal to come back—I understand your situation.
Rasputin:
You managed to escape death using them as collateral. Now they are in the possession of Camazotz,
Rasputin:
I can see now how he made Kingprotea into an Alter.
Rasputin:
She must have been a Servant with whom you contracted in another time and space.
Rasputin:
Thus, a directive made by your Command Spells to become a Watcher of the Underworld would have succeeded.
Mash:
No... Then Protea turned out this way because she believed the Command Spell had been from Master?
Rasputin:
Most likely. She would not have so readily offered up her spiritual core otherwise. That is the closest she has to a soul.
Rasputin:
But this isn't the most important detail.
Rasputin:
In order to return to life, it's known that Fujimaru offered up his Command Spells.
Rasputin:
But this is the Underworld Border, not the realm of the living. Logically, what would follow—
Tepeu:
I see. As long as [♂ he /♀️ she] is in the underworld, the contract exchanging Command Spells for “returning to life” is not yet closed.
Tepeu:
As [♂ he /♀️ she] has not “yet” come back to life, we can call the contract null and void?
Rasputin:
Would you care for a cup of zavarka later, Tepeu? You are quite astute.
Habetrot:
I get it. After entering the first underworld, we thought even trying to summon would be a waste of energy.
Habetrot:
Wanna try, Fujimaru?
Fujimaru 1:
Okay—!
Rasputin:
That will do. As long as you're aware that you can summon, the rest is a matter of strategy.
Rasputin:
There is a limit to how many you can summon alone. You would do well to carefully consider your team.
Rasputin:
So long as the Servants you choose are fitting, defeating the Xochitónal should be simple.
Fujimaru 1:
...
Rasputin:
...? Hmm, such a gloomy face. Why show such a clouded expression when the path to victory is clear?
Fujimaru 1:
...Well, that's...
Fujimaru 2:
...still not a way to set Protea free.
Rasputin:
I certainly understand.
Rasputin:
My proposal was to defeat Xochitónal, not Kingprotea.
Rasputin:
As much as I am the mad monk Rasputin, I am also a tempter for immortality, and an exceedingly malicious presbyter.
Rasputin:
If you can manage to seal Xochitónal's movements, then I can make my move.
Rasputin:
I will excise the tumor connected to the Saint Graph and attached to the mask.
Rasputin:
I am a priest. One who is unskilled in combat, but accustomed to opening wounds for treatment.
Nemo Marine:
Then you really can save Protea! Wow, what an amazing butleeeer!
U-Olga Marie:
Of course. Any butler in my service ought to be able to do this much.
Nemo Marine:
You talk a big game for someone who can't remember who she is☆but I love that you're here for uuuuus!
Rasputin:
Now then, begin choosing your Servants.
Rasputin:
The enemy is a High Servant to whose Saint Graph the colossal iguana Xochitónal has been added.
Rasputin:
Guardian of the great river. A giant, with defense to match. Her strength declining like disease from the death mask.
Rasputin:
Master Fujimaru, your knowledge and judgement will now be put to the test.
--ARROW--
Mash:
Master! Team Skull Mask Exorcists is in position!
Mash:
I'll do my part to toss Father Kotomine up to Protea's mask!
U-Olga Marie:
And I'm in charge of controlling Protea's course! Preventing her from thrashing about, returning to the river, and so on.
U-Olga Marie:
The moment she makes a move a Servant can't keep up with, I'll push her right back with my repelling thunderbolts!
Nemo Marine:
We'll be rooting for you from a distance! Do your best, team!
Rasputin:
Xochitónal's approach is confirmed. Now let's see you overcome the first underworld.
Fujimaru 1:
Alright—
Fujimaru 2:
Let's do this!
--ARROW--
Mash:
Protea's movements have halted! SHEBA's observations say ten seconds remain until regeneration by self-growth!
Mash:
I'll launch you up to the mask, Father Kotomine!
Rasputin:
I'm in your hands. A soft landing, if you please.
Rasputin:
No scalpel or anesthesia is required. Inserting a finger into the wound and tearing it open is spiritual healing.
Rasputin:
Agony. Suffering. On the name of the evil dragon signifying death, I look upon a wellspring of pus.
Rasputin:
The defilement of death and fevers from ague call upon us all. I will scoop out the mud that splashes out into a flood.
Rasputin:
Kyrie eleison.
Kingprotea Xochitónal:
Ah—
Kingprotea Xochitónal:
Ah—
Kingprotea Xochitónal:
Auuuuugh—!
--ARROW--
Mash:
We've done it! Protea's skull mask has come off!
Mash:
The operation is a success!
U-Olga Marie:
Not yet! Keep on your guard, Mash! The mask moves around on its own!
U-Olga Marie:
One more battle, Fujimaru! I can fight without reservation if it's just a mask!
U-Olga Marie:
I don't care whether you're a Watcher of the Underworld, but I'm aiming to be chief executive of Earth!
U-Olga Marie:
I take it I can count on your complete and utmost support!
--BATTLE--
Fujimaru 1:
Just now...
Fujimaru 2:
A stroke of my Command Spells came back...?
Rasputin:
It seems so. You should consider it a provisional case.
Rasputin:
Your qualifications as summoner and functions of your Command Spells have not returned. Beyond the Underworld Borders...
Rasputin:
In Mictlan, you should be able to summon one or two Servants.
Kingprotea?:
Truly unforgivable. You'll pay for what you've done.
Kingprotea?:
No, I should call it unbelievable. Can this really be happening, for a giant like me to be defeated by a human?
Kingprotea?:
What's more, by such a conceited human summoner. As a descendant of myth, this embarrassment must not be allowed to stand. You will pay.
Fujimaru 1:
That's right, Protea!
Fujimaru 2:
Are you okay!?
Kingprotea?:
—
Fujimaru 1:
Uh...uhm?
Fujimaru 2:
Protea...?
Kingprotea?:
...I cannot forgive you, but what happened happened. I was saved, wasn't I?
Kingprotea?:
Fine. It's a waste to undo this Alter form, but I'll revert. Do what you like afterwards.
Kingprotea?:
That's all I have to say. There will be payback when we next meet, Master.
Kingprotea:
—Ah!? W-Was I just saying something!?
Kingprotea:
I'm sorry... I'm having a little trouble remembering what...
Kingprotea:
No, I was perfectly conscious up to the point where my mask was removed...
Kingprotea:
Um... Wasn't I peculiar around the end?
Kingprotea:
Kind of bossy, kind of snobby... Kind of...a bad girl...
Fujimaru 1:
None of it counted.
Fujimaru 2:
Welcome back, Protea.
Kingprotea:
—! Yes, I'm back now!
Kingprotea:
When I had the mask on, I was in pain. I couldn't see anything. I couldn't speak.
Kingprotea:
I thought for sure that I'd be exterminated as a monster—
Kingprotea:
But all of you didn't abandon me. You even fought for me! I'm just so very happy!
Section 4: At the Golden City
Nemo Marine:
So hawwwwwwt! It got hot the moment we crossed the riverrrrr!
Nemo Marine:
I should just go baaack! I could play with Proteaaaa!
Tepeu:
Oh. Are you returning to the first underworld then, Marine? That's a pity.
Nemo Marine:
Obviously not, Tepeu, you jeeeeerk! (Sob)
Nemo Marine:
I'm still Fujimaru's escort! That's just my emotions talking!
Nemo Marine:
It's just a joke, more of a complaint even! But if you can, Tepeu, let me take shelter under your wiiiing!
Tepeu:
Under my wing, you say? Well now, I suppose it is rather cool in the shade.
Mash:
Tepeu and Marine are getting along so well. They're practically father and son.
Mash:
Or, maybe not. I shouldn't jump to conclusions. I don't even know his age...
U-Olga Marie:
A father... One half of the genetic information bestowed. I hardly see the merits of raising young from embryos.
U-Olga Marie:
It makes sense to assign Tepeu the father role in a parent-child framework. I can confirm he's older than all of you.
U-Olga Marie:
In terms of human age, well...he'd be 90 years old, maybe?
Mash:
T-That's not fatherly, but grandfatherly!
Mash:
We've been taking such an elderly person through so extreme a journey!
Tepeu:
No, you haven't done anything bad. The bodily functions of deinos don't deteriorate until near-death.
Tepeu:
That aside, are you really okay with this? You're breaking off from Protea with little complaint.
Tepeu:
I still don't understand this summoning system, but was this the only option available?
Mash:
Thank you very much, Protea. Thanks to you, we were able to make it safely through the first underworld.
Fujimaru 1:
It was a pleasant cruise!
Fujimaru 2:
Thank you, Protea.
Kingprotea:
Hehe. Despite the major trouble halfway through?
U-Olga Marie:
That hardly qualifies as trouble. It's just a ordinary day in the life of an eukaryote.
U-Olga Marie:
See. It's like you try to pet a dog on a trip and it bites you. That's just one's ordinary life, right?
Mash:
(...Maybe in Director Olga Marie's “ordinary life”... but best not to speak out, right, Senpai?)
Kingprotea:
...
Kingprotea:
Okay, then this is where I have to part ways. Thank you so much, everybody!
U-Olga Marie:
What? You're going to stay here? Aren't you allies with Chaldea? Then you should come with us.
Rasputin:
That cannot be done, my lady.
Rasputin:
While freed from the mask, Kingprotea cannot leave the Underworld Border.
Rasputin:
Because she was made its guardian, she was only allowed to function within the Underworld Border.
Rasputin:
And so, she made do without the Storm Border, and without her Master, Fujimaru.
Kingprotea:
Yes. I was summoned by the Storm Border,
Kingprotea:
but I fell into Mictlan before I could make a contract with Master and connect the paths of our magical energy.
Kingprotea:
I have a big enough magical furnace to be able to move around on my own...but that strange bat...
Kingprotea:
Camazotz was really pushy trying to persuade me, all “Become a guardian, and I will give you power.”
Fujimaru 1:
You met Camazotz even earlier?
Fujimaru 2:
(So Camazotz was using a Command Spell...)
U-Olga Marie:
That bat...! That good-for-nothing–how insolent he is!
U-Olga Marie:
Do something, Father! Help her resign from this guardian sweatshop!
Rasputin:
I can do nothing. A diseased area can be removed, but this is a matter of her body–her Saint Graph.
Rasputin:
To bring Kingprotea out of the underworld would require a kind of factory reset.
Mash:
Oh! Then if we quickly dismissed her and summoned her again at the Border—
Rasputin:
I expect you could, though it is without accounting for the risks of resummoning. Kingprotea is a divine spirit-class Servant.
Rasputin:
It's most unlikely that she could be resummoned. And even if she could be, she wouldn't necessarily be the same.
Rasputin:
Even if she'll be the same Heroic Spirit, she'll never be the same as the one in front of you now.
Rasputin:
Such is the fate of servants. I hope that you understand, Lady U-Olga Marie.
U-Olga Marie:
How awful—Is this system so unwieldy? Whoever thought it up must be out of their mind.
Kingprotea:
...Hehe. Thank you for feeling bad for me.
Kingprotea:
But it's not all bad, you know?
Kingprotea:
I was designated as a Xochitónal, and got some weird Alter form, but...
Kingprotea:
At least here in the First Underworld, I can stay alive all on my own without a Master.
Kingprotea:
So I'll be waiting here for everyone. And if you're ever sent running back with your tail between your legs—
Kingprotea:
Then I'll make use of all the power I have! I won't lose, no matter who the enemy is!
Kingprotea:
Whatever happens, Alter Ego Kingprotea is Fujimaru's Servant!
Fujimaru 1:
Protea is stronger than we think.
Fujimaru 2:
There should be a solution at the Storm Border.
Tepeu:
I see. I have my reservations about leaving anyone behind, but I won't question your decision.
Nemo Marine:
You didn't talk very much with Protea, Tepeu, but you're so worried about her.
Nemo Marine:
Maybe you've fallen for her? Her horns do look so cool!
Tepeu:
Not at all. Aquatic animals just tend to be complicated.
Tepeu:
Among the deinos, the ones living on ground make up the majority. Those who live in water or take to the sky are rare.
Tepeu:
We cannot see the world the way they do. So...
Tepeu:
It pains me to see them left alone because of differences in shape or in size.
U-Olga Marie:
...
Rasputin:
—By the way, Mash, have you been in communication with the Border?
Mash:
We were disconnected 48 hours ago. Apparently there's a malfunction in the comms equipment.
Rasputin:
Then you've been without updates, I see.
Rasputin:
Shouldn't you be more worried about the Border, rather than one Servant?
Rasputin:
While the Chaldea staff are experienced, this is Mictlan. A Lostbelt opposing Pan-Human History.
Rasputin:
Worst case scenario, we'll be too late to save them. Humans are not as sturdy as Servants are.
Fujimaru 1:
Obviously, we understand...
Fujimaru 2:
Let's hurry, Mash.
Rasputin:
Splendid. Now that that's settled, prepare for battle. A swarm of flesh-eating bugs are attacking from the sky.
Rasputin:
It's amusing how deinos are herbivorous, but insects are not. But the greatest cause for concern is that they inflict fever on contact.
Tepeu:
True enough. Those winged insects can momentarily penetrate a deinos' bio-waves and inject toxins through their mouths.
Tepeu:
While the toxins cause no cellular damage, they transmit neurological pain severe enough to knock you unconscious.
Tepeu:
One would need to take their own life to escape the agony. This is the sixth leading cause of death among deinos.
Rasputin:
No matter how weak a creature is, it has a means to feed on the strong?
Rasputin:
Hahahahaha. Impressive, South America. The law of the jungle is turned on its head.
Nemo Marine:
What are you laughing foooor!? What kind of bite can have pain so bad it makes you want to diiiiie!?
Nemo Marine:
Please, Fujimaru! Drive them awaaaaay!
--BATTLE--
Nemo Marine:
I'm sorry, everyone! I'm just no good at anythiiiiing!
Habetrot:
Why, are you upset about messing up during scouting, Marine?
Habetrot:
This is a wild, sweltering land with bad visibility. Plus, we were attacked from the sky.
Habetrot:
It's no wonder you didn't notice them. Not even Mash's Ortenaus could pick them up.
Mash:
Yes...sorry, I didn't seem to detect the insects we fought as a threat... Please excuse me...
Nemo Marine:
That's not on you, Mash. Recon is there to pick up the slack for what machines overlook.
Fujimaru 1:
You've helped out lots.
Nemo Marine:
...I have?
Nemo Marine:
Okay, then I'll keep going! Soon I'll be a real treasure hunter of South America!
Fujimaru 2:
Want to do some sparring together?
Nemo Marine:
...! Yeah, let's go! I'm still a sailor, so I wanna do martial arts!
Tepeu:
You should still take proper rest beforehand, Marine. Traversing the jungle is dangerous at night.
Tepeu:
A coatl can approach faster than you can perceive. A cipactli has camoflauge you may walk right up to.
Tepeu:
And there are the carnivorous insects we encountered, as well as the irrational deinos lurking in wait.
Tepeu:
Sleep until the sun comes, and move with the sun. That is the golden rule of Mictlan.
Nemo Marine:
Yes, sir! Then I'll take first watch!
Mash:
That won't be necessary, Marine.
Mash:
The battle before showed which frequencies the insects dislike, so the insect-repellent boundaries are all set.
Mash:
Plus, the Ortenaus can also detect the approach of hostile wildlife. Everyone can rest easy tonight.
Nemo Marine:
Okay, then I'll get in my sleeping baaaaag! I love the feeling of being wrapped up!
Tepeu:
Driving insects off with repulsive noise... Countermeasures utilizing instinct. Marvelous.
Tepeu:
So this is how the mankind of Pan-Human History collects the missing pieces of their world.
U-Olga Marie:
Hmph. Mankind turning over stones that don't need to be turned over for their continued evolution — that has made mankind the very embodiment of reaping what you sow.
U-Olga Marie:
Nuclear fission is the best example of this.
U-Olga Marie:
For the sake of collecting energy, they handle and process substances hazardous to their kind.
U-Olga Marie:
Mankind's roadmap of technological development has often taken similarly troublesome diversions.
U-Olga Marie:
No respectable sapient would undergo fission testing without first establishing a means to dispose of hazardous material.
U-Olga Marie:
And yet, Pan-Human History's mankind always chases after the “maximum benefit”.
U-Olga Marie:
“They're too clever for their own good...” I wonder who first said that?
U-Olga Marie:
In any case, Tepeu, don't hold Pan-Human History too highly.
U-Olga Marie:
If they could achieve a breakthrough in clean energy—such as stable nuclear fusion,
U-Olga Marie:
then I would be glad to recognize them as Honorary Space Humanoid Life.
Fujimaru 1:
Hahaha...
Fujimaru 2:
What's "Honorary Space Humanoid Life"?
U-Olga Marie:
A mankind deserving of my rule! Perhaps you could say this very mankind 100 years in the future!
Mash:
Um, may I ask a question?
Mash:
I've just been very (VERY) curious about it this whole time...
Mash:
Why are you president of the Earth, U?
Mash:
I don't mean what the position is about. I just mean, why you'd want to be president!
U-Olga Marie:
Look, Mash. I can't be bothered to address every obvious question.
Fujimaru 1:
I'd also like to ask.
U-Olga Marie:
...
Fujimaru 2:
Why do U want to be president?
U-Olga Marie:
Why do I feel like you're making fun of me?
U-Olga Marie:
...Fine, it doesn't matter. Answering questions is one duty of a president, after all.
U-Olga Marie:
I have heard the screams of this planet, and so made my way here from the void planet.
U-Olga Marie:
As the planet was what called for my arrival, I have no interest in taking it into my possession.
U-Olga Marie:
To that end, I have no plans to style myself a king, such as that Camazotz.
U-Olga Marie:
What I should be doing is cultivating and guiding the prevalent sapient beings on this planet.
U-Olga Marie:
Equal governance. Impartial history. I want to create a world where all races and ideologies accept one another.
U-Olga Marie:
Therefore, a president. One who oversees you. One who represents you. One who celebrates your accomplishments.
U-Olga Marie:
That's what I feel...like I wanted to be.
U-Olga Marie:
I'm just in a condition where I can't specifically recall the actual plan or reason...
U-Olga Marie:
Anyway! Where I'm concerned, that's what it means to rule.
U-Olga Marie:
For that reason—yes, for that reason— ...it's imperative.
U-Olga Marie:
Once and for all, all must—return to a clean slate, while the most foolish mankind—
U-Olga Marie:
—...!
Fujimaru 1:
Director Olga Marie!?
U-Olga Marie:
Again, who is this director...?
U-Olga Marie:
You people. Whether it's here or the palace, how much nonsense must you—
U-Olga Marie:
No, didn't we meet for the first time in the caves? What am I talking about a palace for?
U-Olga Marie:
No matter. For those of you with trouble remembering, let me restate things more simply:
U-Olga Marie:
“I am the one who has come to right this planet's wrongs and eradicate its evils. The great sovereign and leader of this foolish mankind.”
U-Olga Marie:
That's who I am, U-Olga Marie. I trust that satisfies you?
Fujimaru 1:
Sure, I guess...
Fujimaru 2:
But if mankind is so foolish, why do you care so much...
U-Olga Marie:
When there are better sapients out in the universe, you want to say?
U-Olga Marie:
Heh—Absurd.
U-Olga Marie:
I never said foolishness was necessarily a bad thing. And it's not just mankind that's foolish.
U-Olga Marie:
Sapient beings are all foolish to their core, wouldn't you agree?
U-Olga Marie:
It is thanks to the mistakes we perpetuate that the cosmos sees renewal.
U-Olga Marie:
(Wow, did I sound haughty saying that.)
U-Olga Marie:
(How long will it take for my body to work as intended?)
U-Olga Marie:
(Human Order output organ, reduced to 4%. Main information processing function has completely crashed.)
U-Olga Marie:
(In this state, I couldn't handle a secretary's job, much less a president's. To begin with, I should be asking...)
U-Olga Marie:
(—What am I, even?)
--ARROW--
Fujimaru 1:
Great plains as far as the eye can see!
Fujimaru 2:
It's so vast I feel dizzy just looking at it!
Mash:
I'm shocked. I hadn't imagined there'd be a plain like this in Mictlan.
Mash:
I had it pegged as a world composed of rugged mountains and rainforests.
Nemo Marine:
The sun's as harsh as ever, but the breeze sure feels good!
Nemo Marine:
Let's hurry! The Storm Border should have crash landed in the sea of trees beyond this plain.
Tepeu:
Hmm...this is bad news...
Tepeu:
Friends, I have an unfortunate announcement and a recommendation to make—I'm sorry, I spoke up too late.
Tepeu:
You will soon be forced to engage in combat. Please prepare accordingly.
Everyone:
Tepeu?
Deinos:
You dare cross these plains shamelessly, Ocelomeh!? We will give you no quarter!
Deinos:
Bringing along an irrational deinos won't be enough to fool us!
Deinos:
The Dinosaur King has decreed that we are to attack anyone who attempts to cross these plains, even if they themselves are deinos!
Deinos:
To put it in words you Ocelomeh will understand—You're about to be in a world of hurt!
--BATTLE--
Deinos:
What's going on? Why are they so tough? These Ocelomeh are using weapons I've never seen before!
Deinos:
I'm next! No, me! Let me take a shot at them! Outta my way! I'll take them down!
Habetrot:
W-w-we're completely surrounded! This is getting outta control!
Habetrot:
What are you doing, U!? Help us out here! Give 'em a good thrashing!
U-Olga Marie:
I can't deal with deinos! If it were just one or two, maybe, but this is making me curl into a ball!
Fujimaru 1:
Well, we can't have that.
Fujimaru 2:
Retreeeeat!
Tepeu:
See?
Habetrot:
Don't give us that! Is this some kind of checkpoint!? We can't get through here!
Tepeu:
So it seems. Warrior deinos were stationed at regular intervals.
Tepeu:
They appear to be on guard against Ocelomeh coming up from the lower levels.
Tepeu:
The sea of trees is one thing, but it's simply impossible to hide from them in the plains.
Tepeu:
There won't be any reasoning with them either.
Tepeu:
Deinos who take such a role are extremely stubborn, serious, and they never deviate from their tasks.
Tepeu:
Negotiation with them is pointless. Forcing our way through there would be a painful experience.
Fujimaru 1:
Is there anything you can do?
Tepeu:
Of course there is.
Fujimaru 2:
They really have something for pain, don't they?
Tepeu:
Pain is one of the few stimuli for us deinos. It's only natural that such a thing would become their catchphrase.
Tepeu:
Therefore, let us change our route. My suggestion would be to return to the road and head for Chichen Itza.
Tepeu:
If the Dinosaur King has decreed it so, then we have no other choice but to seek permission to pass.
Rasputin:
Oh? Would Chichen Itza be those ruins we saw in the distance early this morning?
Tepeu:
Yes. The only collective residence for the deinos, and the holy site protecting the sun of Mictlan.
Tepeu:
The resting place of Kukulkan, “Doctrine of the Sun”—whom you've referred to as a god.
--ARROW--
Tepeu:
Welcome, friends. We have arrived in the city of the deinos.
Tepeu:
We've built it upon the ruins of a city that once existed long ago, whilst making some on-the-spot improvements.
Tepeu:
So you may find the buildings and household essentials a tad bit large.
Habetrot:
You call this a “tad bit”!?
Habetrot:
This is practically double the size of what humans would build! As far as I'm concerned, this is a city for giants!
Habetrot:
I can't climb the damn steps! Even if I float, one meter is as high as I go!
Habetrot:
Tch, guess that means I've gotta go back to the Black Barrel in Ortenaus...
Habetrot:
And here I was looking forward to my first Lostbelt sightseeing.
Mash:
Please rest assured, Habetrot, you can take a ride on my shoulders if need be.
Fujimaru 1:
Or would you like me to hoist you up instead?
Habetrot:
More importantly, don't you look way too outlandish! I'll get you for this, Rasputin!
Rasputin:
Hahahahaha. Are my disguises to your liking?
Rasputin:
It is obvious that humans entering the deinos city would result in the same outcome we faced back on the plains.
Rasputin:
So with the use of unfamiliar magecraft...ahem, with the use of a Sacrament,
Rasputin:
I was able to disguise Fujimaru and Mash as deinos.
Rasputin:
Not to worry, they only appear to be that way. You may consider it a form of augmented reality.
Mash:
Thanks to that, we were able to enter Chichen Itza without a hitch.
Mash:
Father Kotomine really helped us out with those unexpected skills of his, Senpai!
Fujimaru 1:
Grrawr.
Fujimaru 2:
Grrawr, grrrrr.
Rasputin:
Haha. While I understand that you're in high spirits, do stick to speaking the human tongue.
Rasputin:
After all, you won't attract any undue attention from the deinos even if you speak our language.
Fujimaru 1:
Too bad U-Olga Marie and Marine aren't here with us.
Mash:
Yes, as for Director Olga...no, as for U-Olga Marie...
U-Olga Marie:
As if I'd ever disguise myself as a lizard. I'll camp here and set up an embassy.
U-Olga Marie:
Butler, you'll be staying behind too, won't you?
O：Rasputin:
I'm afraid I cannot. I too am interested in Chichen Itza.
O：Rasputin:
I will be bringing back souvenirs, so I must ask that you forgive my delinquency on this occasion. Would you prefer food or handicrafts?
U-Olga Marie:
Are you really my butler? Aren't you way too free-spirited?
Habetrot:
I'll be tagging along in spirit form, so I won't be needing Rasputin's disguises.
Habetrot:
Oh, I am so looking forward to this! I mean, there were no jungles back in the Fairy Kingdom!
Habetrot:
I'm already excited to see what kind of Elementals are out there!
Tepeu:
So, Miss U is the only one who will be staying behind then?
Tepeu:
I doubt she would be needing a disguise...but it is what it is.
Nemo Marine:
Really? Then I'll stay behind too! 'Cause I don't want to leave U alone!
Mash:
Having said that, our objective is merely to rendezvous with the Storm Border.
Mash:
We're just going to be requesting passage, so I doubt we'll be making the two of them wait out there for long.
Habetrot:
Well, I guess you've got a point. Sorry, Lostbelt sightseeing was putting it too lightly.
Habetrot:
But this Chichen Itza place sure is more vibrant than I expected. How large is its population?
Tepeu:
There were about 2,000 of us back when I was here, but thanks to the Ocelomeh's deinos hunts,
Tepeu:
deinos from all across Mictlan are assembling here.
Tepeu:
From what I can tell, there are about 2,400 of us here now.
Fujimaru 1:
Even though they're assembling from all over Mictlan...?
Fujimaru 2:
There's only an increase of 400?
Tepeu:
Since Crypter showed up and Mexico City, city of the Ocelomeh, was built,
Tepeu:
the Ocelomeh slaughtered the rest of the deinos. I'm sure there are some hiding out in the jungle too...
Tepeu:
But the remaining deinos in Mictlan are on the verge of extinction. Well, it wouldn't be a stretch to say that we ARE going extinct.
Tepeu:
Since they prefer to hunt our females, there will be no next generation for us.
Tepeu:
And even if their birth does come to pass, their chances of survival afterwards are despairingly low. Because Mictlan is about to come to an end soon.
Mash:
Are you—referring to the fact that we're here to fell the Fantasy Tree?
Tepeu:
Indeed, I suppose that is yet another ending.
Tepeu:
Please don't fret about it, Mash, Fujimaru.
Tepeu:
You need only make decisions that are essential to your survival.
Tepeu:
We will merely think about our remaining present.
Rasputin:
Tepeu, would you mind if I asked you a few questions?
Rasputin:
I see there are a few stalls out on the main street, but what exactly are they?
Rasputin:
If you're conducting business, then does that imply that the concept of money exists as part of your lives?
Tepeu:
Oh, money. Yes, the Pan-Human History invention. We have no such concept.
Tepeu:
We are just laying out the things we need over there. You're free to take anything you want, as much as you want.
Tepeu:
The lone deinos in the stall is there for our safety. Deinos tend to vary depending on the individual.
Tepeu:
What nourishes one deinos may poison another.
Tepeu:
Deinos with a good grasp on such things are in charge of offering advice at these stalls.
Fujimaru 1:
So...a complete system not involving bartering?
Fujimaru 2:
Why do you not have a concept of money?
Rasputin:
...I suppose that's the difference between humans and deinos. Humans always seem to be hungry.
Rasputin:
Not only for the nutrition required to keep our bodies moving. I'm also referring to the “happiness” that keeps our spirits fulfilled.
Rasputin:
Seeking to possess that which is superior to what others possess. To possess more than others.
Rasputin:
It is this hunger that drove humans to invent more efficient methods of acquiring wealth.
Rasputin:
Money may be the lifeblood that flows through human society, but that is only because we are limited in what we can accomplish as individuals.
Rasputin:
Life forms blessed with strong bodies and a calm spirit, such as the deinos, lack nothing when it comes to survival.
Rasputin:
But they do lack the concept of “competition”. For them, everyone is an equal and a dear friend.
Mash:
—
Tepeu:
Correct. Conflicts do not occur between deinos. Unlike Pan-Human History, there is no such thing as racial differences either.
Tepeu:
Oh, but there is this ceremonial contest known as xoqqer. But that too is a peaceful affair.
Fujimaru 1:
Xoqqer?
Tepeu:
It's much the same thing as your priest's prayer. We give our thanks to the radiance of the sun, and pray for its sojourn.
Rasputin:
The sojourn of the sun...so, Tepeu, here's my second question.
Rasputin:
That building at the far end of the city...that Central American pyramid. Is that the altar where the king lives?
Rasputin:
There is a building, much like that one, in Pan-Human History too. The only difference being—
Mash:
I assume you mean that ore jutting out from the summit of the altar. It looks like a jade crystal...
Tepeu:
I see, the altar of the sun exists in Pan-Human History as well?
Tepeu:
So the idea of drawing closer to the heavens is one we both share.
Tepeu:
That there is the reason Chichen Itza is consecrated ground. It is where the sun begins and ends.
Tepeu:
The Solar Itinerancy.
Tepeu:
The sun in Pan-Human History is situated in outer space and the Earth revolves around it, correct?
Tepeu:
However, here in Mictlan, there is no outer space, and the sun lies within.
Tepeu:
According to Pan-Human History, the sun of Mictlan would be considered an artificially created miniature sun.
Tepeu:
The sun begins its journey at Chichen Itza and moves down to the ninth layer before returning here.
Tepeu:
You could call that altar the “home” of the sun. It encloses the sun upon its return, bestows vitality upon it, and then sends it off again.
Tepeu:
That's how the Mictlan sun works. Did you get all that?
Rasputin:
I see, so Mictlan's gravity is oriented towards the surface...towards the world outside.
Rasputin:
I had been wondering how the sun was able to float in an environment like that...
Rasputin:
So the sun itself is a super-ancient relic independent of the laws of Mictlan.
Tepeu:
You're probably right. Though I do have one correction to make.
Tepeu:
The pillars jutting out into the sky are not ore. It is vegetation, with the shine you see coming from its resin.
Tepeu:
The Cosmic Tree impaling Mictlan. That altar is its summit.
Tepeu:
I assume that's it for questions? Shall we make our way to the altar?
Tepeu:
From what I've heard, the Dinosaur King can be difficult. But as we are fellow deinos, I'm sure he'll come around if we just talk to him.
Mash:
That would be great...but would he really allow us to have an audience with him that easily?
Tepeu:
Well, truth be told, I was once a priest of Chichen Itza.
Tepeu:
Though I departed the city prior to the Dinosaur King's advent, so I have not met him in person.
Tepeu:
But I still have a track record of having served to that point...and connections, shall we say?
Tepeu:
And it's not as if we ever had “domains” or “borders” in the first place.
Tepeu:
In Mictlan, we are free to go where we please. Just like the sun that traverses the world.
???:
Tepeu, you've got some thick scales coming back here! Shoo, go back and die in your bundles of maize!
???:
Just who let a deviant like you approach the hallowed grounds of the Solar Itinerancy!?
???:
And who are those deinos younglings behind you!?
???:
Grr, such honest-looking and graceful figures! Are you here to brag about your disciples!? How vexing!
Tepeu:
They are my teachers, not my disciples. There is much I could learn from them.
Tepeu:
That aside, I am glad to see you are doing well, Priest Vucub.
Tepeu:
We would like to request an audience with the Dinosaur King, could that be arranged?
W：Priest Vucub:
Of course that can't be arranged...! The king is too busy dealing with the Ocelomeh!
W：Priest Vucub:
In your seclusion, you're obviously not in the loop, but those Ocelomeh are brutal creatures called humans!
W：Priest Vucub:
Faced with the extinction of the deinos, the king chose to barricade the great plains and commit to an all-out war.
W：Priest Vucub:
Chichen Itza has no place for a gutless wretch like you! Leave at once!
Tepeu:
No, my house should still be here in Chichen Itza. After all, I built it myself.
W：Priest Vucub:
That's not what I'm talking about! —Fighters! Fighters, come forth!
Combatant Deinos:
, —
Priest Vucub:
Drive this shameless deinos out! An audience with the Dinosaur King is absolutely out of the question!
Tepeu:
See?
Fujimaru 1:
Some "connections" those were!
Fujimaru 2:
Tepeu, by any chance, are you an...(idiot?)
Rasputin:
With all due respect, Tepeu, you don't appear to be in the greatest of standings with this Vucub fellow.
Tepeu:
Yes, Vucub despises me as if I were spoilt corn, and he has often sent assassins after me.
Tepeu:
I hadn't imagined he would've been made Head Priest. Dear me, I had forgotten to congratulate him.
Mash:
So this person who hates Tepeu is the Head Priest, which means...
Habetrot:
We can rule out a straightforward audience with the Dinosaur King...
Habetrot:
More importantly, he might've seen Mash and Fujimaru's faces too...
Habetrot:
Even if we seek an audience on our own, we might be rejected for being Tepeu's associates...
Tepeu:
Habetrot's admonishment cuts deep.
Mash:
We don't have a choice, I believe we should switch tracks.
Mash:
Since Tepeu's connections turned out to be a dud, we've got to find a different approach.
Mash:
We'll have to find allies within Chichen Itza somehow, and meet the Dinosaur King some other way.
Fujimaru 1:
(Nod)
Fujimaru 2:
And to do that, we'll need to gather information.
Rasputin:
I concur. This is not a problem we can solve overnight.
Rasputin:
In which case, we will require a place to settle down.
Rasputin:
Are there any communal facilities in Chichen Itza for outsiders to use, Tepeu?
Tepeu:
If that's the problem, why don't we use my house? It should still be standing.
Tepeu:
It's in a rather secluded area off the main street, so you can freely discuss matters related to Pan-Human History too.
Tepeu:
Right, let's call U and Marine over too.
Tepeu:
Since none of you are deinos, it's best if you stayed together as much as possible.
--ARROW--
Nemo Marine:
Nice work, everyone☆
Nemo Marine:
I stuck close to U, and somehow they let me into the city!
U-Olga Marie:
That was because they recognized you as my accessory. If you get careless and wander off, you'll probably be recognized as part of a separate party.
U-Olga Marie:
Anyway—good work at the meeting. But it looks like it was yet another pointless distraction.
U-Olga Marie:
Your audience with the Dinosaur King was rejected. Though I suppose I would turn away anyone without an appointment as well.
U-Olga Marie:
Well, then there's only one thing left to do. Can I go blow up their altar now?
U-Olga Marie:
If their residence has been destroyed, they'll come out to talk no matter who we are.
Rasputin:
There is no need to go so far, my lady. That would cause a diplomatic incident.
Rasputin:
It simply appears that Tepeu is not very popular at the moment. We may have other options available to us.
Mash:
Yes. Let's discuss our options tonight at Tepeu's house, then gather more information in the town tomorrow.
U-Olga Marie:
Fine... If that's what you guys want...
U-Olga Marie:
Show us to your residence, Tepeu. We'll hear all the details there.
E：Tepeu:
That sounds splendid. I have been away from home for some time, so it may need some tidying up.
E：Tepeu:
But I can say with confidence that it is one of the most desirable plots in all of Chichen Itza.
E：Tepeu:
It may be a bit large for you all, but I can promise you a good night's sleep.
Fujimaru 1:
It's practically part of the jungle at this point!
Fujimaru 2:
(Yeah, I kinda expected this.)
Tepeu:
Ah yes, the weeds have a habit of growing over everything. It's a marvel of nature.
Tepeu:
It seems that the anguish of the gardener is shared by those living in Pan-Human History and Lostbelts.
Tepeu:
Would you mind a spot of weeding and pest control?
--BATTLE--
Tepeu:
Is...is this the power of Chaldea!? My house looked completely run-down, but now it's like brand new!
Mash:
Calling it that might be going a bit too far, but I'm happy to have helped clean it up.
Mash:
But this time it wasn't just due to Senpai and myself.
Nemo Marine:
If it's cleaning you want, I'm your man! I'm the Marine who keeps the engine room sparkling clean too!
Rasputin:
Tidying up the kitchen is my speciality. Cleanliness is next to godliness, after all.
Mash:
Marine and Father Kotomine make for quite the combination!
Fujimaru 1:
The Marines are such hard workers after all!
Fujimaru 2:
I can't believe Kotomine wears a mask while cleaning.
Tepeu:
I cannot thank you enough.
Tepeu:
I have tried to reach every nook and cranny, but as you might imagine, it is rather difficult with a body like this.
Tepeu:
Chichen Itza is located in ancient ruins after all, so cleaning is a bit of a rough task here.
Tepeu:
Deinos tend to be naturalists, so it isn't a problem, but it does bother me when dirt collects in the corners like this.
Tepeu:
I decided I would rather live in the wild then have to worry about such an untidy home.
Mash:
So you went to live in that cave? It was awfully far away from the town...
Tepeu:
Well, I wanted to be away from the nature-loving deinos for my own reasons.
Tepeu:
More importantly, could you please tell me once more of Pan-Human History, Mash and Fujimaru?
Tepeu:
You had mentioned there was a Chichen Itza in your world as well.
Tepeu:
What kind of town and civilization was it?
Mash:
Okay. I'm no expert, but I'll tell you what I know.
Mash:
Chichen Itza was a town located on the Yucatan peninsula in Central America, built by the Mayan civilization.
Mash:
The Mayan civilization continued from 1600 through 900 BCE.
Mash:
In their history, the period from before 1600 BC to 250 CE is considered the Preclassic era, while the Classic era lasted from 250 to 900 CE.
Mash:
And the Postclassic era lasted from 900 CE to the first half of the 16th century.
Mash:
It's believed each era was characterized by both prosperity and disaster.
Mash:
Chichen Itza in particular was built by the Itza people during the Postclassic era.
Mash:
It's said that the Itza were “outsiders,” or descended from those who escaped the fall of central Maya...
Mash:
And they eventually settled at a land with a fertile cenote, which they named after “the mouth of the spring of the people of Itza.”
Mash:
The central religious figure of this city was Kukulkan, the god of wind and water.
Mash:
—The same god who would eventually be worshipped as Quetzalcoatl by the Aztecs.
Fujimaru 1:
Quetzalcoatl too...
Fujimaru 2:
Mayan and Aztec mythologies aren't the same thing?
Mash:
There are many similarities since the beliefs were widespread throughout the region, but the underlying religious beliefs were separate.
Mash:
It's a crude way of putting it, but you could think of the Mayan ones as the original and the Aztec ones as an offshoot.
Tepeu:
Kukulkan. So they existed in Pan-Human History too—no. It only makes sense they would.
Tepeu:
And yet the Mayans of Pan-Human History fell into ruin? Despite clearly being blessed by their god?
Mash:
That...yes, they did.
Mash:
When the Mayan civilization declined, the gods vanished, and Central America entered the Age of Man.
Mash:
Their civilization was said to be of the Mayans, but it originally arose from multiple different tribes and clans.
Mash:
The local descendants called themselves the Tutul-Xiu and K'iche'.
Mash:
The prevailing theory is that the name “Maya” was later taken from the existence of the city-state Mayapan.
Mash:
There were between sixty to seventy disparate states during the Classic era...
Mash:
But after their destruction, the Mayans continued to establish a number of cultures and histories well into the Postclassic era.
Mash:
They were considered to be both physically and mentally superior to the standards of the rest of the world at that time.
Mash:
The city-states of Copán, Tikal, Calakmul, and Palenque competed and cooperated with each other, and prospered together.
Mash:
They pioneered in the fields of writing, astronomy, and architecture, and built the pyramids at El Mirador.
Mash:
The observatory at El Caracol observed the movement of the stars in great detail, allowed for the people to manage their lives in an orderly manner, and led to the creation of two calendars.
Mash:
There was never a united Mayan dynasty, but the kings of the various city-states cooperated in league with each other.
Mash:
However...the progress of technology is not something that occurs solely through the result of human effort.
Mash:
The local environment is also a factor—chiefly through possible agriculture, available minerals, and the climate.
Mash:
The harsh locale of Central America made the Mayan people strong and led to the formation of a rich, strong mythology, but...
Mash:
Their weapons and tools were lacking...there was no way they could make advancements in such an environment.
Mash:
The Aztec civilization that flourished on the Mexican plateau after mainstream Central American culture moved away from the Yucutan peninsula...
Mash:
The same was true for them as well.
Mash:
For weapons, they relied on the spear, bow and arrow, and the macuahuitl, a kind of sword with obsidian embedded along the edge. Firearms were never invented.
Mash:
They never arrived at the concept of mounted cavalry.
Mash:
In both technology and tactics, you could say the Central American way of war was drastically inferior to their European counterparts.
Mash:
And then—
Mash:
The Aztec civilization, the successors to the Maya, were destroyed in the first half of the 16th century at the height of their prosperity.
Mash:
Not by internecine warfare, but by a conqueror from afar—humans who came from another continent across the ocean.
Tepeu:
To come from another continent—what do you mean by that?
Mash:
It was a man named Hernán Cortés, from a country known as Spain.
Mash:
He landed in Central America with a small number of companions, and eventually came to occupy the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan.
Mash:
Moctezuma II, the Aztec king at that time, was killed amidst the chaos,
Mash:
and Cortes and his Spaniards waged war on the Aztecs, destroying them.
Mash:
As a result of this, the land of the Aztecs became a Spanish territory and was renamed to Mexico.
Nemo Marine:
Yes, it's hard to believe. The entire Aztec kingdom, numbering in the hundreds of thousands, was destroyed by a small Spanish raiding party of less than 500.
Nemo Marine:
There's a legend among the Aztec.
Nemo Marine:
“After being defeated by the evil god Tezcatlipoca, the good god Quetzalcoatl vanished from the surface of the earth.”
Nemo Marine:
“He promised to return from the northeast, and that he would bring glory to the Aztec once more.”
Nemo Marine:
The Age of Gods had already given way to the Age of Man, but this legend of Quetzalcoatl was still widespread.
Nemo Marine:
It was said he took the form of a man with white skin and a dark beard.
Nemo Marine:
Being a Spaniard, Hernán Cortés bore both these traits.
Nemo Marine:
King Moctezuma thought he was the second coming of Quetzalcoatl, and invited Cortes into his castle as a guest.
Fujimaru 1:
Treating an invader from another land as a visitor?
Fujimaru 2:
(...there could've been any number of other reasons...)
Rasputin:
Good and evil. Creation and destruction. The sun and the night sky. The domains of the gods Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca.
Rasputin:
And yet the relationship between these two deities was not so simple...
Mash:
Yes. I would like to return to the topic of their relationship at some point later...
Mash:
Anyway, Hernán Cortés used the Aztec legend of Quetzalcoatl to his advantage.
Mash:
He drew in the surrounding tribes that were hostile to the Aztec empire, and gained total control of the royal city despite their inferior numbers.
Tepeu:
Aztec empire? But you said previously that they were a kingdom.
Mash:
I did. The central Mexican plateau of the time was home to multiple city-states at the time.
Mash:
The Aztecs had established a strong empire through their alliance with two other cities, Tetzcoco and Tlacopan.
Mash:
And...that was how they ruled over the surrounding other tribes.
Mash:
In the capital of Tenochtitlan, built atop a lake, over fifty human sacrifices were made daily to two gods...
Mash:
It's said they were performed for Tlaloc, the god of rain, and Huitzilopochtli, the tribal god.
Mash:
The Aztecs waged numerous wars against their neighbor city-states...
Mash:
And with their overwhelming military power, they were able to capture many people to serve as both slave labor and for human sacrifice.
Fujimaru 1:
Human sacrifice on such a scale...
Fujimaru 2:
No wonder there was so much resentment...
Mash:
Yes. The Aztec empire at the height of its power was in fact built on hatred.
Mash:
The conqueror Hernán Cortés was not the sole architect of their downfall.
Mash:
It was also because of a revolt by long-suffering rival tribes.
Rasputin:
The Spaniards had both firearms and cavalry, and were overwhelmingly victorious on the open plains.
Rasputin:
But their chances of victory in the dense jungle were nil. They were simply outnumbered.
Rasputin:
Cortes was wise enough to not fight against such overwhelming odds.
Rasputin:
He was able to recruit the other tribes by proposing to overthrow the Aztec empire.
Rasputin:
He also spread the rumor of the “return of the god Quetzalcoatl”.
Rasputin:
He strolled through the majestic gates of Tenochtitlan, arrested King Moctezuma II, and occupied the capital.
Rasputin:
Thus, the Aztec empire was brought down by the anger of the surrounding tribes and the greed of the Spanish.
Rasputin:
The mighty Aztecs, who built the grand lakeside city of Tenochtitlan, a world wonder...
Rasputin:
Simply collapsed from within before they could wage a proper war.
Rasputin:
If Moctezuma II had not believed in the legend of Quetzalcoatl—
Rasputin:
Perhaps he would not have been so accepting of the outside world, and the history of Central America may have been very different.
Nemo Marine:
Yeah. That's why they call Moctezuma II the king who put an end to the Aztecs.
Nemo Marine:
He was held responsible for welcoming conquerors from afar as the return of the gods.
Nemo Marine:
In the end, he was killed. Not by the Spaniards, but by the people living in Tenochtitlán.
Nemo Marine:
Freed by the Spaniards, King Moctezuma was stoned to death by the nobles and citizens.
Rasputin:
There are multiple versions of this story, however.
Rasputin:
It's also seen as a claim by the Spanish side, who wanted to seem like regicide was one crime they would never commit.
Mash:
That's the short of it... This is as much as I can tell about the history of Central and South America.
Mash:
I take it this was informative?
Tepeu:
Yes. By firearms, you mean the tools that the Ocelomeh use?
Tepeu:
Conquerors from the outside world. The suppression and slaughter of local tribes with firearms.
Tepeu:
This is identical to Mictlan's current state.
Tepeu:
So the deeds of Crypter Daybit are a reenactment of Hernán Cortés.
Fujimaru 1:
...
Tepeu:
I am not casting blame at all, now. I simply mean to say...
Tepeu:
Yes, I only wondered about the similarities.
Tepeu:
Our golden city of Chichen Itza, and Kukulkan, Doctrine of the Sun. Pan-Human History's altar city of Chichen Itza, and Kukulkan, god of wind and water.
Tepeu:
The subterranean world of Mictlan where we live, and your underworld of Mictlan.
Tepeu:
As I mentioned in the maize field, we deinos had no such concept as “gods”.
Tepeu:
The word was brought to Mictlan with the arrival of Crypter Daybit.
Tepeu:
Our Doctrine of the Sun, Kukulkan...came to be called a god because of that introduction.
Tepeu:
And now the notion of “god” fits perfectly well.
Tepeu:
It's not a matter of which can be called true and which can be called false.
Tepeu:
Thanks to new views and new knowledge...
Tepeu:
“What has been there before” has been replaced by “what was not here before”.
Tepeu:
It's a most stimulating story, albeit one I am not so clear on in some places.
Tepeu:
Next, regarding the gods of Pan-Human History...
Tepeu:
I should like to hear more about Tezcatlipoca and Quetzalcoatl, but the hour grows late.
Tepeu:
That will suffice for tonight. I shall show you to your beds.
Rasputin:
One question before that.
Rasputin:
Tepeu. It's clear to see that Chichen Itza was not made for the deinos.
Rasputin:
If anything, this way of life is more based around our humanity of Pan-Human History.
Rasputin:
Then who was it that built this city? The Dinosaur King, by way of the deinos?
Tepeu:
No. The Dinosaur King is a very recent arrival, and I should think he has nothing to do with Chichen Itza.
Tepeu:
Kukulkan is the one who constructed Chichen Itza.
Tepeu:
It is said that the sun god Kukulkan built this city in order to govern Mictlan.
Section 5: Life in Chichén Itzá (I)
Fujimaru 1:
I slept well!
Fujimaru 2:
The night was cool and comfortable.
U-Olga Marie:
Your nonsensical thoughts have returned, I see... (Does this mean their outputs fall at night?)
Mash:
Good morning, Senpai. What a lovely house, with bedrooms available for each of us—
Mash:
Good morning, U-Olga Marie.
Mash:
I see that you're already up. Your lifestyle remains as regulated as—Oh.
U-Olga Marie:
...?
Tepeu:
Good day. Ah, my mistake. It would be “good morning” in this instance.
Tepeu:
It's wonderful that you all seem to have slept well. I'll bring some corn for breakfast.
Nemo Marine:
Good morniiing! I slept well! It's so nice to be safe in a city!
Habetrot:
Even Marine managed to get some sleep.
Habetrot:
I usually go into spirit form and stay dormant to conserve energy, but you can't, can you, Marine?
Nemo Marine:
Yeah. We Marines are like doubles of the Captain, but we're not really the Heroic Spirit Nemo.
Nemo Marine:
If we go into spirit form away from the Storm Border, we can't rematerialize.
Nemo Marine:
It's thanks to Chaldea's electric power and TRISMEGISTUS II that I can materialize this way as an individual in the first place.
Nemo Marine:
The Storm Border also recharges our magical energy! Thanks to that, the Nemo Series is able to have so many active members!
Nemo Marine:
So it's a big help that I could sleep like I did last night. I cut down on my magical energy consumption, and could recover a little.
Fujimaru 1:
Now I see...
Fujimaru 2:
I didn't know.
Nemo Marine:
It's hard to notice when we're always in the Border! The Captain never even explains things either!
Nemo Marine:
But there are still good things about it, despite not being able to go into spirit form!
Nemo Marine:
However hurt I get, I can tag in another Marine and be restored if I make it back to the Nautilus!
Nemo Marine:
We've got a dozen full-time workers and two dozen staff in all! There's power in numbers☆
Nemo Marine:
(Oh...we're down to nineteen, but that's okay. Four in Atlantis and one in Britain, right?)
Rasputin:
Good morning to all.
Rasputin:
Ah, forgive me. I am still accustomed to my habits at mass. Do think of it as a Pseudo-Servant's eccentricity.
Rasputin:
Now, let us get this morning's cosmic meeting underway. Will that be all right, my lady?
U-Olga Marie:
Very well, go ahead. I've personally prepared the documents.
Nemo Marine:
(What of?)
Habetrot:
(What for?)
Mash:
(Olga Marie is always on top of things!)
Fujimaru 1:
(Better not interrupt the meeting.)
Fujimaru 2:
(Here's hoping it's not a Powerpoint.)
Rasputin:
My lady... You have recalled a portion of your powers. This is marvelous.
Rasputin:
According to this recorded video, the only way to approach the throne is via the stairs in front of the altar.
Rasputin:
This route cannot be used while it is guarded by the fighting-class deinos.
Rasputin:
Likewise, your sharp presidential eyes have spotted private chambers seemingly for use by the Dinosaur King,
Rasputin:
Yet no one in the images appears to be him. It would seem that he is absent.
Rasputin:
Even if we force our way past the altar, the odds of gaining an audience with the king would be slim, at best.
Mash:
...Could that indicate that they're more on guard than expected?
Rasputin:
For an Ocelotl raid, you mean? Well, we'll have to ask the deinos about that.
Rasputin:
In any case, contacting the Dinosaur King by any normal means will prove difficult.
Rasputin:
Which brings us—to this.
Rasputin:
Fujimaru. What does this look like to you?
Flag
The following choices trigger a True/False flag.
Flag Result
True!
Fujimaru 1:
Some kind of ball court...?
Nemo Marine:
Oh, good catch! That's probably where they'd play football!
Flag Result
False.
Fujimaru 2:
Some kind of arena...?
Mash:
It looks that way to me as well. A circular entertainment venue, like the Roman colosseum.
Flag Result
What.
Fujimaru 2:
Some kind of rock venue...?
Rasputin:
...I understand why you'd think that, but that is not so. It could not be so, Fujimaru.
Rasputin:
Enough silliness for now, can we agree?
Tepeu:
Those are the ritual grounds for xoqqer. Xoqqer is the ceremony for offering felicitations to the sun.
Tepeu:
It's one of the few–I should say, the only form of public entertainment for we deinos. But what of it?
U-Olga Marie:
I increased the number of receiving channels in order to collect the thoughts of deinos all over town last night.
U-Olga Marie:
Their colors are all based on “green”...which must be the color representing your world's default axis.
U-Olga Marie:
But no matter. Here were the most common thoughts among the deinos:
U-Olga Marie:
“After one more night, xoqqer will commence.” “I'm so excited. Who is gonna make it to the championship?”
U-Olga Marie:
“The winning team will personally receive honors from the king. They will hear proclamations from Kukulkan.”
U-Olga Marie:
What do you think? Won't attending this ritual be a way for us to meet the Dinosaur King?
Fujimaru 1:
Now I get it!
Fujimaru 2:
What an awesome president!
U-Olga Marie:
Of course, it's my duty to hear the voices of all Earthlings!
Fujimaru 1:
So, what's this xoqqer about?
U-Olga Marie:
D-Don't ask me! Do I look at all familiar with Earthling rituals?
Tepeu:
Xoqqer is striking a ball about yea big with any part of the body besides the hands.
Tepeu:
A ritual in which whosoever knocks it into a net behind a goal of such a breadth.
Tepeu:
It is a quite intricate ceremony that I cannot see existing at all in Pan-Human History.
Tepeu:
I too longed to be a xoqqer player in my youth. But I had to give that up in my senior years. Hahaha.
Mash:
Uh...uhm, Tepeu? I don't suppose you're talking about—
Alternative Choices
The following choices show if player triggered False flag.
Fujimaru 1:
It's soccer!!!
Fujimaru 2:
It's football!!!
Alternative Choices
The following choices show if player triggered True flag.
Fujimaru 1:
So it WAS soccer!!!
Fujimaru 2:
So it WAS football!!!
Tepeu:
I beg your pardon?
Mash:
So when all is said and done, our goals are to:
Mash:
“Participate in xoqqer, win the championship to gain an audience with the Dinosaur King, and be granted passage to cross the great plains.”
Mash:
With the necessary prerequisites for this being:
Mash:
“Get acquainted with the leading xoqqer players, persuade them to let us join their team, and participate in the ritual.”
Mash:
Is everything clear?
Fujimaru 1:
Above all, we have to win...
Fujimaru 2:
(Aren't you asking for too much?)
Nemo Marine:
Yeah. It's not enough to just participate. We have to become the champions to get an audience with the king.
Rasputin:
Which is why we need to get acquainted with the leading xoqqer players, Marine.
Rasputin:
I recall that the Mayan civilization also had their own major ceremonial ballgame.
Rasputin:
To be a first-class warrior, one needed to not only defeat enemies, but master the ball.
Rasputin:
If I may ask, Tepeu, how many deinos are involved in xoqqer?
Rasputin:
2 on 2? Perhaps 4 on 4?
Tepeu:
Why would the ceremony need such a small number? It's usually 11 on 11.
Mash:
You know, we could just be calling this football by now!
Rasputin:
I understand your feelings, Mash. I even share them.
Rasputin:
But at least with teams of such numbers, it's conceivable that they may require “substitutes”. Some may even suffer from a lack of them.
Rasputin:
The notion of entering a pre-existing team shows a glimmer of hope.
Habetrot:
Okay, so we're going into the city to suss out some xoqqer players? The ceremony is tomorrow, so we have...
Habetrot:
Well, only today.
Habetrot:
But Mictlan's daytime is twice as long as we're accustomed to, so if we hustle we might make it!
Mash:
That's right, we should hurry.
Mash:
Father Kotomine, would you be able to apply the deinos-disguising Sacrament on us again?
Rasputin:
But of course. I even spent the day refining the Sacrament.
Rasputin:
Last time, you all truly had the look of snarling deinos.
Rasputin:
But from hereon, the specification is set that our disguises will be visible only to actual deinos.
U-Olga Marie:
Oh, really? Fujimaru and Mash won't look at all like deinos?
Rasputin:
Of course. Myself as well.
Rasputin:
How does that sound? This way, even my deinos-shy lady can accompany us.
U-Olga Marie:
Very well, I'll settle for that.
U-Olga Marie:
And we'll be competing, Mash and Fujimaru!
Fujimaru 1:
Why?
U-Olga Marie:
Never mind why! I'll simply obtain myself a winning team!
U-Olga Marie:
Scouting for talent is my specialty!
U-Olga Marie:
I will find super xoqqer players, and my team will rule the world!
Fujimaru 2:
All rightyou're on.
Mash:
Senpai?
U-Olga Marie:
Hmph. You understand without any further explanation. Just as the Master of Chaldea should. Not that I mind.
U-Olga Marie:
Don't be surprised, Mash.
U-Olga Marie:
Finding a winning team can be considered a competition of sorts in itself.
U-Olga Marie:
I will aim to win the championship with the team that most catches my eye.
U-Olga Marie:
Fujimaru will aim to to win the championship with the team [♂ he /♀️ she] comes upon.
U-Olga Marie:
We'll get the audience with the Dinosaur King all the same, no matter who wins. If anything, it's a safer strategy.
Tepeu:
I see. There are eight teams participating in the ceremony.
Tepeu:
The more teams we can infiltrate, the better our chances of gaining an audience.
Tepeu:
It would be a good strategy to split up in order to find and join participating teams.
Rasputin:
Then Fujimaru and Mash, my lady and I, and Tepeu and Marine shall work in pairs.
Nemo Marine:
Okay! We all play lots of football! Watch me find a great team!
Tepeu:
Then let us meet again after the sun reaches the fourth layer.
Tepeu:
It is key to confirm one another's situation.
Fujimaru 1:
Understood!
Fujimaru 2:
Bring on the tryouts!
--ARROW--
Youthful Deinos:
The sun sure is hot this cycle. I wonder if the birds in the jungle will be okay?
Youthful Deinos:
Waterfront creatures can't convert energy the way we can.
Youthful Deinos:
If it continues on like this, it won't be more than ten more cycles for it all to dry up.
Calm Deinos:
It's not all bad. The more sun we get, the better the maize will grow.
Calm Deinos:
The fact that the sun is so close also means that great Kukulkan is close too.
Calm Deinos:
They may appear before us at any moment, just as they appeared before Vukub the priest.
Graceful Deinos:
I don't even want to hear his name. His policies have caused the untimely deaths of more than just a few deinos.
Graceful Deinos:
Let's talk about xoqqer instead. I hope we have a brilliant, beautiful ceremony.
Graceful Deinos:
Since Crypter's arrival, xoqqer has become a much more refined game. We've had fewer deaths, too.
Graceful Deinos:
It's awfully hot, though. I wonder if the priests aren't misinterpreting the sentiments of the Blessed Kukulkan?
Mash:
I-it really does just feel like a busy city street in the middle of the day.
Mash:
The deinos are awfully big, so we have to be careful not to get stepped on.
Habetrot:
There are little ones mixed in too. They don't seem to be kids though.
Habetrot:
Fujimaru, you know a bit about dinosaurs, right? Aren't there a bunch of different kinds?
Fujimaru 1:
They're from the Mesozoic era...or something...
Fujimaru 2:
All I know is that they're the ancestors of birds...
Mash:
I can give a brief overview of them, if you'd like.
Habetrot:
Yeah, sure! Let's listen together, Fujimaru!
Mash:
The term “dinosaur” refers to creatures that thrived during the Mesozoic era.
Mash:
In 1986 CE, dinosaur fossils were discovered in layers dating from the Triassic period in the Mesozoic era.
Mash:
The specimen was later named “frenguellisaurus,” or “herrerasaurus.” The fossils were 228 million years old, and this dinosaur is now the oldest known species.
Mash:
This discovery led to further fossil digs and more study into ancient life forms.
Mash:
From these studies, we learned that the supercontinent Pangaea broke up 52 million years later, during the beginning of the Jurassic period.
Mash:
This dispersed the dinosaurs across the Earth, and consequently they evolved to suit their new environments.
Mash:
Probably the most well-known of these adaptations was their great size, including large species such as Apatosaurus.
Mash:
Fossils belonging to dinosaurs of over 30 meters, like Supersaurus, have also been discovered.
Mash:
The dinosaurs reached their peak 55 million years later, in the Cretaceous period.
Mash:
This was the age of the dinosaur superstar Tyrannosaurus...better known as the T-Rex, along with others.
Mash:
Triceratops and the other ceratopsians. Maiasaurus, the good mother.
Mash:
The long-necked sauropod Diplodocus. The adorable Parasaurolophus with its long crest.
Mash:
The sky was ruled by not only the well-known Pteranodon, but Quetzalcoatlus, the greatest of all pterosaurs.
Mash:
For sea creatures, there was the sea dragon Mosasaurus, as well as the crocodile-like Kronosaurus, the greatest of all predators.
Mash:
Many other dinosaurs lived on the earth during the Cretaceous period.
Mash:
But the end of that period also marked the end of their age. It ended with one of Earth's great mass extinction events.
Mash:
Of the so-called “Big 5”, this was the largest. It killed not only all the dinosaurs, but much of the life living on the surface of the Earth.
Fujimaru 1:
The Big 5...?
Mash:
Yes. The five great mass extinction events that occured in the past, known as the “Big 5”.
Mash:
There are many theories about their causes, such as extreme changes in weather or water levels, tectonic upheaval, meteorite impacts, or sudden ice ages...
Mash:
But the third and fifth ones were believed to be “meteor strikes that set the entire planet on fire”.
Fujimaru 2:
You mean that huge meteorite impact?
Mash:
Yes. There are many possible causes for a mass extinction. Extreme changes in water levels, tectonic upheaval, meteorite impacts, ice ages...
Mash:
The third and fifth ones were both believed to be caused by “meteor strikes that set the entire planet ablaze”.
Mash:
Thus, the dinosaurs vanished from the surface of the earth, succeeded by our own mammalian ancestors...
Mash:
Who evolved into the present-day mankind after a period of about 6 million years.
Mash:
Dinosaurs and mankind.
Mash:
Because the environments into which they were born and thrived in are so different, it is impossible for them to exist alongside each other.
Mash:
Therefore I'm very happy to have actually met some, even if it is due to a Lostbelt.
Fujimaru 1:
Yeah, I feel the same way.
Fujimaru 2:
So does this mean you're crushing on Tepeu, Mash?
Mash:
I-i-i-is that what it looks like?
Mash:
We're relying on him so much, since he is very smart!
Habetrot:
I see. These guys been around for a heck of a lot longer than any of us. I guess that makes them senpai to us all, huh?
Habetrot:
So Mash, I get that there's a bunch of different dinosaurs. Which one's the most dangerous?
Habetrot:
And I don't mean just the strongest. The most cunning, violent, and mean-tempered bastard you can think of.
Habetrot:
Not that the deinos here are the same as the dinosaurs of Pan-Human History...
Habetrot:
But you should be able to guess what types we should avoid pissing off, yeah?
Mash:
In that case, it would definitely be the Deinonychus!
Mash:
They may be relatively small, but because of their great intelligence, vicious killer claws, and pack hunting strategies...
Mash:
It's estimated that they were vicious killers who could bring down dinosaurs much larger than themselves.
Mash:
The Velociraptor in that famous dinosaur attack movie was in fact based on the Deinonychus.
Mash:
Fortunately, it doesn't seem like there are any of that type among the deinos...
Mash:
If there were, they'd definitely be the mafioso types of the dinosaur world!
Fujimaru 1:
I see, I see.
Fujimaru 2:
You sure know a lot, Mash.
Mash:
N-not really. I've taken up enough time. We should return to the main topic, Master.
Mash:
Actually, Tepeu arranged a meeting for us with a prestigious xoqqer team.
Mash:
It seems like they're preparing themselves for tomorrow's ceremony at the ritual arena.
Mash:
It's open to visitors on weekdays. Let's go see right away!
Fujimaru 1:
There's an awful lot of deinos here.
Fujimaru 2:
It's like a park on a public holiday.
Mash:
Yes, it seems like one. It looks like there are several team members doing warmups.
Mash:
They take their soccer...excuse me, xoqqer matches really seriously, despite being such amenable people...
Mash:
Isn't it great that they can have relationships built on mutual respect?
Habetrot:
Yeah, they're awful good sports. They're so friendly and courteous to each other.
Habetrot:
So which team is Tepeu introducing us to?
Habetrot:
Is it the one with that T-Rex who just made the awesome header there in the back?
Mash:
Let's see...we're meeting the home team in red field #2 on the east side. They're called Team Death Rolling—
Fujimaru 1:
Death Rolling?
Fujimaru 2:
(Isn't that name a bit too foreboding?)
???:
Gyahahahahahahah!
???:
Welcome, welcome! Always great to meet a fan[♂ boy /♀️ girl]! Toh!
C：???:
Nice!
D：???:
We are!
E：???:
The always-considerate! 11 Deinonychus brothers!
Mash & Habetrot:
(Flabbergasted)
11 Deinonychus Brothers, Middle:
—Whoosh! (※Landing sound)
11 Deinonychus Brothers, Middle:
Kueeeh! Nice to meet you all! I don't think I've seen you here before, but who cares!
11 Deinonychus Brothers, Middle:
Welcome to Team Death Rolling's home crew, with the spirit of seven consecutive victories in the Mazatl Cup!
11 Deinonychus Brothers, Middle:
Wow, we still have fans!? Reminds me of the good old times!
11 Deinonychus Brothers, Middle:
Just here to watch this cycle? Or are you here to cheer us on? How about some snacks?
11 Deinonychus Brothers, Middle:
We've got fresh-picked maize and beans here! Even some of the banned cacao beans!
Mash & Habetrot:
(Speechless)
Fujimaru 1:
Sorry, can we just get back on track?
Fujimaru 2:
I'm here to inquire about joining the team...
11 Deinonychus Brothers, Left:
Wait a minute, brothers. Could these be the ones?
11 Deinonychus Brothers, Left:
Are you with Master Tepeu? You've got his scent on you.
11 Deinonychus Brothers, Left:
Maybe he saw that we're in trouble and sent us some help?
11 Deinonychus Brothers, Right:
Of course. That's what my good sense is telling me. But we still have our pride as champions!
11 Deinonychus Brothers, Right:
We can't just take help from the Master!
11 Deinonychus Brothers, Right:
Even if we've suffered ten winiks of losses since he left!
11 Deinonychus Brothers, Right:
Get on the ritual field, rookies! We'll personally test how well you can play—
11 Deinonychus Brothers, Right:
We have to see your legs in action! Kueeeee! Watch out, cause we bite! Veteran Fang!
Mash & Habetrot:
(Astounded)
--BATTLE--
D：Deinonychus brother:
Such masterful dribbling...what do you make of the range of motion in those legs... Crazy, ain't it...?
D：Deinonychus brother:
Like tassels of maize swaying in the breeze... no, like tochtli bolting across the plains...
E：Deinonychus brother:
You're really awesome, skippers! Imagine having players this good under us!
E：Deinonychus brother:
Oh, I believe your names are Fujimaru and Mash, correct?
E：Deinonychus brother:
We're the 11 Deinonychus Brothers. No need for formalities, just call us the 11 Deinonychus Brothers.
Fujimaru 1:
There aren't 11 of you!
E：Deinonychus brother:
You're really gonna point that out...? Any normal deinos would just pretend not to notice...
Fujimaru 2:
Are you alright, Mash?
Mash:
Y-Yes, I'm keeping up with the flow somehow!
Habetrot:
Alright, let's head back. This has gotta be some kind of mistake. Let's go check out another team, Fujimaru.
11 Deinonychus Brothers, Left:
It talked! This tochtli talks! —Hold on, is she even a tochtli?
11 Deinonychus Brothers, Right:
I've never heard of a tochtli-type deinos before... or is it actually a tochtli?
11 Deinonychus Brothers, Right:
I mean...doesn't it feel like it...a different type of animal...it's not an Ocelotl either...
11 Deinonychus Brothers, Right:
It feels more like a free-spirited, whimsical, purry creature...
Mash:
N-No, the practice match may have thrown us for a loop, but Tepeu introduced these people to us.
Mash:
It's nice to meet you all. Tepeu referred you to us.
Mash:
We'd like to fill in for tomorrow's xoqqer. Would that be possible?
11 Deinonychus Brothers, Right:
To-morrow? Oh, you mean next cycle?
11 Deinonychus Brothers, Right:
Of course it's possible, you're practically one of us now! Nice to have you aboard!
11 Deinonychus Brothers, Left:
Heh, and now our numbers are full! We can get a whole team's worth of participation prizes now!
11 Deinonychus Brothers, Middle:
Cut the crap, bro. We've got the skippers with us, we should be able to get past the first round even if we don't take the championship, no?
G：Deinonychus brother:
Kuuueeeeee, you can say that again! Dropping out in the first round's no longer a fear for us!
Mash:
U-Umm, you all seem to be aiming really low...
Mash:
You're a renowned team favored to win, are you not?
Deinonychus brother:
— (Everyone looks away)
Habetrot:
You were all, like, getting blown away or rolling around from just a slight graze during the match earlier.
Habetrot:
Were you trying to make an appeal to the ref? Trying to get yourself carried off in a stretcher? Or were you really in pain?
F：Deinonychus brother:
I-Indeed. When you're as frail as we are, a slight graze's all it takes to blow us away.
F：Deinonychus brother:
I-It's not like we were trying to make an appeal to the ref so the other team would get hit with a yellow card or anything, okay?
Mash:
It appears everyone is focusing only on offense, with no defenders to speak of...
11 Deinonychus Brothers, Left:
Well, I mean our defenders are stuck in bed from cacao intoxication...
11 Deinonychus Brothers, Left:
More importantly, let's talk about cacao beans, shall we? They're delicious, but you'll poison yourself if you eat too many of 'em!
Fujimaru 1:
This... This team is hopeless!
Fujimaru 2:
Tepeu... Tepeuuuu!
--ARROW--
Mash:
Alright, give me 10 reps for this set! Go halfway down without touching the ground even once!
Mash:
Hey, no slacking off! If I find anyone taking a break, I'll have them do some calisthenics!
Mash:
I swear on the name of King Leonidas, who once trained me, that I will forge you all into the finest of Spartans!
C：Deinonychus brother:
Kueeee! This Mash missy's real scary!
Fujimaru 1:
Thank you, King Leonidas...!
Fujimaru 2:
Mash got in the mood.
7th Deinonychus brother:
Not even Master Tepeu was this tough on us... your [♂ better half /♀️ companion] there's the real deal.
7th Deinonychus brother:
Still, you've got one hell of a problem on your hands. I hear you want to cross the great plains?
7th Deinonychus brother:
Well, you've gotta win the championship to do that. You won't be seeing the Dinosaur King as long as Priest Vucub's around.
Fujimaru 1:
Is that the case for everyone else too?
7th Deinonychus brother:
Yep, Vucub's been finding fault with the other deinos for some time now, but it's gotten worse since the Dinosaur King showed up.
7th Deinonychus brother:
Now that he's in charge of the fighting-class deinos, he's been acting like he owns Chichen Itza.
7th Deinonychus brother:
We've got no problems with that as long as we get to play xoqqer, but there are also deinos who wish to leave the city.
7th Deinonychus brother:
Well, I suppose that's just a matter of personal preference. Master Tepeu's doing it his own way too, isn't he?
7th Deinonychus brother:
See, our master used to coach us back when he was in Chichen Itza.
7th Deinonychus brother:
A formation, I think you call it? Yeah, we used to win cycle after cycle with that.
Fujimaru 1:
You don't use any lately?
7th Deinonychus brother:
We do and we still lose. A formation only works once. They'll have a counter for it the next time around.
7th Deinonychus brother:
Master Tepeu would come up with formations each tailored to our opponents.
7th Deinonychus brother:
Having lost him, we've gone back to being the loser team. Our back-to-back titles are a glory long gone now.
7th Deinonychus brother:
We're small, you see. We'll lose out to the bigger deinos on impact.
7th Deinonychus brother:
So we've had to resort to petty tactics like bumping into the other team on purpose to score a penalty, just to scrape a win.
7th Deinonychus brother:
But that too ended with Crypter's arrival. Because he made the use of language widespread,
7th Deinonychus brother:
causing the rules to receive detailed revision. Now, it's three penalties max.
7th Deinonychus brother:
We suddenly needed each defender to hit us four times to get them expelled, and accidents started to happen for real in due time.
7th Deinonychus brother:
The 11 brothers were down to 7. Being stuck in bed from cacao intoxication is just one big lie.
Fujimaru 1:
(That's a more hard-hitting reason than I expected...)
7th Deinonychus brother:
What's with that look like you just ate some bitter herbs? You're asking why we didn't quit?
Fujimaru 2:
...Why continue playing?
7th Deinonychus brother:
Because we love it. Xoqqer's fun, ain't it?
7th Deinonychus brother:
Even though it's not really essential to our survival.
7th Deinonychus brother:
There's this indescribable sense of fulfillment that comes with kicking the ball, running around, and sharing a laugh with your brothers.
Fujimaru 1:
You should've just asked Tepeu to come back.
Fujimaru 2:
You didn't ask Tepeu to stay?
7th Deinonychus brother:
I mean...we DID want him to stay in Chichen Itza.
7th Deinonychus brother:
Despite his looks, Master Tepeu can be rather self-willed. A deinos who couldn't stand not knowing something.
7th Deinonychus brother:
He was certainly an oddball, but it would've done him good if he had found a kindred spirit...
7th Deinonychus brother:
There is no one as eccentric as Tepeu in Chichen Itza... or among the deinos, for that matter.
7th Deinonychus brother:
It's not quite like an estrangement either.
7th Deinonychus brother:
No one feels that way around him, but he realized how out-of-place he was...
7th Deinonychus brother:
That's more or less the gist of it.
7th Deinonychus brother:
See, I'm the killjoy among us brothers, so I had that little thought.
7th Deinonychus brother:
That's why I stopped my brothers from keeping Master Tepeu here.
7th Deinonychus brother:
Tepeu prefers solitude. It's a pain for him to be around others, apparently. But—
7th Deinonychus brother:
It looks like I had him wrong. Because he had companions to call his own!
6th Deinonychus brother:
Hohohoho. Running, running.
6th Deinonychus brother:
What's up, bro? Having a little secret talk with skipper Fujimaru here?
6th Deinonychus brother:
Not saying a bit of chit chat ever hurt anyone, but if you're gonna play xoqqer then you're gonna need that, right?
6th Deinonychus brother:
You don't seem to have one.
Fujimaru 1:
Don't have a what?
Fujimaru 2:
What do you mean by "that"?
G：7th Deinonychus brother:
Oh, it was so obvious it slipped my mind. Fujimaru, you still don't have your own ball!
G：7th Deinonychus brother:
Anyone who wants to play xoqqer must first bring their own ball to offer up to the sun.
G：7th Deinonychus brother:
I'd give you my spare one if I could, but the ball needs to be new. Kukulkan's gonna hate it if you don't.
G：7th Deinonychus brother:
Hurry up and gather some materials! There should be some gluey trees growing in the forest to the west.
G：7th Deinonychus brother:
I'm beggin' ya, Fujimaru.
G：7th Deinonychus brother:
I've got a feeling we'll have a fun match for the first time in a while if you join us.
--ARROW--
Nemo Marine:
Oh, welcome back, Fujimaru and Mash! Has the operation gone well?
Mash:
Yes, we've joined Death Rolling.
Mash:
The team members are now in harsh training to take on Chichen A.
Tepeu:
That is a relief. Please take good care of the 11 Deinonychus Brothers.
Tepeu:
It would seem that U and Rasputin are not quite there yet. I hope things are going well for them.
Tepeu:
Not that it matters when mine and Marine's team, Nautilus of South America, are expected to steal the championship.
Fujimaru 1:
Just one snag...
Fujimaru 2:
Do you know the requirements for participating in the rite?
Tepeu:
Requirements to participate...? There should be none, besides building a team...there's...
Tepeu:
There was one. You need a personal ball. Oh dear, how embarrassing.
Tepeu:
Let us acquire the materials at once. Shall I lend you a hand, friends?
Tepeu:
Oh, please return to the team and continue coaching, Marine. The forests are dangerous.
Nemo Marine:
You think so? Hmm...you're right that coaching is important. I'll go see the team then.
Fujimaru 1:
Are you sure about that, Tepeu?
Tepeu:
Hm? Should the right person not be in the right place?
Fujimaru 2:
(Marine was looking lonesome...)
Tepeu:
The gluey trees grow out in the forest west of here. One should be enough to make everyone a ball.
Tepeu:
But there have been many sightings of carnivorous insects in the area, as well as Ocelomeh. We should take care.
Tepeu:
Oh, this is a fine area. There seem to be good gluey trees.
Tepeu:
I shall find the best of them. In the meantime, please be vigilant of our surroundings.
Mash:
This is...a rubber tree, isn't it? Though much bigger than those we know.
Fujimaru 1:
Rubber trees are, if I recall...
Mash:
Yes, the trees that are the source of naturally-produced rubber. It's a sap called latex.
Fujimaru 2:
Latex, yeah.
Habetrot:
Sorry, Mash and Fujimaru, they showed up all at once.
Habetrot:
Those footsteps don't belong to feral deinos. The sound of clicking iron–the Ocelomeh!
Mash:
Armed Ocelomeh sighted! Entering battle, Master!
--BATTLE--
H：Ocelotl:
—!
Mash:
The Ocelomeh have retreated. No reinforcements detected. What are your orders?
Fujimaru 1:
Stand by—And wait!
Mash:
Master, those gunshots just now...!
Fujimaru 1:
—Let's go, Mash!
C：???:
Leave your fingers off the trigger until you've got a clear shot. And you call yourselves Jaguar Warriors?
C：???:
At this rate, you wouldn't overthrow the deinos even in your wildest dreams.
C：???:
Your education's really lacking. What the hell's the Crypter even doing?
C：???:
—Hm?
Fujimaru 1:
...A human child?
Fujimaru 2:
That gun is...
???:
Hey.
Mash:
Master, get behind me! The enemy has a gun!
???:
Why are you unmasked? According to your rules, you're supposed to hide your faces.
???:
Don't go loitering around here dressed like that. You're dead meat if a deinos finds you.
Mash:
P-Please wait, who are you!?
???:
You're asking me who I am, where I'm from, and why I kill? Are you serious? No one's stupid enough to answer that.
???:
Don't let your enemies escape. Kill anyone who points a gun at you. These are the basics.
???:
You didn't train your guns on me, so I'll let you off the hook. But come after me and you're dead meat.
???:
Don't waste your time, you hear me? Mictlan doesn't have much time left.
???:
Both deinos and ocelomeh should think only about securing their own victory.
Fujimaru 1:
We've completely lost sight of him...
Fujimaru 2:
An unmasked Ocelotl...
Tepeu:
We were able to get our hands on this fine tree. Thank you for the escort, friends...hmm?
Tepeu:
Is something the matter? You both look grim.
Fujimaru 1:
No, it's nothing.
Fujimaru 2:
There was a human boy in the jungle.
Tepeu:
A human boy...? You mean an Ocelotl? Surely you jest, that can't be possible.
Tepeu:
Your eyes must've been playing tricks on you. Have you been eating peyotl?
Mash:
Umm, Tepeu, what exactly is a peyotl?
Tepeu:
It's a hairy plant about the size of your heads. It causes hallucinations when consumed, which is why the priests make habitual use of it.
Tepeu:
Well, either way, we ought to head back. I'll have to craft enough balls for the team before the ritual.
Mash:
I suppose he's right...
Mash:
I'm curious about that boy we saw earlier, but our top priority at the moment is to rendezvous with the Storm Border.
Mash:
We'll win at the ceremony tomorrow, receive an audience with the Dinosaur King, and gain permission to cross the great plains—
Mash:
We cannot fail this mission. Let's stay focused, Master.
--ARROW--
Rasputin:
Now then, let us all not forget to pray before dinner. Thank you, O Lord, for this bounty of the earth.
Rasputin:
The corn is delicious tonight as well. I shall say no more on the matter.
Nemo Marine:
Let's eat! What a fascinating taste! It's sweet but spicy!
Fujimaru 1:
It's been a long day...
Fujimaru 2:
How's U-Olga Marie been doing?
Habetrot:
Like, her reactions?
Tepeu:
Then Fujimaru, Mash, Habetrot, Marine, myself, and U-Olgamarie will be attending the ceremony?
Tepeu:
I'll craft enough balls for each of you tonight. Please rest up well, friends.
Mash:
Tepeu is as reliable as always. Let's accept his hospitality and prepare for tomorrow.
Mash:
Good work handling today's sweltering heat, everybody.
Mash:
Marine and I will handle the tidying up. Please feel free to go back to your rooms.
Mash:
After all, the ritual contest starts first thing tomorrow morning!
Mash:
It's such a crowded schedule to have all eight teams eliminating each other in the same day!
Mash:
Let all of us be perfectly prepared for xoqqer! SPARTA, YEAH!
Fujimaru 1:
YEAH!
Fujimaru 2:
(Is that going to be our cheer?)
U-Olga Marie:
Hm? Aren't you supposed to be sleeping in your room?
Fujimaru 1:
I had trouble sleeping, so I got some air.
Fujimaru 2:
And what are U doing on the roof?
U-Olga Marie:
If if they're lizard, deinos are still mankind, aren't they? I'm just watching to see how they live their lives.
U-Olga Marie:
That said, it's been quite an unexpected development. To think we'd be set back when we're so close to our destination.
U-Olga Marie:
Your base, that is. The one I think you called the Storm Border.
U-Olga Marie:
Not even my eyes can make out much, probably because it fell so far into the trees. There's a steel box between some, I think.
Fujimaru 1:
You can see it from here!?
U-Olga Marie:
Only as far as the bulk's emergency landing. Sorry, but that's as much as I can discern.
U-Olga Marie:
—How many of your people are there in all? I just need the number.
Fujimaru 1:
Five in the control room, seven in other areas.
U-Olga Marie:
So twelve in all. No need to worry then, everyone is safe.
U-Olga Marie:
Hmph... A clear show of relief. Your face and color make it all too obvious.
U-Olga Marie:
And now there's no need to be worried. Return to your room and pass out in your slovenly way.
Fujimaru 1:
It's sleeping, not passing out.
U-Olga Marie:
You're unconscious, unaware, immobile. How is that any different from passing out?
Fujimaru 2:
I don't suppose, uh, that you...
U-Olga Marie:
What? If you say something unnecessary, secretary or not, I'll give you an earful.
Fujimaru 1:
—It's night. Don't you sleep?
U-Olga Marie:
...No. Got a problem?
U-Olga Marie:
This “sleep” you speak of is not a function I possess.
U-Olga Marie:
There are times when functions may be shut down as an emergency safety measure, but none of your “dreaming” factors into it.
U-Olga Marie:
Hm...well, I suppose it's all the same when my standards are so much different from yours.
Fujimaru 1:
(Then she's been all by herself at night...)
Fujimaru 2:
(I can't believe I never noticed...)
U-Olga Marie:
...! What kind of color is that? You're making me sick...!
U-Olga Marie:
Don't take that color with me. It's unpleasant. Do not treat me like we are similar beings.
U-Olga Marie:
I am different from all of you. It's because of that I'm doing all this.
U-Olga Marie:
As long as you are sapient beings, we can have mutual understanding. We can find common purpose. We can even become friends.
U-Olga Marie:
But—don't you ever treat me as though we were similar creatures.
G：U-Olga Marie:
I am a non-human who has come from space, U-Olga Marie. Don't forget that.
G：U-Olga Marie:
...You see? There's not one thing that I share in common with all of you.
Fujimaru 1:
Okay, maybe there's some way you can try sleeping!
Fujimaru 2:
There's no way to be sure unless you try.
U-Olga Marie:
Have you heard one word I've told you!? How optimistic can you get!?
U-Olga Marie:
But I suppose it would do no good to write it off without at least trying...
U-Olga Marie:
And I get the feeling that mindset has let me down before...
U-Olga Marie:
Fine then, I'll try this sleeping...or fainting, whatever you call it.
U-Olga Marie:
A momentary loss of consciousness is simple enough. I'll prove that nothing is impossible for me.
Section 6: Striker of Burning Flames
--BATTLE AGAINST GRAND SERVANTS--
U-Olga Marie:
Beyond pathetic! How can you call yourselves Grand Servants?
U-Olga Marie:
You're the so-called supreme beings that mankind so confidently champions? I'm laughing my horns off!
U-Olga Marie:
—In fairness, my left horn was actually damaged. I will admit to not being unscathed.
U-Olga Marie:
But as the results show, complete victory is mine!
U-Olga Marie:
This battle just goes to show that the Earthlings are not worthy of my governance!
U-Olga Marie:
Enough with leaving the dregs of their forces unchecked! Now to seize this Storm Border of theirs!
U-Olga Marie:
Hahaha! Hahaha! Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!
U-Olga Marie:
Hahahahaha—Huh!?
U-Olga Marie:
Uh, what? What was that? Where was I? How should I put it...?
U-Olga Marie:
Now I see, so that is what dreams are!
Fujimaru 1:
Good morning.
Mash:
Good morning, Senpai. Everyone is up early this morning. Must be the enthusiasm for the ceremony.
Nemo Marine:
I hear it starts when the sun passes by the fifth layer! Four matches to begin with, then two more, and the final at the end!
Nemo Marine:
So seven matches in all! That's three games in one day, so take care to conserve your stamina!
Rasputin:
Assuming, of course, you make it to the end. On that note, here is the tournament bracket.
Habetrot:
Marine and Tepeu's South American Nautilus are in the opposing bracket. Hopefully they'll face us in the finals.
Tepeu:
I wouldn't be so sure.
Tepeu:
Our team was hastily put together as a last resort in the event the rest of you couldn't find a team.
Tepeu:
I cannot be sure whether it will meet Habetrot's expectations.
Habetrot:
There you go again. Weren't you supposed to be a great coach, Tepeu? I'm sure you managed to put together an excellent team—
U-Olga Marie:
Would you look at that!? Turns out I was a great enemy of mankind, Fujimaru!
Fujimaru 1:
—?
Fujimaru 2:
Pardon?
U-Olga Marie:
Then it means there's nothing I cannot do!
U-Olga Marie:
Those Grand Servants of yours? I obliterated them all in my dream!
U-Olga Marie:
And what a good dream it was! And my body's condition felt “dreamlike”, completely unlike how it is now!
Mash:
I-Is that right? If it happened in a dream, then yes, it must have been.
Fujimaru 1:
Oh, yeah...? That really is good to know.
U-Olga Marie:
Yeah, I tried and succeeded! It put such a shine on the morning!
Fujimaru 2:
Huh, whatever U say.
U-Olga Marie:
Y-You...!
U-Olga Marie:
I'm telling the truth. I beat the Grand Servants! I stood atop all the Earth!
--ARROW--
Priest Vucub:
Praise be to the sun! Praise be to the sun, our mother and father!
Priest Vucub:
Praise be to Chichen Itza, the golden city that is throne to the sun, and to the king, who is the sun's emissary!
Priest Vucub:
Upon the Cosmic Tree do we pivot. The pillar connecting the world beneath! I am Priest Vucub, surveyor of Malla's veins!
Priest Vucub:
By my name's honor, I swear to all deinos gathered here that this season's xoqqer shall shine brightest!
Fujimaru 1:
The crowd is going wild...!
Fujimaru 2:
I'm feeling the tension...!
Mash:
Yes, I never thought I'd see the day where I'd be standing on a professional football pitch!
Mash:
Since we've joined as players, we should give it our all.
Mash:
Master will be the backbone of our defense, and Habetrot and I will do our best as midfielders!
C：Deinonychus brother:
Ya got that right, boss lady Mash!
D：Deinonychus brother:
We are...!
E：Deinonychus brother:
The totally hungry for victory! The 11 Deinonychus Brothers!
Deinonychus brother:
—Whoosh! (Landing sound)
Fujimaru 1:
Whoosh!
Fujimaru 2:
In high spirits, are we?
D：11 Deinonychus Brothers, Left:
Hell yeah! You got us all up to date on tactics, skipper—
D：11 Deinonychus Brothers, Left:
Crossing and finishing, wing play, the retreat line rule...
D：11 Deinonychus Brothers, Left:
Is there any way we can lose with such a full arsenal? Nah, no way.
C：11 Deinonychus Brothers, Right:
Yeah, I'm dying to break them out during the ritual... Will it work? Surely it will!
C：11 Deinonychus Brothers, Right:
Kueeeh! Imagine how good it'll feel when it does! I don't even care anymore if we win or lose!
E：11 Deinonychus Brothers, Middle:
Keep it cool, brother. Winning is equally as important. Keep your play cautious and audacious.
E：11 Deinonychus Brothers, Middle:
Remember the intense training we did with Fujimaru, Mash, and Habenyan.
E：11 Deinonychus Brothers, Middle:
Mash's training, especially. Was it really necessary to practise dribbling with boulders strapped on our backs?
E：11 Deinonychus Brothers, Middle:
Anyways, the three of you are also our siblings now. And we do whatever it takes to grant our siblings' wishes.
E：11 Deinonychus Brothers, Middle:
—Here we go, the 11 Deinonychus Brothers!
E：11 Deinonychus Brothers, Middle:
Let's do whatever it takes to get Fujimaru and Mash an audience with the Dinosaur King!
11 Deinonychus Brothers=spot:
Kueeeh! Keep the recklessness to a minimum, kueee!
???:
Heh heh heh. The puny team seems to be babbling about something, don't they?
???:
Lively new blood won't bring the bird back to the burnt cactus. There's no way to fix rotten fundamentals, you know?
Deinonychus brother:
You're—the xoqqer destroyer, leader of Team Ta-I-Ga, Great Death Claw!
Great Death Claw:
Yes, and thanks for the introduction. Shouldn't you be introducing yourselves instead of me?
Great Death Claw:
No matter. If you don't want to die, you better get someone to die in your place!
Great Death Claw:
After all, we maxed the destructive power of our tackles in exchange for minning our ability to hold on to the ball!
Great Death Claw:
See you on the field, where we'll blow you away, deinonychus scrubs!
Great Death Claw:
I'll be sending you all to the bench with these here claws! Gaaaah hah hah hah!
Fujimaru 1:
(Well, here we are...!)
Fujimaru 2:
Round one is looking like an easy win.
11 Deinonychus Brothers:
Yeah bro, we're starting to feel the same way.
E：Deinonychus brother:
A fierce fight, and a sweet victory, thank you! Even the crowd was totally psyched to see us win the first round!
E：Deinonychus brother:
Xoqqer never felt so good! I'm so grateful, Fujimaru and Mash!
Fujimaru 1:
You guys all played great!
C：Deinonychus brother:
Ya think? Ya knew? You know, I got spooked at first by Death Claw's crazy attacks.
C：Deinonychus brother:
But once I got used to it, I couldn't keep my eyes off her. Think she noticed?
C：Deinonychus brother:
Man, that killer tackle started looking like a wide-open window to shoot by the second half.
Fujimaru 2:
No need to thank your .
D：Deinonychus brother:
You said it! Damn, I love this [♂ dude /♀️ chick]!
D：Deinonychus brother:
But thanks for the precise instructions and brilliant passing! You're the coolest!
Mash:
All rounds of the first ritual are finished. Marine and Tepeu's team won their round!
Habetrot:
I figured they would. Marine looked like he knew his soccer. I thought he would win with Tepeu backing him up.
Fujimaru 1:
The next win puts us in the finals against Marine and Tepeu.
Fujimaru 2:
Death Rolling can go the distance!
H：???:
Well, bad news, because that dream won't come true. After all—
H：???:
Your next opponent is a super-sized deinos team led by me, U-Olga Marie!
Mash:
D-Director Olga Marie? You managed to put a team together!?
Coach Kotomine:
Correct. Team Scary 11 is a rising new team, comprised of players from the all-star teams we defeated.
Coach Kotomine:
With the combination of my lady's abundant aggression, and my cold-blooded tactics,
Coach Kotomine:
it is the dawning of a new type of football team. We won our first game 100 to 0.
Coach Kotomine:
By the way, the “11” ought to be spelled out.
Fujimaru 1:
Scary...Eleven...!
Fujimaru 2:
Are you having fun with this, Father?
U-Olga Marie:
Call it what you will, Chaldea!
U-Olga Marie:
I'll be the one to gain an audience with the Dinosaur King! I won't miss this opportunity to obtain the permission to travel!
U-Olga Marie:
You should all reaffirm my greatness, and leave before you get hurt!
Mash:
We appreciate your concern! But we are both members of Death Rolling!
Mash:
Even if we're up against the president of Earth, the match is sure to be a close one!
U-Olga Marie:
Very well! I'll drown you in the fair play you're asking for!
U-Olga Marie:
Let's do this, Mash and Fujimaru! Consider this the de facto finals!
--ARROW--
U-Olga Marie:
We lost...! We were completely, totally, and unquestioningly destroyed...!
Rasputin:
How unfortunate. It seems that the sports of Earth are too complicated for you, my lady.
Rasputin:
If I might be so humble, I would suggest joining Fujimaru's team...
U-Olga Marie:
Wasn't it your idea to form Team U in the first place!?
Fujimaru 1:
Now, now.
Fujimaru 2:
You're more than welcome to join, you know.
U-Olga Marie:
...
U-Olga Marie:
Fine... I'm transferring to your team.
U-Olga Marie:
It doesn't change the fact that we're still in the finals. Plus, you might need an extra substitute, you know?
7th Deinonychus brother:
That's a huge help. Us brothers don't have much left in the tank.
7th Deinonychus brother:
Some of us did get injured, and they're worried they might not be at their best in the finals.
Fujimaru 1:
Anything I can do to help?
7th Deinonychus brother:
Awful good of you to ask. Could you go down to main street and get some grass poultices and bags of ice?
7th Deinonychus brother:
It should help us recover a little for the finals.
Mash:
Oh, are you running an errand? Then I'll come along.
Fujimaru 1:
I'll be fine! Heading out!
Fujimaru 2:
Chichen Itza is a good neighborhood, I'll be fine!
Mash:
[♂ He /♀️ She]'s gone... Should I have gone too?
U-Olga Marie:
No, that's not necessary. There's no violence in this city. Deinos won't attack without reason.
U-Olga Marie:
That is, so long as [♂ he /♀️ she] doesn't do anything crazy. But what are the chances of that, huh?
Fujimaru 1:
Let's see...poultices and ice...
E：???:
Give me that yellow cucumber there. For hydration, the taste isn't important.
E：???:
Do you have any peppermint bat repellant? You do? Oh, that's potent. I'll take two.
Shopkeeper Deinos:
You're asking for some pretty strange goods, man. This is the first time I've had to bring out the alumite.
Shopkeeper Deinos:
Apparently it was procured by the deinos who ran this store before my predecessor. What the heck are you using it for?
E：???:
For a makeshift spacesuit. Though some modifications are in order.
Fujimaru 1:
That's awfully fluent English...
Fujimaru 2:
Wait, English?
Fujimaru 1:
—Huh?
Daybit:
—
Daybit:
Ah, a disguise? Not bad, though it seems you'll have difficulty maintaining it for long.
Daybit:
The days are long in Mictlan. You'd better get back to your hideout before night falls.
Fujimaru 1:
Daybit Sem Void—!
Fujimaru 2:
What are you doing here!?
Daybit:
Just preparing for a trip, you don't need to worry. Chichen Itza has quality goods.
Daybit:
Mexico City's main avenue is flourishing too, though it's only been around for about a year.
Daybit:
The best goods only come from an experienced source. —Right, I see.
Daybit:
Hey, give me some hemostatic herbs, two yellow cucumbers like this one here.
Daybit:
Then some honey orchids, sturdy vine ropes, peppermint bat repellant; on top of all the alumite you have on hand.
Daybit:
Okay... I think this should do. Here you go.
Fujimaru 1:
Woah-woah-woah...!
Fujimaru 2:
(He just dumped a bunch of stuff on me...!?)
Daybit:
See you.
Fujimaru 1:
Wait a second...!
Fujimaru 2:
Any chance of an explanation!?
Daybit:
There shouldn't be any reason for us to talk, and there's no reason for us to kill each other here.
Daybit:
I don't have time to answer your questions either. I like to make every minute count.
Daybit:
Small talk...isn't entirely pointless. But you'll have to look elsewhere if that's what you're after.
Fujimaru 1:
...(I can't fight in Chichen Itza...)
Fujimaru 2:
Then just let me ask you about the Crypters...
Daybit:
What, our roles? Towards the Alien God, or towards Chaldea?
Fujimaru 1:
That's not what I mean.
Fujimaru 2:
Your feelings towards your comrades.
Daybit:
—I don't have a lot of time, but that deserves an answer.
Daybit:
Kadoc has been doing about as well as he could so far. Ophelia's death was a waste.
Daybit:
Akuta's death was long overdue. Peperoncino died alone, ridiculing his past as he met a miserable end.
Daybit:
Beryl was the only winner in all of this. Kirschtaria's plan was a failure in and of itself.
Daybit:
Yes, I know already. I will have to put an end to Chaldea by myself—
Daybit:
I figured from the get-go that I'd have to be the one.
Daybit:
That's what I think. Maybe that answered your question, or maybe it didn't. Next time we meet, ask me something different.
--ARROW--
Mash:
Welcome back, Senpai. I appreciate you going out of your way to procure some medicine.
Mash:
Hm? Isn't that rather a lot of baggage you're carrying? Did anything odd happen, Master...?
Fujimaru 1:
—No, not at all.
Fujimaru 2:
(I'll tell her about Daybit when the time's right...)
Priest Vucub:
Hear me, ye assembled deinos! Two groups of pilgrims have been chosen at long last!
Priest Vucub:
The sun is about to set on the throne of Chichen Itza, right above us!
Priest Vucub:
As we offer up a magnificent game of xoqqer, so too shall Kukulkan be revealed to us!
Priest Vucub:
—And so, on the occasion of this ceremony, the ones who shall seek the zenith are—
Priest Vucub:
The ones who shall seek the zenith are—What? What's the meaning of this? I wasn't told about any of it!
U-Olga Marie:
...That noisy person went quiet all of a sudden. I wonder what happened?
Mash:
They seem to be bickering up there. What's going to happen to the ceremony?
Tepeu:
Right. In that case, victory goes to Death Rolling, since we forfeited.
Tepeu:
Vucub must be panicking after receiving that report. You see, he can't handle the unexpected.
Nemo Marine:
Huh?
Fujimaru 1:
What do you mean, "forfeited"!?
Tepeu:
It should be obvious that it's meaningless.
Tepeu:
Your team won, as did ours.
Tepeu:
Which means we're getting an audience with the Dinosaur King, no matter who wins. There's no point in continuing with the ceremony.
Tepeu:
Am I wrong, Marine? I'm glad it all worked out in the end.
U-Olga Marie:
Ridic—
Nemo Marine:
Yep, there's no point in working ourselves to the bone. I sure am glad it all worked out.
Nemo Marine:
Anyway, I'm off to thank our teammates! I leave the rest in your haaaaands☆
L：Tepeu:
Oh? Why is Marine leaving the shrine? Our teammates should still be on the grounds...
U-Olga Marie:
You damn lizard brain! You cold-blooded creature! Isn't it obvious that he wants to be alone!?
U-Olga Marie:
Why didn't you let him compete!? Marine was really looking forward to this!
L：Tepeu:
W-We're talking about a sense of fulfillment that comes with achieving the goal of the collective, an individual's feelings are not particularly important.
U-Olga Marie:
Would you like me to pour dark matter into your brain and devolve you back into an amniote, you reptile?
U-Olga Marie:
I don't want to hear any of it, go apologize to Marine! Right now! Go faster than my plasma can!
U-Olga Marie:
And while you're at it, think about why Marine ran off!
L：Tepeu:
R-Right! I understand, I'll give it some thought!
U-Olga Marie:
Good grief...this is the problem with sapients that function primarily off logic.
U-Olga Marie:
I thought him to be a little better than Fujimaru, but I guess humans and deinos both come with their own quirks.
U-Olga Marie:
What's that look supposed to be mean...?
Fujimaru 1:
You got mad on Marine's behalf.
U-Olga Marie:
I did no such thing. Tepeu's answer just rubbed me the wrong way. He can be a real pain in the horn sometimes.
U-Olga Marie:
Have you already forgotten about what happened yesterday? Don't get the wrong idea, you and I don't think alike.
Tepeu:
(...The reason Marine left the group...the reason he wanted to participate in the ceremony...)
Tepeu:
(Did he just want to play xoqqer? No, that can't be it. Marine is gifted with a high intellect.)
Tepeu:
(While his emotional fluctuations may be intense, he has always been capable of making the right call. He prioritizes the collective, and has been taking the initiative in supporting it.)
Tepeu:
(So why did he leave the group, even though we have achieved our shared goal?)
Tepeu:
(I don't understand. I don't know why, but I'll follow Marine and...)
Nemo Marine:
...!
Tepeu:
—
Tepeu:
(—I don't understand the reasoning, but I do understand that I have made the wrong call.)
Nemo Marine:
Why did you come here? I wanted some alone tiiiime! I didn't want anyone to see me cryinnnng!
Nemo Marine:
You super, duper, uber, dummy! Tepeu, you dummyyyyy!
Tepeu:
Marine's admonishment cuts deep.
Tepeu:
(He's hitting me in the chest with both of his fists. But since he's not putting any force behind them, there's no damage being dealt.)
Tepeu:
(In spite of that, I am still shaken. Those hits seem to reverberate directly into my heart.)
Tepeu:
I truly am sorry... I should have discussed it with you before withdrawing from the ceremony.
Tepeu:
I understand that I have erred, yet I do not understand why.
Tepeu:
Please tell me, Marine.
Tepeu:
You were attempting to make yourself useful as a servant of Chaldea.
Tepeu:
But Fujimaru and Mash made it to the finals, so even if we made it too,
Tepeu:
there would be no point in us winning instead of them. Thus, it was no longer a matter of making yourself useful to them.
Tepeu:
Are you saddened by the fact that your efforts were in vain? Are you thinking that we shouldn't have formed a team in the first place?
Nemo Marine:
Not one biiiiiiiiit!
Nemo Marine:
Sure, I wanted to make myself useful, but this has nothing to do with that!
Nemo Marine:
I wanted to compete alongside you, Tepeuuuu! I mean, we've been training SO hard for thiiiiiis!
Nemo Marine:
Don't say “the outcome is the same, so we don't need to bother”, that's just saaaaad!
Tepeu:
Sad? Why is it sad? Is it not a good thing to make no mistakes?
Nemo Marine:
That makes sense, but it's wroooong! I mean, this is no fun at allllll!
Nemo Marine:
I wanted to see you smile during the ceremony, Tepeu. Like you did during practiiiiice!
Nemo Marine:
It's not fair to just say the results are all that matterrrrr! The road there should obviously be a fun one too!
Nemo Marine:
I feel like that's what we're all striving fooooor!
Tepeu:
—
Tepeu:
(He wasn't lamenting his own powerlessness. He was lamenting my goal-driven nature.)
Tepeu:
(So the humans of Pan-Human History are like this?)
Tepeu:
(I felt a sense of dread, knowing that a species that focuses primarily on the “self” has built itself a civilization.)
Tepeu:
(I still know very little about them, but there is one thing I can say with certainty...)
Tepeu:
(—Pan-Human History is a civilization that makes mistakes that defy reason and logic.)
Priest Vucub:
O deinos who have gathered at this shrine! Heed my words!
Priest Vucub:
A victory by default due to withdrawal at the decisive match of the ceremony, an offering void of radiant xoqqer, is unprecedented.
Priest Vucub:
In other words, I believe it to be a decision wherein the very fate of Chichen Itza, nay, the very fate of Mictlan itself, hangs in the balance.
Priest Vucub:
However, as long as we feel the sun advance to the first layer, and after much deliberation and anguish,
Priest Vucub:
after consulting the king, the offering will still take place even without a decisive match!
Priest Vucub:
The winning team will now carry out the offering! Step forth, Team Death Rolling!
Priest Vucub:
The Dinosaur King shall now bestow his thoughts upon you! Conduct yourself well!
Fujimaru 1:
I'm guessing...it's kind of like an awards ceremony?
Fujimaru 2:
(But Marine and Tepeu still aren't back yet...)
Priest Vucub:
Death Rolling! Step forth, Death Rolling!
G：Deinonychus brother:
Oh boy! Vucub's pissed! Guess this ain't the time for laughs.
G：Deinonychus brother:
Fujimaru, Mash, you guys can head up to the altar as our captains.
G：Deinonychus brother:
You're gonna ask the Dinosaur King for a favor, aren't you? We're already plenty satisfied from these two ceremonies.
Fujimaru 1:
Thanks, brother.
Priest Vucub:
Now make the climb to the altar, and name yourselves. I shall bestow upon you the honor of naming yourselves before the king.
Fujimaru 1:
I'm Fujimaru, and this is Mash.
Priest Vucub:
Hmm, I am not familiar with these names. Are you deinos refugees from the fifth layer?
Priest Vucub:
You must have gone through much. Come here, let me have a good look at your faces—
Priest Vucub:
Hold on. YOU are the leader of Death Rolling? If I recall, you're—
Dinosaur King:
That's enough chatter from you, Vucub. How many times must I tell you not to dally?
Dinosaur King:
There's no need to ask Kukulkan.
Dinosaur King:
I bestow upon the winning team what they desire. That's the law I've laid down.
Dinosaur King:
While it is a drag that the final match will not be held, the xoqqer you lot played was a breath of fresh air.
Dinosaur King:
However, it gets a failing grade as far as the final xoqqer match goes. There was no crowning glory to be seen there.
Dinosaur King:
But never mind, state your wish. You're the exceptional deinos who challenged this ceremony.
Dinosaur King:
So long as you stake your life on the fight, I won't ridicule you. Even if the rite is just a game.
Dinosaur King:
Bravery is to be rewarded. No matter what it may be.
Fujimaru 1:
Then, let us cross the great plains.
Dinosaur King:
Huh? You're a weird bunch. Did you forget something back in the fifth layer?
Dinosaur King:
I can't guarantee your survival if you approach Mexico City. While I'm sure I already announced this...hmm?
Dinosaur King:
Dammit, I couldn't see clearly, thanks to this veil. You guys aren't deinos at all, are ya?
Dinosaur King:
That disguise is Pan-Human History magecraft, eh? Damn tricksters. Take that shit off before you die.
Mash:
—Master!
H：Deinonychus brother:
Oh? Oh? Oh?
Deinos in the Crowd:
Woah? Woah? Woah?
M：Priest Vucub:
Ocelomeh—! What's the meaning of this? It's those monkeys from Mexico City!
M：Priest Vucub:
Fighter, Fighter Wak Chan! This is an emergency, you are permitted to shed blood at the shrine!
M：Priest Vucub:
Kill those damned Ocelomeh! Don't let them get near the Dinosaur King!
M：Priest Vucub:
Will this do, Dinosaur King!?
Dinosaur King:
Suit yourself. There wasn't enough blood gettin' spilled anyway.
Dinosaur King:
These European ceremonies ain't half-bad. But this is how we South Americans ought to fight, eh?
Fighter Wak Chan:
—!
Mash:
Master! The giant deinos is approaching! What should we do!?
Fujimaru 1:
Intercept and neutralize him!
Fujimaru 2:
Knock him out or make him submit!
--ARROW--
Fighter Wak Chan:
—
Mash:
N-No change in the fighting deinos! He's only taken minor damage even after combat!
U-Olga Marie:
His biorhythms are much stronger than the others! This has to be a deinos hero!
N：Priest Vucub:
Verily! Wak Chan the fighter is the strongest deinos in Mictlan!
N：Priest Vucub:
You and your guns are powerless before our Wak Chan! Now, unhinge your jaws! I will allow the consumption of meat!
N：Priest Vucub:
Chew up the Ocelomeh torsos and offer up their heads to the Dinosaur King!
Fighter Wak Chan:
— — ...What're you, nuts?
N：Priest Vucub:
Fighter Wak Chan?
Fujimaru 1:
(He lost his will to fight...?)
Fujimaru 2:
(Suddenly he's not so eager?)
Fighter Wak Chan:
Why would I wanna eat meat? It's mean-spirited, tastes awful, hard to digest, and no one benefits from it.
Fighter Wak Chan:
I've been wanting to resign from the fighter career for a long time, actually. All that stuff about Kukulkan and the world is too complicated for me.
Fighter Wak Chan:
Instead, I'd like to someday meet the prettiest girl in Mictlan, get to know her, settle down with her...
Fighter Wak Chan:
Then eventually have her outlive me. Isn't that a better use of one's strength?
N：Priest Vucub:
What are you even saying!? You're in the presence of the Dinosaur King! No—No!
N：Priest Vucub:
How can you, born with great power, say something like that!? Even if the King himself allows that, I never will!
N：Priest Vucub:
If you want to keep your status as a fighter, then you must obey me and kill the Ocelomeh!
A：Wak Chan:
Didn't ya just hear me talking about resigning? Besides, I just found my soulmate.
U-Olga Marie:
Huh? What are you doing? Why are you pointing a flower at me? Is that poisonous?
A：Wak Chan:
Nice to meet you, somewhat-prickly lady! I knew ya were the one the moment I was struck by your lightning!
A：Wak Chan:
Your horns are freaking amazing! After this fight is over, wanna marry me?
U-Olga Marie:
...mah-what?
A：Wak Chan:
Marry! Ya know? You and me? Husband and wife?
U-Olga Marie:
Oh. I get it. Space debris?
A：Wak Chan:
No! I'm Wak Chan! Aaaah, why do ya gotta be as dim as you are radiant!?
U-Olga Marie:
Huuuuh?
N：Priest Vucub:
A deinos courting an Ocelotl? You've been poisoned by their firearms, Wak Chan!
N：Priest Vucub:
Call the other fighters! All of them! He shall be punished along with these ruffians!
F：Dinosaur King:
—Heh.
F：Dinosaur King:
Hahahahahahahah! This is a riot! It's just too much!
F：Dinosaur King:
Even deinos can fall in love! Is this also some kinda cultural invasion!?
F：Dinosaur King:
Fallin' in love with a visitor from afar! It really is the return of Quetzalcoatl all over again!
F：Dinosaur King:
Ah, screw this palanquin! I'm not too old to miss this once-in-a-century moment!
Dinosaur King:
Shut your yaps! There's no need to call more fighters! These are no Ocelomeh!
Dinosaur King:
These guys are humans! The ones who rode the Flying Rock!
Dinosaur King:
They're a somewhat shrewd breed, but they mean no harm to the deinos!
Deinos in the Crowd:
Is that true? Does he mean it?
Deinos in the Crowd:
Could it be? Is that for real?
Deinos in the Crowd:
I see. Yes. Naturally. If the king says so, it must be true.
Mash:
T-The atmosphere is much less tense. Everyone in the audience is calming down.
Mash:
It seems like we won't be attacked as if we were Ocelomeh anymore...
Mash:
The Dinosaur King is a human child—? Wait, didn't we meet him in the jungle—
Fujimaru 1:
(What does this mean...?)
Fujimaru 2:
(The king of the deinos, a human...?)
Dinosaur King:
Hm? Ah, the ones I ran into yesterday in the jungle.
Dinosaur King:
I thought you were weird for Ocelomeh, but it turns out you guys were from Chaldea.
Dinosaur King:
In that case, there's only one reason you'd be crossing the great plain. You wanna get to where the Flying Rock fell, right?
Dinosaur King:
Sure... I can allow that much.
Dinosaur King:
You wanna help your friends. That's an upstanding enough reason. I'm not about to condemn you for that.
Dinosaur King:
You put on a good show. So I'll ignore the whole disguise thing, this time.
N：Priest Vucub:
D-Dinosaur King! Aren't you being too generous!?
N：Priest Vucub:
The Flying Rock fell from the holes marring the skies, and is an ill omen!
N：Priest Vucub:
These friends of theirs must be villains!
N：Priest Vucub:
As Mictlan's king and protector, you cannot overlook this!
Dinosaur King:
—Guess so. You got a point, Vucub.
Dinosaur King:
Overlooking these guys would mean the end of Mictlan, after all.
Dinosaur King:
Frankly, everything would be a lot easier if we just killed 'em here. It would be easy, but...
Dinosaur King:
Hey you. Fujimaru.
Dinosaur King:
You got that thing, right? Take it out of your pocket.
Fujimaru 1:
My pocket...?
Fujimaru 2:
Now that you mention it...
Dinosaur King:
Called it. You're still in the middle of your trials. Just like him to waste time like this. Pain in the ass.
Dinosaur King:
Shove off, Vucub. [♂ He /♀️ She]'s been my guest since before the xoqqer went down. This ain't your choice to make.
Dinosaur King:
Or would you rather go against me? That's fine, I haven't been king of the deinos all that long anyway.
Dinosaur King:
If you want Chichen Itza to go back to the priests' rule, you could always just cut my throat as I sleep.
Priest Vucub:
T-that...that would be unthinkable, Dinosaur King... you were granted your position by the great Kukulkan...
Dinosaur King:
Right. So butt out. The festival's over, so go clean things up.
Dinosaur King:
Let's talk somewhere else, Fujimaru. Here we have all the deinos listening.
Dinosaur King:
I'll listen to your story not as the Dinosaur King, but as the Lostbelt King instead.
Dinosaur King:
Actually...I haven't introduced myself, have I? I know all your names already, so it's only fair.
Dinosaur King:
Now listen and rejoice. My name is Tezcatlipoca, the god of war.
Dinosaur King:
I'm the god who rules Central America in Pan-Human History.
Mash:
—And so we'll end up having a private chat with the Dinosaur King...the self-proclaimed Tezcatlipoca.
Tepeu:
My word... To think all that happened before we got back...
Nemo Marine:
Isn't Tezcatlipoca an evil god?! Why is he the king of the deinos in a Lostbelt!?
Rasputin:
Hm. That is something we shall clear up soon, but first allow me to correct a few misconceptions.
Rasputin:
As I have said before, Tezcatlipoca is not the god of evil.
Rasputin:
A ruthless god of war. An incarnation of the jaguar that lurks in the jungle. A fearsome god who takes the hearts of human sacrifices.
Rasputin:
These are only seen as “evil” to those outside Central America.
Rasputin:
To those living there at the time, such actions were necessary.
Rasputin:
The primary reason Tezcatlipoca is misunderstood as the god of evil is due to his opposing relationship with Quetzalcoatl.
Rasputin:
Quetzalcoatl was a god who at times ruled as a king of men.
Rasputin:
Doing so brought prosperity to Central America, and so mankind sees Quetzalcoatl as the god of good.
Rasputin:
While his rivalry with Quetzalcoatl means Tezcatlipoca is often misrepresented as the god of evil...
Rasputin:
Both of them are “good gods.” That being said—
Rasputin:
Whether or not they are evenly matched as Divine Spirits is not for me to say.
Dinosaur King:
Sorry 'bout the wait. It took me a while to get the priests to shut up, especially Vucub.
Dinosaur King:
Right. Now that there's no more interruption, let's keep this brief.
Dinosaur King:
What exactly are you doing here? Why'd you come to this Lostbelt?
Fujimaru 1:
We...
Fujimaru 2:
...
Mash:
We... (How much can we say in front of the Director...?)
U-Olga Marie:
Fujimaru and [♂ his /♀️ her] friends are here to fell the Fantasy Tree and to find ORT.
U-Olga Marie:
Both of these are in defense of Pan-Human History. As for me, I'm just a passing-by space alien who decided to help.
U-Olga Marie:
Right, Fujimaru? We're not keeping any secrets.
Fujimaru 1:
You just came right out and said it...
Fujimaru 2:
...
Dinosaur King:
Man, I thought ya were a big deal, but an honest-to-god space alien? Outsiders sure seem to like vacationing in Central America.
Dinosaur King:
But why're you helping Pan-Human History? Is Chaldea blackmailing you?
U-Olga Marie:
Haah!? Don't be uncouth! I have no weaknesses they could exploit!
U-Olga Marie:
I came here to rule the Earth, but it's a meaningless venture if the planet has been wiped clean.
U-Olga Marie:
So I simply decided to cooperate. That's all there is to it.
U-Olga Marie:
[♂ He /♀️ She] doesn't seem like the type to take someone hostage.
Dinosaur King:
I see. So you're interested not in Chaldea, but in their objectives.
Dinosaur King:
That's fine. Better that than some bullshit reason like sympathy or friendship.
Dinosaur King:
But you, Stargazer Tepeu. This is our first meeting. Why has someone who retired to the first layer returned here?
Dinosaur King:
And in the company of individuals from Pan-Human History. You know all about them, don't you?
Tepeu:
Yes. Pan-Human History and Lostbelts. Chaldea and Fantasy Trees. There is still much for me to learn.
Dinosaur King:
...
Dinosaur King:
And allying with 'em is your method by which to do that, huh? Fine then, I'll say no more to you.
Dinosaur King:
You're free to understand everything, become immensely disappointed, and die all alone. If you still call yourself a deinos—
Dinosaur King:
The Sun will then be saved. Alongside your foolish dream.
Fujimaru 1:
Are you really the Lostbelt King?
Dinosaur King:
Hm. Hmmm...
Dinosaur King:
Well...not exactly. I'm the Lostbelt King's proxy.
Dinosaur King:
“If you don't want to be killed, then rule Chichen Itza in my place.”
Dinosaur King:
I got pushed into this gig a year ago. I had nothin' else I particularly wanted to do, so I signed on.
Dinosaur King:
That's why I don't care about nothing besides protecting Chichen Itza.
Dinosaur King:
And I just verified that you have no business here.
Dinosaur King:
So our talk's over. You can leave. Stop wasting time.
Fujimaru 1:
Huh?
Fujimaru 2:
Just like that?
Dinosaur King:
Just like that. There anything else you need to know?
Mash:
—Ah, excuse me! You're actually the god Tezcatlipoca, right?
Mash:
Then couldn't you help us restore Pan-Human History?
Dinosaur King:
No way. I don't give a damn about Pan-Human History. Why should I side with a barrel of monkeys?
Dinosaur King:
Dinosaurs are so much cooler! I mean, they're the most badass animals who ever lived, right!?
Mash:
Seriously?
Dinosaur King:
Man, shut up... You don't need to give me flak for every single thing I say. This ain't no comedy routine.
Dinosaur King:
I just told you to go do whatever you want.
Dinosaur King:
You guys can't erase this Lostbelt in any case, so fighting against you ain't worth the time or energy.
Dinosaur King:
If you got something to do, hurry up and do it before gettin' the hell out. There's no reason for you to stay here.
Fujimaru 1:
Fine... We need to get to the Storm Border right away.
Fujimaru 2:
Mash, everyone. Let's go.
Dinosaur King:
I'll send word to the fighters on the Great Plain.
Dinosaur King:
It'll take too long for you guys to just hike there, so I'll get you a porter to ferry you along the way.
R：Tepeu:
Oh? Did you not just say you wouldn't assist them?
Dinosaur King:
Never mind that. It's the least the xoqqer champions deserve. But—
Dinosaur King:
Your friends at the...Storm Border, was it? Don't expect to see them there. You're too late.
Dinosaur King:
You invaded another country with a battleship. Whatever your reasons for doing so, that's an act of war.
Dinosaur King:
And in a war, the Ocelomeh take no prisoners. They slaughter anyone who enters their territory.
Dinosaur King:
That ship has sat crashed there for five days.
Dinosaur King:
If I were an Ocolotl, I'da seen them all eliminated on day one.
Literary Fragment (I)
Narration:
- 4 days ago, Terrestrial Time -
Nemo Engineer:
The engine room's whole sector has been sealed off! There's no risk of an explosion or loss of control at present!
Nemo Engineer:
I'll be using four Marines! Da Vinci, come over once you're free!
Da Vinci:
Thank you, Engineer! Continue to monitor the situation!
Da Vinci:
Nurse, have you done a headcount of the staff!? Does anyone have critical injuries?
Nemo Nurse:
Please rest assured, everyone is fine. It's all thanks to our Director's orders.
Gordolf:
Indeed, seatbelts are top priority!
Nemo Nurse:
Furthermore, we're picking up the vital signs of Fujimaru, who fell from the breached deck during flight,
Nemo Nurse:
and Mash, who went to rescue [♂ him /♀️ her].
Nemo Nurse:
They appear to be quite far from our position, but they're both safe.
Da Vinci:
—Thank goodness.
Da Vinci:
Not just because they're safe, but also because communication is possible within this Lostbelt.
Da Vinci:
In which case, we can rely on said communications to organize a rescue team right away and—
Kadoc:
No, our electronics room will lose power before that! The Triton Engine's down and we've exhausted our backup power!
Kadoc:
We can only transmit our voices to Mash's Ortenaus during the next six minutes!
Gordolf:
You're kidding!? So, is a life void of electricity about to befall us after six more minutes!?
Gordolf:
In this Jurassic Park-esque jungle!? How did it come to this!?
Nemo Professor:
Yes, I agree~. Even if our emergency landing succeeded, we shouldn't feel relieved just ye~t.
Nemo Professor:
Forget communications, we can't even deploy our defensive barriers, so we're in trouble if we get attacked by hostile entities.
Gordolf:
I-I'm sure we'll be able to hold out to some extent! We've got Nitocris and Kadoc with us!
Gordolf:
Isn't that right, Kadoc Zemlupus!? I grant you special permission to act as a Master!
Kadoc:
I don't mind doing that, but when will we get our power back? Guarding the ship is the best Nitocris and I can manage.
Kadoc:
And where's the Captain?
Kadoc:
I can see the Nemo Series are around, but where's the actual Nemo?
Nemo Nurse & Nemo Professor:
...
Da Vinci:
What's the matter, you two? Did something happen to the Captain...to Nemo?
Meunière:
Hey! Someone lend me a hand here! The Captain's acting strange!
Meunière:
His whole body's frozen stiff, with not so much as a twitch! Almost like he's a plaster sculpture!
Meunière:
Yet he's sweating all over, and I can tell he's in a lot of pain!
Gordolf:
Seriously!? He was fine when I left the control room!
Sion:
Rest assured, that is merely a defensive state he assumed via self-freeze.
Sion:
The Saint Graph of the Heroic Spirit Nemo has been severely damaged, but it's not like he's going to disappear immediately.
Sion:
He completely synchronized with the Storm Border to prevent the ship from falling apart midair,
Sion:
and so he prioritized the maintenance of his Saint Graph. This might sound paradoxical,
Sion:
but as long as the Heroic Spirit Nemo's Saint Graph remains in its current state, the Storm Border will also retain its structure.
Sion:
Such was the drastic measure he took. Consequently, the Border was able to stick a miraculous emergency landing.
Gordolf:
R-Right, sympathetic magecraft, as it's known in magecraft theory. Those that share the same shape can reciprocally influence one another.
Gordolf:
Well, so that means the damage that the Storm Border must have sustained was—
Sion:
He took it all onto himself instead. And that damage continues to do its harm even now.
Sion:
His Saint Graph should have shattered the moment he synchronized with the Border,
Sion:
but the Captain refused to let that happen before he could complete the Border's emergency landing.
Sion:
Which is why he froze himself, and in doing so, protected the Border's structure.
Sion:
The reason he's not unfreezing is because his consciousness is no longer with us.
Sion:
Even unconscious, he continues to receive damage from the Border.
Da Vinci:
...
Meunière:
What the hell? That's just—
Kadoc:
...
Kadoc:
Sion, I take it Nemo's still synchronized with the Storm Border?
Kadoc:
In that case, as long as we can fix the Border and undo the damage, he should regain consciousness.
Sion:
Captain's Saint Graph has shattered.
Sion:
But since he froze himself prior to that, his physical form still remains.
Sion:
Even if you restored a person who died in an explosion back to “how they used to be”, you'd only end up with a lifeless corpse.
Sion:
Heroic Spirits aren't exempt from this either.
Sion:
Even if we repair the Border, there's no undoing the damage done to his soul.
Sion:
Which means—
Nemo Baker:
Come on, it'll be fine! Don't look so gloomy, guys!
Nemo Baker:
The Captain can bounce back from any injury! After all, he is the indomitable captain!
Nemo Baker:
As long as we fix the Storm Border, he'll be awake in no time to put his hat back on!
Nemo Baker:
Our journey has yet to end! We still have those prized parfaits to look forward to!
Nemo Baker:
So let's focus on doing what we can right now, okay?
Nemo Baker:
If you slack off now, the Captain will give you a good scolding later.
Meunière:
Baker...
Meunière:
Yeah...you're right. Captain's one hell of a gutsy fellow.
Meunière:
Let's do something about the Border already! Now that I think about it, this isn't that big of a deal!
Meunière:
Fujimaru and Mash don't have a monopoly on recklessness.
Meunière:
We are Chaldea precisely because we're all reckless as hell!
Meunière:
But first we'll need to contact Fujimaru's group!
Meunière:
How much time do we have left!? About a minute!?
Da Vinci:
I asked Sion to get in touch with them. Even if we let them in on our current situation, we'd just make them panic.
Da Vinci:
I had her inform Mash that we won't be able to contact them for awhile due to our comm devices malfunctioning.
Da Vinci:
If we give them our coordinates, they'll rendezvous with us in no time.
Gordolf:
—Heh, look at plain old Meunière, all grown up now.
Gordolf:
Alright, now that we're on the same page, let's start surviving, ladies and gentlemen!
Gordolf:
First off, we confirm where exactly the Border has been damaged! Then we procure the materials needed for repairs!
Gordolf:
Things are going to get real busy! I suppose I'll go find a watering hole first!
Nitocris:
Umm...if I may.
Nitocris:
I watched the scene unfold since I assumed it would be rude to interrupt...
Nitocris:
I understand that you mean to mummify the Heroic Spirit Nemo and then resurrect him?
Kadoc:
You say some disturbing things, don't you!? I mean, you can't just mummify him!
???:
Never imagined I'd see a ship fall from the sky. I expected no less from a Lostbelt. The strangest things happen in 'em.
???:
It's big, alright. I'd say it's just as big as that bastard Noah's ark. Though his tub would never fall in the first place.
Meunière:
—Hold it right there. Don't come any closer, who are you?
???:
What, you need it explaining? Can't you see that I'm a broker who does business around these parts?
K：Arms Dealer:
Anyone would be interested after seeing this thing fall from the sky. Moreso if it's a weapon.
K：Arms Dealer:
Well, in any case—
K：Arms Dealer:
It was worth coming here. How much does this cost? Name your price and I'll pay it.
Meunière:
I'm sorry, but this ship isn't for sale. Please leave, and don't come any closer.
Arms Dealer:
Is that right? Perfect.
Arms Dealer:
If it's not for sale, then I'll just take it by force. After all, this is my country the ship's fallen into.
T：Meunière:
—Eh? You've...got to be kidding—?
Gordolf:
Meunière...! Nurse, treat him! This is bad, he's been shot through the heart!
Arms Dealer:
Missed again. I went for the head, but my aim seems to be off.
Arms Dealer:
This is why guns are so fascinating.
Arms Dealer:
Oh dear, missed again. This time I was aiming for the heart.
Kadoc:
You bastard—!
Arms Dealer:
Izcalli.
Da Vinci:
(They surrounded us before we could even notice...!? Even though this wasn't a part of SHEBA's forecast!?)
Young Man Izcalli:
We have them surrounded. O god, command us.
K：Arms Dealer:
Fight. As the king of the Ocelomeh, show me how far you've come in this past year.
Young Man Izcalli:
Ha—hahahahahahahahaha!
Young Man Izcalli:
Of course, this is the moment we've been waiting for!
Young Man Izcalli:
Warriors, disengage your safeties!
Young Man Izcalli:
It is time to put our valor on display before the great Tezcatlipoca!
Nitocris:
Kadoc Zemlupus! I'm sure you know who needs to stand and fight now!
Kadoc:
I know, let's do this, Nitocris! There's too many of them, so let's finish this in one stroke with a Noble Phantasm!
--BATTLE--
Izcalli:
Tch, so this is a Servant...! You damn ghosts clinging to Pan-Human History...!
Nitocris:
Modern weapons are no match for me! Come back when you are prepared to face my spirits!
Kadoc:
Good, we managed...!
Kadoc:
I had my doubts about putting up a fight with a Servant I had no connection with or knowledge of, but you're amazing, Queen Nitocris!
Kadoc:
Just what I'd hope from a pharaoh of ancient Egypt! Your magecraft skill is on a different level than modern Servants!
Kadoc:
(Hm? What's this sudden chill?)
Nitocris:
The difference in power is clear, so surrender, you fools! Kneel at once and beg my forgiveness!
Izcalli:
—Forgiveness? Me? Beg forgiveness—!
Arms Dealer:
So a mage with necromancy from beyond Mictlan has arrived. She's gonna be tough, Izcalli. What's your next move?
Izcalli:
No problem. It's my first time fighting with a Servant, so I was just getting the lay of things. She's as good as dead.
Arms Dealer:
—
Nitocris:
How foolish. Specifically, foolish enough to try and cross the flooded Nile only because you know how to swim.
Nitocris:
It's true that the underworld's call fails to reach you, but your weapons cannot affect me either.
Nitocris:
If your soul will not be carried, then I must batter it with magecraft. Shall I squeeze your body down to jar-size?
Izcalli:
Silence. Die. You lowly human Heroic Spirits have no right to boast in my presence...!
Izcalli:
My name is Izcalli, remember that. King of the Ocelomeh, and soon to become divine Tezcatlipoca!
Nitocris:
I shall feed those words back to you raw, so-called Ocelomeh King.
Nitocris:
For I am a queen of Egypt, and incarnation of the sky god. No lowly human king can defeat me.
E：???:
Now that is hilarious. Saying you're a god or a human tells of your status, not of your strength.
E：???:
Then—are you, lowly incarnation of a god, any match for me, an actual god?
E：???:
—Why don't we put that to the test?
Nitocris:
This divine aura... Who are you!?
???:
Tlaloc. Tlaloc, god of rain.
Tlaloc:
We won't be knowing each other for very long, but remember me. I savor every second of reveration I can get.
Izcalli:
Oh, great Tlaloc...!
Kadoc:
(Tlaloc...a pillar of the Aztec creator gods. The god of rain, Tlaloc...!?)
Kadoc:
(But she feels like a Servant! A super high-order Divine Spirit became a Servant in full god form!?)
Tlaloc:
So die. You didn't accomplish much as a queen, did you?
Nitocris:
A—...h, —
Tlaloc:
Ridiculous. I knew I shouldn't be expecting anything from the land of the mummy-makers.
Nitocris:
You...insult me...rather...than...finish...me...?
Tlaloc:
Can you even recover from such a wound? Suffer long before you die.
Arms Dealer:
What, you're not claiming her heart? Such a waste. Fine, I'll do the honors—
Tlaloc:
My brother. I would think it rash to come into contact with the blood of other mythologies unnecessarily.
Arms Dealer:
—Oh?
Arms Dealer:
Did you just reprimand me?
Arms Dealer:
You, a lowly patron god to a city? You, a Servant summoned by me?
Tlaloc:
...It wasn't reprimanding you. Unlike me, brother, your body is a human's.
Tlaloc:
You are the great Tezcatlipoca, but do not be so reckless—
D：Tezcatlipoca:
I guess so. Back when I devoured some of the Indian dead, it made me damned ill afterwards.
D：Tezcatlipoca:
So I'm not an omnivore, to be sure. That's good advice. You're a good sister, Tlaloc.
Izcalli:
Lord Tezcatlipoca!? Why would you shoot Tlaloc...!?
Izcalli:
Is she not your dear younger sister!?
D：Tezcatlipoca:
No exceptions, not even for my sister.
D：Tezcatlipoca:
A hierarchy stands, even among family. Those who impede a king's will must offer their lives, even over good advice.
D：Tezcatlipoca:
That's how your word remains law. A king must be an existence transcending good and evil.
D：Tezcatlipoca:
Bear that in mind, Izcalli, if you want to remain a king of men after becoming a god.
Izcalli:
Yes—Yes! I will surely meet your expectations, O great Tezcatlipoca!
D：Tezcatlipoca:
Now withdraw. Leave Tlaloc behind, she's sturdy enough to shake off a single bullet.
Izcalli:
...As you say. What is to be done with the humans in the warship?
D：Tezcatlipoca:
Engineers are necessary to make the warship operational.
D：Tezcatlipoca:
Those three there, and the Servant that's progenitor of this ship... Oh, it's that one on the floor.
D：Tezcatlipoca:
I'll take those four with me. Kill the rest. There's no reason to keep them alive.
Section 7: Guns, Wars, Losses
Fujimaru 1:
—
Fujimaru 2:
(It's okay... It's okay... I know we'll make it...!)
Dinosaur King:
You invaded another country with a battleship. Whatever your reasons for doing so, that's an act of war.
Dinosaur King:
And in a war, the Ocelomeh take no prisoners. They slaughter anyone who enters their territory.
Wak Chan:
Are you guys fine with going at this speed!? I can't believe you're holding on still!
Mash:
It's no problem, please go as fast as possible...! We're used to rough rides!
Wak Chan:
Ya don't say? Humans sure are adaptable! Very nice, that's something I can respect!
Wak Chan:
Uh, well, it's still Olga who I love the most. Don't get the wrong idea, okay?
U-Olga Marie:
Not to worry. I haven't heard one word of what you've been saying.
U-Olga Marie:
More importantly, Marine, I can carry you on my back if need be.
Nemo Marine:
It's okay, I can handle this much in the way of shaaaking! But thank you for your concern, Miss President!
Rasputin:
Is there no room in those concerns for me, my lady?
Rasputin:
While I am the only human who can maintain a 60 km/h running speed by my own power...
U-Olga Marie:
How can a human running with his fingers calmly laced put on a show of weakness like this?
Tepeu:
My apologies. If only I were larger, our guide Wak Chan wouldn't have to be the only one carrying people.
Wak Chan:
Don't mind me, Tepeu. I'm built for heavy labor! Besides, this is far better than being a fighter!
Wak Chan:
(Shame that my dearest Olga won't ride me, though!)
Wak Chan:
We're heading past the great plains, right? To the forest ahead of the second Underworld Border?
Wak Chan:
As long as nothing gets in our way, we'll make it before the sun is out of sight! But what's the rush?
Mash:
It's just...our comrades may be under attack...!
Mash:
Although... the comms said there were no threats in the vicinity...!
Fujimaru 1:
Calm down. I'm sure they're all safe.
Fujimaru 2:
...(This bad feeling won't abate...)
U-Olga Marie:
(Vital signs, 10...20... I definitely see a pile of iron and shapes of human color...)
U-Olga Marie:
([♂ He /♀️ She] told me that Chaldea had twelve humans. The numbers don't match...)
U-Olga Marie:
(Then...there's the number of corpses...the passing of time since the cessation of life activity...)
U-Olga Marie:
Fujimaru, Mash. I had a view of the Storm Border earlier in the jungle.
U-Olga Marie:
The distance has been reduced sufficiently for me to be able to warp to our destination. Let me go ahead of you, all right?
Mash:
...! Y-Yes, please do–
Fujimaru 1:
No, I want us to go together.
Fujimaru 2:
I can't let you go alone.
Mash:
—Senpai!?
Fujimaru 1:
(We can't let her meet New Director Gordolf with no explanation.)
Mash:
That's right... (We did start off as enemies, after all...)
U-Olga Marie:
Okay, as you wish...
U-Olga Marie:
But don't say I didn't warn you...
Fujimaru 1:
...
Mash:
—Oh. Oh no.—
H：???:
, —?
Ocelomeh:
, —!
--BATTLE--
Ocelomeh:
, —!
G：???:
Hold on. Don't shoot yet.
G：???:
You damn battle junkies. Can't you see killing them is beyond the likes of you?
G：???:
That is a Servant, and those are the survivors of the so-called Chaldea.
G：???:
A Master, I believe that one's called. [♂ He /♀️ She]'s a decent commander, but [♂ he /♀️ she]'s suffering from an awful bout of tunnel vision.
G：???:
Or maybe, [♂ his /♀️ her] blood is just boiling after seeing the corpses of [♂ his /♀️ her] companions. Your back's wide open, moron.
Fujimaru 1:
Marine...!
Fujimaru 2:
(Damn it, we fell right into their trap...!)
Tepeu:
Marine? What are you doing over there?
Nemo Marine:
I'm sorry, they caught meeeee! They've tied both of my hands behind my baaaaack!
G：???:
Shut it, I'll kill you if you open that mouth of yours again. Just like I killed the people aboard this ship.
G：???:
You're only a tool with which I will use to torment that [♂ man /♀️ woman]. I can shatter you whenever I want.
Mash:
—
G：???:
Don't move, woman. You make a move and this kid is dead meat. First we're gonna have ourselves a little conversation. Now listen up.
G：???:
My name is Izcalli. I am the leader of the Ocelomeh. The king of Mexico City.
Izcalli:
What is your name, Master? Name yourself. I'll have your name before I kill you.
Izcalli:
I'll carve it into Mictlan's history, as the last vestige of the pathetic Pan-Human History.
--ARROW--
Izcalli:
My name is Izcalli. I am the leader of the Ocelomeh. The king of Mexico City.
Izcalli:
What is your name, Master? Name yourself. I'll have your name before I kill you.
Fujimaru 1:
Not doing that.
Fujimaru 2:
I've got nothing to say to you.
Izcalli:
Not naming yourself, then? I see...
Izcalli:
That makes me very, very, very,
Izcalli:
VERY happy! I don't even want to know your name!
Izcalli:
Mighty Tezcatlipoca has said that we are to show respect to those whose lives we take!
Izcalli:
But I'm gonna make an exception for you! You beasts from Pan-Human History who came to destroy my world!
Izcalli:
And to you deinos who loiter around Mictlan's depths like you own the place! I have no respect for the likes of you!
Izcalli:
This is war. We will exterminate the invaders. Efficiently, that is. There's no need to search for a warrior's pride in that.
Nemo Marine:
Ukyah!?
Izcalli:
Listen well, if you summon a Servant, even for the briefest of moments, I will kill this boy.
Izcalli:
But if you let us kill you without summoning anyone, I'll let him go.
Izcalli:
I'm no liar. I'm a man of my word. I'm not gonna force you, though.
Izcalli:
Will you die fighting us unarmed? Or will you die fighting us with a weapon in your hand?
Izcalli:
Your end's the same either way, and I don't really mind which path you take. Only the degree of pain you suffer will differ.
Izcalli:
—Let's get started then, Master of Pan-Human History.
Izcalli:
I expect you to be fearsome beasts capable of sacrificing your companions.
--BATTLE--
Note
This scene plays if player chooses to fight with only Mash.
Izcalli:
I'm surprised that taking hostages works. I never imagined you'd have actual human compassion.
Izcalli:
But how much longer can you hold out? That girl there's about to die first.
Mash:
Kh—I'm fine, Master! I can still fight! So, please...!
Fujimaru 1:
(Of course, I won't summon anyone...!)
Fujimaru 2:
(But what do we do now!)
Nemo Marine:
—Yeah, I know.
U-Olga Marie:
Don't. Stop!
Nemo Marine:
Oh man, you Ocelomeh are full of idiots, aren't yooouu? There's no way I'd possibly let you take me hostaaage!
Ocelotl=spot:
...?
Nemo Marine:
I'm the Captain's alter ego. You can shoot me, and it won't hurt. And there's plenty more where I came from.
Nemo Marine:
I had fun, but I wasn't of much use. That's frustrating, but I got to make a lot of memories.
Nemo Marine:
Um, umm, and also...right, I AM a sailor, for what it's worth.
Nemo Marine:
I've got to do my part. After all, we're friends.
Nemo Marine:
So I'll be giving them the sliiiip! Ciaoooo!
Ocelotl=spot:
—!
Tepeu:
—
Mash:
Ma—
Fujimaru 1:
MARINE!
--ARROW--
Nemo Marine:
Really? Then I'll stay behind too! 'Cause I don't want to leave U alone!
Nemo Marine:
Steady as she goes, jungle-jungle♪
Nemo Marine:
Okay, Marine here! Today...I'm gonna make a cottage out of the big leeeaves!
U-Olga Marie:
...
Nemo Marine:
Hm? Are we in a bad mood? Ah, I get it!
Nemo Marine:
Not to worry, the cottage has room for two☆ Don't U want to enjoy the shade?
U-Olga Marie:
This kind of sunlight couldn't possibly do me any damage...
U-Olga Marie:
...Why did you stay behind? Are you keeping an eye on me?
Nemo Marine:
Hm? But U don't want to be alone, do you? Would you rather I weren't here?
U-Olga Marie:
That's not it... You're of more value here than elsewhere.
U-Olga Marie:
The cottage is coming together. It's looking like a job well done.
Nemo Marine:
I know, right! Captain Nemo is also an adventurer!
Nemo Marine:
I've said it before, but we Marines take charge of scouting and cleaning and construction and logistics.
Nemo Marine:
I'm really good at this, which makes it fuuun! Would U be interested in a hammock, or maybe a bath?
Nemo Marine:
If we were at the river with Protea, I could make one out of stones. But that won't fly in the jungle. If only we had a steel drum...
U-Olga Marie:
Huh? What's a bath for?
Nemo Marine:
Washing the body! We can't avoid getting dirty during an operation, but we can avoid STAYING dirty.
Nemo Marine:
We can use the showers when we get back to the Border, so we just have to sit tight until then.
Nemo Marine:
But you're not getting dirty at all, U. You're totally different from Fujimaru and the rest of us.
Nemo Marine:
Somehow I get the feeling that you don't get dirty or worn out no matter what happens!
U-Olga Marie:
Really now. Well, I'm sorry then, for being so different from you Earthlings.
Nemo Marine:
Why's that? I think it's good to be clean!
Nemo Marine:
And a bath feels good whether you're dirty or not, so I want to have one ready if I get the chance!
L：U-Olga Marie:
Hey, Marine.
Nemo Marine:
Yeaaaah?
L：U-Olga Marie:
Fujimaru mentioned there are many alternates of you. What's that supposed to mean?
Nemo Marine:
Oh, thaaat?
Nemo Marine:
Humm, we're doubles of the Heroic Spirit Nemo. Or maybe more like a Servant version of “personalities for other purposes”.
Nemo Marine:
Atlas alchemists have this thing called “Thought Partitions”, and that's what we're using.
Nemo Marine:
It's like Captain Nemo is the base, and we're his copies.
Nemo Marine:
There's others like Nurse and Professor, but they're “standalone” doubles.
Nemo Marine:
We're a group that divides the captain's “sailor” resources among twenty-four people☆
L：U-Olga Marie:
There are twenty-four of you? But isn't it just you here!?
Nemo Marine:
The other Marines are on the Border.
Nemo Marine:
I was responsible for escorting Fujimaru.
Nemo Marine:
When I saw [♂ him /♀️ her] fall off, I jumped after [♂ him /♀️ her] praying it'd work out.
L：U-Olga Marie:
Oh, so that's why you have no combat potential. You're only at 1/24th strength.
L：U-Olga Marie:
It's laudable that you avoided degeneration. I'm sure you can't wait to get back to the Border and return to normal.
Nemo Marine:
Ahaha, it's not like that.
Nemo Marine:
It's not that our power is divided into separate Saint Graphs, and it's not like we get stronger by gathering in the same place.
Nemo Marine:
We're disposable by design. Whatever we do, we can't grow or get stronger.
Nemo Marine:
That's why there's twenty-four of us. The Grand Order is a long voyage, so we need leeway on the number.
Nemo Marine:
Marine A's death isn't a loss, since there's Marine B. Marine B's death isn't a loss, since there's Marine C.
Nemo Marine:
That's how we work. Everyone has the same capabilities, so the work still gets done no matter who disappears.
L：U-Olga Marie:
Is that really true...? Even if your abilities are the same, won't there be discrepancies in personality?
Nemo Marine:
Wow, you figured that out just by listening! We're a “colony”, you see.
Nemo Marine:
When we're all together, we act like the same individual to avoid conflicts.
Nemo Marine:
But in reality, there are subtle differences. Like, in my case, I'm the biggest crybaby.
Nemo Marine:
My legs are always shaking during Chaldea's operations, but I keep my chin up with the other Marines!
Nemo Marine:
But now that I don't have to fit in with the other Marines, I don't need to hide away my essence.
Nemo Marine:
It's kind of embarrassing to be acting like the “only me”!
L：U-Olga Marie:
I'm relieved to hear that you're a copy. Mictlan has to be tough on your body.
L：U-Olga Marie:
As long as your original Captain Nemo is around, you can be revived.
L：U-Olga Marie:
That makes for an outstanding survival power.
N：Nemo Marine:
Yeah, it sure does. So it's okay if I'm weak.
N：Nemo Marine:
Even if I disappear, everyone will still remember me as long as there's the other Marines☆
L：U-Olga Marie:
(—That color just now—he's lying—)
N：Nemo Marine:
But I should confess, being Fujimaru's escort is beyond my mettle!
N：Nemo Marine:
Wouldn't it be great if I could fight like Captaaain!? I'm still a Servant of Chaldeaaaa!
L：U-Olga Marie:
Servants still vary, don't they? Not that I know better. You have a lot in the way of skills.
L：U-Olga Marie:
Next time a fight breaks out, why don't you and Tepeu both hide? By the way, I quite like fighting.
N：Nemo Marine:
That's right. We gotta save Earth together!
N：Nemo Marine:
Once again, Miss President, thank you for always protecting me. You have my humble support.
L：U-Olga Marie:
Hmph...of course I'll always have your gratitude. I'll appreciate your unsullied vote.
L：U-Olga Marie:
But...are you fine with trusting me so much? A being who only knows her own name?
N：Nemo Marine:
Huh? But that's just why. You saved me when you only knew your own name.
N：Nemo Marine:
U can be scary, short-tempered, and abrasive. But I think you have a great sense of responsibility.
N：Nemo Marine:
You hate being the only one doing all the work, but you don't run from that which you can and should do.
N：Nemo Marine:
I like that kind of person. You're awesome. That's why I'm glad to be here with U.
N：Nemo Marine:
I'm gonna learn from that side of U☆even if we can't grow!
L：U-Olga Marie:
Sure... So why not stick to doing well where you can? If anything happens, I can pick up the slack for you.
N：Nemo Marine:
Yeah! I may not be able to fight, and someday, I might turn into a burden—
N：Nemo Marine:
But I won't let myself get in the way! Cheer for me then, Olga Marie!
Fujimaru 1:
, —
Izcalli:
What's wrong? You're showing a different kind of bloodlust than before.
Izcalli:
Is that rage I see? If so, it's misplaced. You people are still in the wrong.
Fujimaru 1:
—What's...
Fujimaru 2:
What's the difference?
Izcalli:
That you grieve for and are enraged by the deaths of your friends.
Izcalli:
We Ocelomeh are different.
Izcalli:
Death for us is natural, as it is for all humans. If we didn't think that, we'd never be able to kill anything.
Izcalli:
It is because all life has equal value that we are allowed to kill.
Rasputin:
Well, now... Then you do not mourn the deaths of your fellows?
Izcalli:
Of course not. If we have compassion for our brethren, waging war becomes impossible.
Izcalli:
You people of Pan-Human History treat the mourning of yours as though it were natural or brought you salvation.
Izcalli:
With your level of intelligence, you'd think the same goes for the enemy side. And that's how you lose the ability to take lives.
Izcalli:
If all hearts contained compassion, war would stop. It wouldn't even start.
Izcalli:
But is that how it really goes, wretched people of Pan-Human History?
Izcalli:
You kill despite being capable of imagination. You plunder the very lives you revere.
Izcalli:
How do you resolve the contradiction? You are all flawed before morality even factors into it.
Rasputin:
Hmph. There is no counter for that point. Humans are imperfect with or without original sin.
Rasputin:
Then what of yourselves? Do you mean to say that you know neither love nor hate, that you are a jaguar warrior incarnate?
Izcalli:
—Correct. An Ocelotl is nothing like you Pan-Human History beasts.
Izcalli:
It is to the great Tezcatlipoca alone that we offer our sentiments.
Izcalli:
We can only share in our god's joy or sorrow, and tremble before his wrath.
Izcalli:
However many of our enemies and brethren die, the karma of anger and mourning is for a god to bear.
Izcalli:
That makes war justifiable. Otherwise, the human way of life grows too ugly and sinful.
Mash:
... That doesn't justify your...!
U-Olga Marie:
Pathetic. Are you done making your pitch, human?
U-Olga Marie:
Then die! I, a god, will personally kill you, just as you wish!
Izcalli:
What the...!?
Izcalli:
Tss, aah, AAAAAAAAA—!?
Izcalli:
Impossible. How could my body, chosen by Tezcatlipoca, be falling apart?!
Izcalli:
Why am I losing when I'm in the right!? Just what makes them worthier?!
U-Olga Marie:
Hoo...hoo...hoo... ...Haa...haa...ah.
U-Olga Marie:
I hope I didn't go too overboard there...
U-Olga Marie:
I must apologize for a look so unbecoming of the planet's ruler...
U-Olga Marie:
Okay... Marine will be returning any minute now, won't he?
U-Olga Marie:
He said that he was one Servant out of many.
Mash:
Yes... We've heard that as long as Nemo is still in good health, the Marines can be restored.
U-Olga Marie:
Right... Marine told you as much.
U-Olga Marie:
Then there's no cause for regret. ...We'll see each other again soon.
U-Olga Marie:
(You chose a future where you'd be forgotten rather than bring anyone else grief.)
U-Olga Marie:
(For you, it was always about the team's sake. You could lie about resurrection with a smile on your face.)
U-Olga Marie:
(Honestly, it's ridiculous that you would call yourself weak...)
U-Olga Marie:
(Farewell, crybaby Marine.)
U-Olga Marie:
(You were a Servant with a powerful heart.)
--ARROW--
Mash:
...
Habetrot:
...
Tepeu:
...
Fujimaru 1:
(What...should we do...?)
Fujimaru 2:
(We should at least...bury)
Rasputin:
I am sorry, but it happens... In every battle, there will be those who do not return.
Rasputin:
It is unfortunate what happened to Marine. Izcalli's physical abilities were on par with a Servant, as poor a consolation as that may be.
Rasputin:
He laid in wait and struck decisively at the weakest member of our group.
Tepeu:
It should have been me. I was the least capable fighter.
Tepeu:
Marine would not even engage in battle. Why do such a thing to such a person?
Rasputin:
You are a deinos, Tepeu. Like Wak Chan, your combat power is also on par with a Servant's.
Rasputin:
You may lack experience, but if needed, you can defend yourself with great strength.
Rasputin:
However, while Marine may have possessed the spirit, he was almost completely lacking in ability.
Rasputin:
In war, the most effective strategy is to attack vital logistical units that cannot defend themselves.
Rasputin:
That is precisely what Izcalli did. Just like someone from Pan-Human History would.
Rasputin:
Because of that, Marine has died, and the crew of the Storm Border...
Nemo Marine A:
Ah! Yoo-hoo, Fujimaru and Mash! Welcome baaaack!
Y：Tepeu:
...
Nemo Marine B:
Oh wow, it really is them! They brought a dinosaur, but who cares! Commander Gordolf! Commander Goooordolf!
Gordolf:
Aaaah, keep your voices down! You'll just bring those Ocelomeh back—
Gordolf:
Aaah! AAAAAAAAH! You—you're all safe!
Mash:
N-New Director Gordolf? Is everyone else safe?
Gordolf:
Yes. Well, I suppose I can't blame you for assuming the worst after seeing a sight like this.
Gordolf:
But look closely. What to the naked eye appears to be our corpses, are actually magecraft-made counterfeits.
Gordolf:
We were actually all about to be gunned down...
Gordolf:
But we were able to pull through thanks to our quick thinking, good fortunes, and our accumulated virtues.
Gordolf:
We barricaded ourselves in the Border's hangar. Even your average Servant couldn't break through that heavy armor.
Gordolf:
We continued to endure daily assaults by the Ocelomeh, and just as we thought we might starve to death...
Gordolf:
We heard the sound of lightning outside. The Marines left to see what it was...and here we are now.
Gordolf:
To think it was Fujimaru and the others after all!
Gordolf:
Good work clearing out those Ocelomeh! Just what I'd expect of an experienced Master and Servant pairing!
Mash:
What quick thinking, everyone...!
Mash:
When we heard that you might have been attacked, both Senpai and I were worried sick...!
Fujimaru 1:
I'm so relieved—
Fujimaru 2:
But what about these signs of battle...?
???:
That's from someone saving them from being besieged by the Ocelomeh, of course.
???:
A mysterious beauty who saw the crisis in the Human Order, who raced through the jungle on her beloved motorcycle,
???:
and who wiped out the Ocelomeh giving them a free demo of the best the rifle industry has to offer—
Koyanskaya:
Yes, it was none other than I. Tamamaovich Koyanskaya, at your service♡
Gordolf:
W-wait! You're all residents of this world, aren't you!?
Gordolf:
We're from Chaldea! We come in peace!
Gordolf:
No, we had no choice but to fight you up to this point, but things are different now!
Gordolf:
We're here to investigate a life form called ORT!
Gordolf:
We don't want to fight you! Let's talk things out peacefully!
Izcalli:
Hmph... We kill your people, take hostages, and you still want to negotiate?
Izcalli:
You're a cold, ruthless man. I like you.
Izcalli:
You know how to handle life. Just like me, you're worthy of being a leader.
Gordolf:
(How are we alike at all!? I'm just trying to get Meunière to the medical bay as soon as possible!)
Gordolf:
I-I see. Then put down your gun. We're not armed, after all.
Gordolf:
I can't talk to you with a gun held to my head, so...
Izcalli:
But you're still a blond foreigner from the outside. Perish without ever knowing of our world.
Izcalli:
What!?
Gordolf:
Y-You're—!
Koyanskaya:
It's been quite a while, hasn't it, Your Excellency Gordolf♡
Koyanskaya:
Koyanskaya of Light, here to do business with the embattled Chaldea☆
Koyanskaya:
What's with that look? Didn't I come to the rescue, full throttle?
Izcalli:
Damn, another Servant...! Don't falter! Kill the humans first! We'll deal with the Servant after!
Koyanskaya:
Ooh, just the thing someone who follows the teachings of Tezcatlipoca would do. But—
Koyanskaya:
Aren't you a little short on weaponry? You don't even have any smoke grenades.
Gordolf:
W-W-W-what's going on!? Are you really Koyanskaya!? Can I trust you? You're not going to stab... shoot me in the back, right!?
Koyanskaya:
Questions later. Take cover in the Border now.
Koyanskaya:
Just let this cute little bunny take care of all your problems.
Koyanskaya:
The rescue may not have been a complete success...
Koyanskaya:
But I will not permit any further loss of assets. As an NFF representative, I personally guarantee everyone's safety.
Gordolf:
And, well, that's what happened.
Gordolf:
She once attacked Finis Chaldea, and has been a longtime enemy of Novum Chaldea.
Gordolf:
And after finally subduing her in Tunguska, we reached a ceasefire with the larval Beast IV.
Gordolf:
I'll never know why this she-devil came to our assistance, though—
Koyanskaya:
Do you really have to ask...? “I'll return any favor, no matter how small or insignificant.”
Koyanskaya:
My animal pride, strong enough that I would go to the trouble of becoming a Servant just to rip you off...
Koyanskaya:
I take pride in being devoted and in asserting dominance by over-repaying any favors. To think you'd be so skeptical of that...
Mash:
(※Nodding her head as if she understands)
Habetrot:
I dunno how much stock to put in this...but I guess this is just the fox...or more like the Beast's way of paying a debt.
Habetrot:
Forget the why though, how did it happen? Even if you have the ability to manifest on your own...
Habetrot:
We can't forge any connections in this era without a trigger of sorts.
Habetrot:
Which catalyst exactly did you home in on to manifest as a Servant?
Koyanskaya:
A catalyst, you say? Naturally, it was—
Mash & Habetrot:
(Ah.)
Fujimaru 1:
Ah.
Fujimaru 2:
It's glowing, New Director.
Gordolf:
Hm? Why are you looking at me like that? And why is my suit pocket so warm...
Gordolf:
Haha, it's nothing at all. Please stop staring at me.
Mash:
But why is your right breast pocket glowing red, Commander Gordolf?
Gordolf:
I don't know, a laser pointer, maybe? Whatever it is, don't worry about it.
Fujimaru 1:
Could it be...
Fujimaru 2:
...the lipstick from that one time?
Gordolf:
Wh-wh-wh...
Gordolf:
Why you...you...you...
Gordolf:
Aaarrrgh! You stupid, stupid thiiing!
Mash:
Ah! Of course! Sion mentioned it before!
Mash:
So the lipstick you threw on the floor never ended up in the trash after all?
Gordolf:
Ggh...! I picked it up later when no one was looking!
Gordolf:
Think of me as a fool! For I am! But it was wrong to throw it away just because it was a ploy on her behalf!
Gordolf:
“It may have been a ploy, but the joy I received from it was priceless!” “Holding on to it reminds me of my salad days!”
Gordolf:
Someday you'll know how that feels...! That was my justification!
Fujimaru 1:
Yeah yeah, right...
Fujimaru 2:
Either way, I'm glad you had it.
Koyanskaya:
Indeed. If His Excellency didn't have that lipstick...
Koyanskaya:
I would still be fast asleep in Tunguska, completely oblivious to your little predicament here.
Koyanskaya:
Now do you understand the “how and why” of my being here?
Gordolf:
Well...the attack on Finis Chaldea was just as much my fault anyway.
Gordolf:
I'll definitely have to answer for that at some point in the future.
Gordolf:
But we're in a crisis right now. To proceed, we'll rely on any port, or skirt, in a storm!
Gordolf:
I know all too well how shifty a Servant she is, but I'm asking you to please put your trust in her!
Fujimaru 1:
It's funny you should say that...
Fujimaru 2:
Erm...I brought some too...
Gordolf:
Hm? What are you talking about?
Rasputin:
Greetings, Mr. Gordolf. It has been some time since the affair at Chaldea Base, hasn't it?
Rasputin:
Fujimaru and I are on a bit of an adventure.
Rasputin:
I hope our partnership will be a pleasant one.
Gordolf:
R-Rasputin!? Have you gone mad, Fujimaru!?
Gordolf:
What kind of trick did he pull to get you to let him tag along with you!?
Rasputin:
Hahahah. It is of no surprise that you would question Fujimaru's sanity to such a degree.
Rasputin:
After all—
U-Olga Marie:
...
Rasputin:
[♂ He /♀️ She] has a special guest even more unexpected than myself assisting [♂ him /♀️ her], as you can see.
Gordolf:
U...U-OLGA MARIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIE!!!???
Gordolf:
Nnnnnngh... Nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnngh!
U-Olga Marie:
...
Gordolf:
You just decided to lead our own worst enemy right here!? Just what the devil is wrong with you two!?
Gordolf:
Never mind Rasputin! To tell the truth, I thought he was the only Apostle we could even attempt a dialogue with.
Gordolf:
But U-Olga Marie!? Don't you get it!? She's...
Fujimaru 1:
The thing is...
Gordolf:
Memory...loss?
Gordolf:
She can't remember anything except her own name, and that she came from outer space?
Gordolf:
If we don't tell her she's the Alien God, we might be able to reconcile...?
Gordolf:
Well isn't that just too goddamned convenient!?
Gordolf:
She may have helped you get all the way here!
Gordolf:
But there's no way I'll trust her! Any sort of friendship is out of the question!
Gordolf:
I'd like to keep her from regaining her memories in this situation...
Gordolf:
But we're definitely going to deal with her at some point! Do you understand, Fujimaru!?
Gordolf:
(Don't say “Alien God”... Don't say it... Don't say it...)
Mash:
And that about sums up our activities, New Director Gordolf.
Mash:
In addition, Tepeu is examining the inside of the Border and Wak Chan is resting outside.
Gordolf:
I see. Normally I'd praise you for a job well done, but...
Gordolf:
Our situation is critical. The Storm Border suffered serious damage.
Gordolf:
Da Vinci, Sion, Kadoc, and Captain Nemo were all abducted by a mysterious armed group.
Gordolf:
There's currently only nine Chaldea staffers on the Border, including myself.
Gordolf:
Of the independently-operating Nemo Series...
Gordolf:
We're down to 11 Marines. Nurse, Baker, Professor, and Engine bring that up to 15.
Gordolf:
Queen Nitocris is still recovering from her own near-death experience. And then there's Koyanskaya.
Gordolf:
All together, that's a head count of 26.
Gordolf:
We've been holed up in the stern until now, so we couldn't reach the bridge or the medical bay.
Gordolf:
But now that you're here, we could head in that direction.
Gordolf:
Though we don't have power to actually use it.
Fujimaru 1:
Twenty-six people...
Fujimaru 2:
Wait a second, U-Olga Marie?
U-Olga Marie:
...What? You think I'm incapable of basic addition? There were twelve of your kind in all.
Mash:
Ah. Maybe U-Olga Marie was grouping all the Nemo Series together as one person?
U-Olga Marie:
Of course I was. It doesn't matter how many times they split up, they all share one Saint Graph.
U-Olga Marie:
So I couldn't see them as anything but just one Servant.
U-Olga Marie:
Though I don't see them that way anymore...
U-Olga Marie:
More importantly...Fujimaru. Mash. What's the deal here? It's different from what you described.
U-Olga Marie:
You said Chaldea was an organization dedicated to saving the Earth, so I felt that it was one worthy of my cooperation...
U-Olga Marie:
Then who is this man? Why is he so belligerent towards me?
U-Olga Marie:
Are Earthlings still stupid animals who can't comprehend my greatness?
Gordolf:
T-that's our line, Ms. President of Earth! We don't need handouts from aliens!
Gordolf:
Whose fault do you think it is that the Storm Border is in this state to begin with...!?
U-Olga Marie:
...? You know I rule over this planet and still you raise your voice to me? Are you crazy?
U-Olga Marie:
More importantly, I can't overlook what you just said!
U-Olga Marie:
Who did bring our ship down anyway!? Tell me right now, and I'll be sure to make them pay!
Gordolf:
(I-is she seriously asking this!? Nnnnngh...what the hell do I say now—!?)
Rasputin:
My lady, in his position, Commander Gordolf is entirely correct to be suspicious of new arrivals such as ourselves.
Rasputin:
Why not gain his trust with an act of good faith on our part?
Gordolf:
(Yes, Father Kotomine! You silver-tongued devil!)
U-Olga Marie:
Foolishness warranting of a death sentence. My presence alone should inspire trust.
U-Olga Marie:
But I'll take your good advice. What did you mean by an “act of good faith”?
Rasputin:
I happened to glance at the medical bay while we were passing through...
Rasputin:
Did you happen to have a man in need of treatment, Commander Gordolf?
Gordolf:
—! Can you save him!? Can you help that man!?
Rasputin:
I cannot say without examining him first. But for the grace of God...
Fujimaru 1:
...?
Fujimaru 2:
...Is someone hurt?
Mash:
Um, was someone hurt? You didn't say so earlier...
Gordolf:
A-ah, yes. Just one person. Not badly though, you two don't need to worry.
Gordolf:
Father Kotomine! Get to the med bay right away! Show us what you can really do!
Rasputin:
...
Gordolf:
Why aren't you moving!?
Rasputin:
I am Lady U-Olga Marie's butler. I cannot work without her directive.
Gordolf:
Gh...! So that's how it's going to be, you phony priest!?
Gordolf:
Fine, I'll say it! I'll let U-Olga Marie work together with Chaldea!
Gordolf:
So please tell that degenerate priest to get moving! I'm begging you!
Gordolf:
If it gets our man off a hospital bed, then I'll even make a deal with the devil!
U-Olga Marie:
...? I don't really get it, but do you want me to give him orders? Butler. Go help him. Do...whatever.
Rasputin:
As you wish. Allow me to show you the power of one of the Elementals dwelling in my body—
Rasputin:
Bahloo of the moon—the emissary of lightless nights who once offered immortality to mankind.
--ARROW--
Rasputin:
How unfortunate, though I did try my best...
Rasputin:
Given that he was shot through the heart and between the eyes, there is only so much that can be done...
B：Man Jumping Off His Bed:
Gaaaaaah!
B：Man Jumping Off His Bed:
What's up with Rasputin's mediunic healing!? It hurt so bad I thought I was about to die!
B：Man Jumping Off His Bed:
More like, I actually DID die! I wouldn't exactly call jolting up from the pain a resuscitation!
Mash:
Meunière—!
Fujimaru 1:
You survived...you survived—!
Meunière:
Woah? Woah!? What, from both sides!? Fujimaru, Mash!?
Meunière:
I see you're back in one piece! Well, I wasn't as worried as the old man was, though!
Mash:
Yes...yes! I'm really glad you're awake, Meunière...!
Meunière:
Hm? Oh, right. I guess you heard about what happened on the Border.
Meunière:
Don't give me that look, you two. That was just me being careless.
Meunière:
I'd forgotten the fact that the field that you two survey, and the control room from which we monitor you, are both battlefields.
Meunière:
I just got a taste of the close calls that you and Mash experience on a regular basis, that's all.
Meunière:
So don't sweat it, and don't feel responsible for it. That would be disheartening for us.
Fujimaru 1:
...?
Fujimaru 2:
Disheartening?
Meunière:
Yeah. The creed we regular staff have lived by, ever since the days of Finis Chaldea, hasn't changed.
Meunière:
“To bring the novice, who cluelessly became a Master, back home safely.”
Meunière:
That is what drives us.
Meunière:
Oh, and we're not talking about getting you back to the Chaldea base either. We're talking about sending you back home.
Meunière:
Well...in the beginning, it was just something the Doctor used to say.
Meunière:
But in due time, it became our singular goal. It's this goal that kept us from breaking down.
Meunière:
When the Human Order Incineration happened, the whole world burned down, and only the Chaldea base remained in Imaginary Number Space—
Meunière:
More than a few of the staff were feeling disheartened and ready to give up on everything.
Meunière:
But seeing the newcomers holding out in the Singularities made us want to “keep those two safe at all costs”.
Meunière:
And when the Human Order Incineration incident was resolved, we took pride in that.
Meunière:
Our job is to support Fujimaru and Mash Kyrielight.
Meunière:
We're from different races and professions, and on opposing sides in the Clock Tower's faction wars,
Meunière:
but now we're able to trade jokes with one another, and it's all thanks to that pride.
Meunière:
So please don't feel down just because we got hurt.
Meunière:
I mean, I'm GLAD you feel sad on my behalf!
Meunière:
But that mindset that you weren't strong enough, or because you didn't do enough is no good.
Meunière:
After all, we've always given it our best.
Nemo Nurse:
Hehe, Meunière's right. A smile's the best thing you can show to someone who's recovering.
Nemo Nurse:
But I do believe it'd be best if you got some rest for now. Until your vitals normalize, okay?
Meunière:
Whew, so you've been keeping an eye on me this whole time, Nurse!
Nemo Nurse:
Of course, that is my job, after all. I've been split between nursing Nitocris and you at a 7:3 ratio.
Meunière:
I knew it. I'm the 3 there, aren't I?
Nemo Nurse:
The director wants to see you two in the control room, Fujimaru and Mash.
Nemo Nurse:
Please head back to the control room right away.
Gordolf:
Now then, let's set our next objective!
Gordolf:
We were forced to carry out an emergency landing immediately after entering the seventh Lostbelt due to an attack by an unknown light.
Gordolf:
In the process, Fujimaru and Mash fell from the ship, and so we were separated.
Gordolf:
As of now, they have safely rendezvoused with us. Excellent work.
Gordolf:
On the other hand, however, we encountered a mysterious armed group calling themselves the Ocelomeh. And the individual named Izcalli, who fancied himself their leader.
Gordolf:
And an unidentified arms dealer who Izcalli called Tezcatlipoca.
Gordolf:
Truth be told...at this stage we still don't know whether or not that man was indeed the god Tezcatlipoca from Aztec mythology.
Gordolf:
However, it is clear that they are against us, and are enemies of Pan-Human History!
Gordolf:
And our key members have been kidnapped by this hostile force!
Gordolf:
Master Fujimaru, investigator Mash Kyrielight, Habetrot,
Gordolf:
our native collaborator Tepeu, the Alie—U-Olga Marie, Rasputin and Koyanskaya.
Gordolf:
The seven of you will head out to rescue the kidnapped Chaldea staff—
Gordolf:
Da Vinci, Sion, Kadoc, and Nemo!
Gordolf:
Your destination is Mexico City, the capital of the Ocelomeh!
Fujimaru 1:
Understood!
Fujimaru 2:
Wait, do you know about Mictlan?
Gordolf:
Of course I do, who do you think you're talking to? I'll have you know Meluastea's Department of Archaeology piqued my interest back at the Clock Tower.
Gordolf:
Mictlan. Deinos. Ocelotl. I have a good grasp of these topics.
Koyanskaya:
Oh yes, I gave him a lecture while we were besieged. Of course, for a special fee♡
Rasputin:
Dear me, that must have been expensive.
Rasputin:
If you had waited for our arrival, you would've received a complimentary explanation.
Gordolf:
Grr...! You're right, that accursed Koyanskaya has once again emptied my wallet!
Mash:
I understand our plan. But will you all be evacuating to Chichen Itza?
Gordolf:
No. We will remain here to repair the Border. I negotiated with that deinos named Wak Chan earlier.
Wak Chan:
Ya want me to guard the Flying Rock? Hmm, hmm, hmm...
Wak Chan:
Fine, I'll do it! I mean, I do want to go with Olga and all,
Wak Chan:
but I feel so frustrated that I left your companions for dead...
Wak Chan:
I can drive the Ocelomeh away all by myself! So go save your kidnapped buddies!
Gordolf:
I like deinos. They're all rational beings. Most importantly, I like the fact that they're herbivores.
Gordolf:
I'm ashamed of myself for having trembled in fear at their appearance. If our Technical Advisor had been around, she'd have jumped for joy.
Mash:
Yes. I'm sure Da Vinci will get along swimmingly with the deinos.
Rasputin:
Hmm, what of the Servant Nitocris? Is she yet to be in fighting condition?
Gordolf:
Well, she did offer to accompany Fujimaru.
Gordolf:
But she's barely able to stand. I can't let her do this.
Gordolf:
Besides, this time we've got Koyanskaya, as well as Rasputin the Mad Monk and HER.
Gordolf:
We're rather well figured for firepower. On the contrary, this is the strongest we've ever been! Hwahahahaha!
Koyanskaya:
You heard him. Are you prepared to join the fight?
Rasputin:
Dear me, I had assumed you were aware, Koyanskaya. I am a healer, not a fighter.
Rasputin:
Fret not, however, we will be accompanied by one far more reliable than I.
Rasputin:
I shall leave the fighting to her, while caring for everyone's mental health.
Koyanskaya:
Oh that sounds splendid♡ Frankly I'd rather die than suffer your therapy♡
Gordolf:
Hahaha, while the Mad Monk Rasputin's temperament remains unknown, Father Kotomine is a certified man of character even in the Holy Church.
Gordolf:
When we're in a pinch, his classy chit-chat will serve to ease tensions. After all, that was the case for me while I made my way to Chaldea.
Fujimaru 1:
We're leaving now, then!
Fujimaru 2:
(Just how much of a saint is our new director?)
Koyanskaya:
Oh, just one thing before we leave. Where is Fou?
Koyanskaya:
I'd figured he'd be persistently clinging to the Storm Border, but he's nowhere to be found...
Gordolf:
Wasn't he with Kyrielight?
Mash:
No, I...figured he was on the Border...
Koyanskaya:
(...Oh, I see. That beast isn't planning on getting involved with ORT.)
Koyanskaya:
(If all went well, I would've liked to acquire some resources from him. He must've scampered off after sensing my presence.)
Koyanskaya:
(The next time I see him, I'll give him a piece of my resentment from Tunguska by stomping on him again.)
Koyanskaya:
Please rest assured, Fou's probably chasing tumbleweeds on the surface right about now.
Koyanskaya:
I believe he'll come strutting back insufferably once we purge the seventh Lostbelt.
Nemo Professor:
You're a genius, Tepeu~. You've already learned to use our to~ols.
Nemo Professor:
Over there are medicines and spells that reinforce a Servant's Saint Graph. Please have Captain drink those once you find hi~m.
Nemo Marine A:
Take care, Tepeu! I leave Captain in your haaaands!
P：Tepeu:
Yes. I understand how to handle magecraft now. I shall do all I can to save Captain Nemo.
Tepeu:
...
U-Olga Marie:
That's not a very cheerful color... The green without a trace of stagnation has ripples forming on it.
U-Olga Marie:
Do you believe we should not head for Mexico City? It appears to be the capital of the Ocelomeh.
Tepeu:
No, I have no objections with their plan. It is only logical to aid your comrades.
Tepeu:
Though I do feel unease at having to cross the Second Underworld.
U-Olga Marie:
Then why?
P：Tepeu:
...I wonder?
P：Tepeu:
It's just like Marine said, these Marines are no different from him.
P：Tepeu:
They're just like us. The loss of an individual deinos has no bearing on the deinos species as a whole.
P：Tepeu:
The entities known as the Marines are still extant. They haven't been lost. And yet—
P：Tepeu:
I feel extremely sad...
P：Tepeu:
I will never again be admonished by THAT Marine, will I?
U-Olga Marie:
...
Fujimaru 1:
Tepeu, U-Olga Marie.
Fujimaru 2:
There you are.
Tepeu:
Yes. Professor and I were having a knowledge exchange. I've heard of your plan too.
Tepeu:
You are headed for Mexico City to rescue your comrades. I shall be accompanying you, to the best of my ability, as your guide.
Tepeu:
What about U-Olga Marie? You have achieved your initial objective.
Tepeu:
Fujimaru and Mash have safely arrived at the Border.
U-Olga Marie:
Well...that human named Gordolf does get on my nerves...
Fujimaru 1:
Eh, you're not coming with us!?
Fujimaru 2:
Please, Miss President!
U-Olga Marie:
Hmph—I guess you're right! You obviously need my help!
U-Olga Marie:
I'll help you, of course! After all, I am U-Olga Marie of Chaldea now!
U-Olga Marie:
Alright, let's resume our rescue efforts! Our objective lies on the fifth layer, at Mexico City!
U-Olga Marie:
Allow the great disaster that is I to lay waste to the city of those insolent Ocelomeh!
Section 8: Second Underworld: Iztauhqui
Mash:
The wind's getting colder. It looks like we're getting close to the Second Underworld.
Mash:
As the Storm Border is undergoing repairs, contact with the control room currently remains unavailable.
Mash:
We're able to transmit only a few seconds worth of audio, so it will be limited for use in the event of an emergency.
Mash:
I have been recording footage, which I've been asked to submit for reference upon our return.
Habetrot:
We couldn't get the Ortenaus to full charge either... I'm just gonna have to be energy efficient going forth.
Habetrot:
Let's avoid running into trouble where possible, and not make any detours on the way to Mexico City.
Rasputin:
The second Underworld Border stands in our way, however. What ordeals will we be facing ahead, Tepeu?
Tepeu:
There was a trail leading over a mountain back when I crossed it.
Tepeu:
While the strong winds will make the climb itself a tiring one, there is little else to worry about in this Underworld.
Tepeu:
Oh, but heedlessness may cause you to trip and fall.
Tepeu:
Which is why I must ask that you support the person beside you should they be on the verge of falling.
Tepeu:
Furthermore, the trail is littered with wind-scoured obsidian, so you will cut yourself on them should you fall.
Tepeu:
The injuries themselves are relatively minor, but in your case, you may bleed out should you take a long tumble.
U-Olga Marie:
That's not a problem for me. After all, I'm constantly levitating.
U-Olga Marie:
Needless to say, I won't be swept away by the winds either. I may look like this, but I actually weigh ███ tons!
Fujimaru 1:
—I didn't catch that number.
U-Olga Marie:
It's a state secret. For some reason, the more rational part of me stopped me from saying it.
Fujimaru 2:
She's showing off again. You got your mass units wrong.
U-Olga Marie:
No I didn't! I actually DO weigh more than ten kilotons!
U-Olga Marie:
It's just that I'm always manipulating gravity, so it never has any effect on my surroundings!
U-Olga Marie:
How else do you think I've been generating those gravitational spheres!?
Mash:
That sort of mass in a body of that size...!
Mash:
So Olga Marie's warping space and time with her mere presence!
U-Olga Marie:
That's a rather hurtful way of phrasing it, Mash.
Tepeu:
Hmm, then we ought to have no problems if U-Olga Marie acts as our windbreak.
Tepeu:
We've arrived, friends.
Tepeu:
Beyond these trees lies the Second Underworld. A vale of blades and wind where bones are discarded–the White Border, Iztauhqui.
Tepeu:
Eh?
Fujimaru 1:
I had an inkling, but...
Fujimaru 2:
This is WAY different from what you described, Tepeu!
L：Tepeu:
See?
U-Olga Marie:
The rocks surrounding us are borderline lethal, no!? That mountain of blades is sharper than my knifehand strike!
Mash:
Wind speed is 10 m/s, maximum instantaneous wind speed is 20 m/s! We'll have difficulty progressing, and we'll need to watch out for flying debris! It's really bad!
Habetrot:
Really!? I'd get blown away if I materialized!
U-Olga Marie:
Are you that light, Habenya!? Then you'd best not do that, make sure you stay hidden!
Rasputin:
Quite the drop in temperature too. These freezing winds would dull even a Servant's movements.
Koyanskaya:
Oh dear, that's an awfully craven remark, completely unbecoming of an Apostle. Has the butler lifestyle dulled your body as well as your mind?
Koyanskaya:
This chilly breeze should pose no problem if we consider it to merely be downslope winds.
Fujimaru 1:
You get a coat, that's no fair! I want one, NFF Services!
Koyanskaya:
I do apologize, but this product here is one of a kind...
Koyanskaya:
Though I believe I have a fur coat a certain someone gave me a while back...
Koyanskaya:
Oh, wait, I tossed that one into our warehouse because it ticked me off☆ Looks like that one's not in stock either!
Tepeu:
Hmm, if only we had some chili pepper water with us... and something to tie us together...
Mash:
Tepeu, by chili pepper, are you referring to the condiment by that name?
Tepeu:
No, it's a mixture of the honey and herbs you can find around Chichen Itza. It's also known as honey orchids.
Tepeu:
It has a thermogenic effect, and it's often used during the colder seasons while the sun is dormant.
Tepeu:
I do apologize... I don't make a habit of taking that medicine, so I neglected to bring some along...
Fujimaru 1:
...Hmm~~~~?
Fujimaru 2:
...Hmmmmmmm~~~~?
U-Olga Marie:
What are you fiddling around with your luggage for? Surely you didn't forget anything, did you?
Fujimaru 1:
...I've got it...right here...I think?
L：Tepeu:
Those are...honey orchids and vine ropes. I'm impressed you had the foresight to stock up on those.
L：Tepeu:
Dear me, you've even brought along hemostatic herbs for abrasions! Don't mind if I take one. Here you go, Mash.
Mash:
Oh, the texture is rather similar to honey. It's so sweet, so delicious.
Rasputin:
I see. I'm no expert on the matter, but it might make for a good secret ingredient for curry.
Koyanskaya:
I am interested in this Lostbelt's medicinal cooking, but I'll refrain. I've got a coat that's keeping me perfectly well insulated.
Fujimaru 1:
Then I'll have some too.
U-Olga Marie:
—
U-Olga Marie:
—
U-Olga Marie:
Hey, Fujimaru.
Fujimaru 1:
Sorry, I only had four...you want half?
U-Olga Marie:
Huh!? N-No, I'm good.
U-Olga Marie:
I suppose we are short on resources. I'm not cold, feel free to ingest it yourself.
Fujimaru 2:
Are you not cold, Miss President?
U-Olga Marie:
No, I'm not cold at all! And I'm not feeling left out either!
U-Olga Marie:
I'll take you to Siberia someday, where you can admiringly witness my pioneering work!
Fujimaru 1:
This is...pretty rough...!
Fujimaru 2:
We're halfway to the summit...!
Tepeu:
Indeed...it's all thanks to U-Olga Marie heading up front to act as our windbreak.
Tepeu:
I understand our situation here, but would you mind if I asked you a question? Does this manner of underworld exist in Pan-Human History too?
Mash:
Yes. It is likely that this place corresponds to the third layer of Mictlan in Pan-Human History, Itztépetl.
Mash:
Itztépetl is a mountain trail littered with sharp obsidian, where the dead are made to wander while the obsidian tears them to shreds.
Mash:
The wind that blows across the mountain is said to peel away the clothes, armor, belongings, and even the flesh of the dead.
Mash:
Peeling away all the ornaments they wore in life, leaving behind nothing but bone.
Tepeu:
Only their skeletons!? Would that not leave them unable to make it to the next layer?
Rasputin:
No. These are the dead who undertake the trials of the underworld. They will move, even if all that's left of them are bones.
Rasputin:
It is precisely because a soul has suffered so dearly, that they are deserving of salvation.
Rasputin:
Much like the hell from Japanese folklore.
Rasputin:
Now that I mention it, this scenery is just like a mountain of needles.
Rasputin:
A place of never-ending punishment that exists for the sole purpose of tormenting sinners—Dreadful indeed.
Fujimaru 1:
...A mountain of needles...?
Fujimaru 2:
...Never-ending...?
H：???:
Hell! Hell, you say!? So you would compare this garden of mine to such a texture!
H：???:
Such mockery. A wise mockery, indeed! I stand in awe at your perceptivity!
H：???:
To punish the dead, not save them! This is indeed a hell!
H：???:
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha...!
Mash & U-Olga Marie:
That strange wing beating! That laughter—!
Camazotz:
Welcome, monkeys! Those who have made a bid for the Underworld Pilgrimage!
Camazotz:
I shall guide you, I shall see you off! A new mark of anguish now rises in stagnant Mictlan!
Camazotz:
And now it's time for you to cower! Before the lord of the House of Fear, the King of the Underworld—
Camazotz:
The wings that rend the flesh of the living, the eminence of Camazotz!
Fujimaru 1:
Camazotz...!
Fujimaru 2:
(Now's my chance to get those Command Spells back...!)
Camazotz:
Hmm? Your party has had some changes, you've lost someone and added a new face in turn.
Camazotz:
How unfortunate, I had yet to savor that child's blood. The loss of his soul is nothing short of tragic.
Camazotz:
Oh, such a tragedy, this truly is misfortunate!
Camazotz:
How could he forsake the honor of offering his blood up to Camazotz, even when Camazotz himself had been eyeing him!
Camazotz:
A Servant's blood has a bad taste to it, but that's a different matter entirely. Oh, such a waste, truly.
Camazotz:
Please do ensure you never encounter such misfortune again. You are all my precious guests.
Camazotz:
I love Pan-Human History. The blood of apes is more to my liking than the blood of deinos.
Koyanskaya:
—
Mash:
Koyanskaya? (She's not the type to show this much hostility...)
Fujimaru 1:
That's our enemy.
Fujimaru 2:
Camazotz, the Mayan god of death.
Koyanskaya:
You need not explain. I am aware of the name of the Mayan god Camazotz from Pan-Human History.
Koyanskaya:
He was included in Mash's report.
Koyanskaya:
I believe he's a hostile entity who's making use of Fujimaru's Command Spells, is he not?
Koyanskaya:
Then let's make short work of him. He appears to be quite the headache-inducing gentleman.
Camazotz:
Oh! That weapon, that smell! Now I remember you!
Camazotz:
You're the woman who snuck into my Mictlan and carried the Crypter outside!
Camazotz:
And to top it all off, you're that devilish rabbit who sold weapons to the Ocelomeh!
Camazotz:
I bet you must've had a great honeymoon with Tezcatlipoca! After all, he's another oddball of a god who's obsessed with modern weaponry!
Camazotz:
Truly, another La Malinche! You poisoned the Aztecs, leading to the birth of a new Mexico!
U-Olga Marie:
Huh?
Tepeu:
What did you just say?
Habetrot:
I just found out who the Ocelomeh's weapons dealer is through means I didn't even wanna find out from!
Fujimaru 1:
NFF Services—!
Koyanskaya:
Oof! I've been hit! Touching me is strictly prohibited!
Fujimaru 2:
(I see...that does make sense!)
Rasputin:
(※Acting like his favorite rocket launcher isn't made by NFF Services)
Koyanskaya:
Hmph—if the cat's out of the bag, then it's out.
Koyanskaya:
I am indeed the one who provided the Ocelomeh with firearms. The reliable NFF Services provides to all of foolish mankind.
Koyanskaya:
However, that came attached with a trial period of one month! And yet, that long-haired blondie!
Koyanskaya:
“I've got the gist of it. We'll make our own now,”
Koyanskaya:
was what he said while embezzling our know-how! I've never been this angry at a fellow tradesman before!
Camazotz:
You sure underestimated Tezcatlipoca. There's nothing he cannot do. It's Pan-Human History's fault for labelling him as a war god.
Camazotz:
But in Mictlan, I'm the stronger one! O misfortunate, comical, sunless Tezcatlipoca!
Camazotz:
That's enough chit-chat. Now's the time to savor the slaughter.
Camazotz:
Go ahead and summon your Heroic Spirits, [♂ priest /♀️ priestess] of Chaldea. I want to see how it's done.
Camazotz:
Then I'll drink your blood and take over Pan-Human History!
Camazotz:
Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha! This is good, this truly is destiny, this truly is a rebirth!
Camazotz:
Mictlan shall be revived with the blood of the Chaldean sinners! Now then—bare those charming necks of yours!
--ARROW--
Camazotz:
—Hmm, these summoning tricks are rather difficult to pull off properly.
Camazotz:
I was so confident that I could have done it my way... Hm?
Camazotz:
—There she is. Pardon me, but our audience ends here.
Camazotz:
I shall entrust you to the Watcher of the Underworld from this point on! Or I should say, I have little choice!
Camazotz:
The bird of hell that not even I can handle! Flaming empress who severs the threads to the soul!
Camazotz:
Come, Benny-Enma! Bring a new trial to these curs!
Fujimaru 1:
"Benny"-Enma—?
Fujimaru 2:
A second Alter Servant...!?
Mash:
...! Master, Tepeu, over here! The landscape–no, the ground is being carried away!
Tepeu:
The mountain range is moving...? But for what purpose!?
U-Olga Marie:
Above us! Something's flying out of the sky!
U-Olga Marie:
What is that thing...? I feel a chill running down my spine!
Guardian of the Underworld:
—Proxy to the Ten Kings of the Eight Great Hot Hells. I am Beni-Enma, the crimson bird of prosperity.
Koyanskaya:
—
Beni-Enma Alter:
I will hear no excuses. Hand me your tongues.
Beni-Enma Alter:
Falling into my hell was your first sin. Defying the winged god was your second.
Beni-Enma Alter:
Aside from that, you all look like you have much to answer for. I doubt this will end with a pilgrimage through my eight hells.
Additional Dialogue
The next few dialogue display if the player has completed Beni Enma Event's main story.
Mash:
H-Huh? Um, did you say...Beni-Enma!?
Mash:
The tongue-cut sparrow, Beni-Enma, proprietress of the Enma-tei!?
Beni-Enma Alter:
—Have you read of me? No...my verdict will not be swayed.
Beni-Enma Alter:
A judge mustn't be self-serving. However, I will serve you a morning meal each day as a special case.
Beni-Enma Alter:
I have been told that Chaldea is a destroyer of lost worlds. Many lives must have been trampled on up to this point.
Beni-Enma Alter:
That won't be denounced as fiendish, but the weight of sin is created by one's own heart.
Beni-Enma Alter:
The sharpness of my sword depends on your consciences.
Beni-Enma Alter:
Namely, the good shall die easily and the evil shall die miserably.
Beni-Enma Alter:
I do not discriminate between the living or dead. My verdicts will kill the latter as well. Now—round one, court!
--BATTLE--
Fujimaru 1:
T-The mountain range is being used as a sword!?
Fujimaru 2:
Like she's cutting tofu...!?
U-Olga Marie:
Kyaaaaaaaaah!?
B：Mash:
Director Olga Marie!
U-Olga Marie:
Gnh...!
U-Olga Marie:
Don't take me so lightly. I'm not the one who'll die just because my brainwaves cease!
U-Olga Marie:
But somehow, I successfully rebooted! I'll just say that I'm less confident about repeating that!
Beni-Enma Alter:
—I have taken most of the measure of your crimes.
Beni-Enma Alter:
Your sentence: an eon of eons, times 100. Sing with delight, chirp-chirp.
Mash:
Beni-Enma has flown away... Can we call... the battle complete?
Koyanskaya:
No...my Beni... my sweet Beni...
Koyanskaya:
I can't take seeing her looking like thaaaaat! I'm going back to Tunguskaaaaa!
Fujimaru 1:
You can go. We won't stop you.
Fujimaru 2:
She's not yours, Koyanskaya.
--ARROW--
Tepeu:
It looks like we are out of harm's way, at the very least.
Tepeu:
The Servant who just flew to the mountain's summit... did she turn out to be one of Chaldea's?
Mash:
Yes...like Kingprotea, I believe she is one of the four units summoned at the Border.
U-Olga Marie:
Let's forget about her and keep moving. I expect that she won't rush at us any more.
U-Olga Marie:
This underworld is simply a mountain to cross, no? There should be no need to summit.
U-Olga Marie:
Isn't that right, Tepeu?
Tepeu:
Correct. All that's needed is to get over the mountain. Once we reach the ridge, there's naught but descent.
Rasputin:
Indeed...for a particular reason, my lady's decision this time is wholly correct.
U-Olga Marie:
Care to elaborate why?
Rasputin:
Beni-Enma... I cannot say from whence she traces back to, but her Saint Graph's scope is Divine Spirit class. Not to mention her fearsome swordplay.
Rasputin:
To wield a mountain range as a sword...in terms of scale and creativity, my lady is utterly defeated as she is.
U-Olga Marie:
Well, such a thing is inconceivable anyway. It's heavy, it's painful, and most of all, it's frightening.
Rasputin:
Consider us in a rush to move on. If you want a rematch, you should do so after saving your colleagues in Mexico City.
Habetrot:
Yeah, maybe we should. Unlike with Protea, she didn't look to be suffering in any way.
Koyanskaya:
Well, I'm here, hyperventilating in protest until I nearly explode!
Koyanskaya:
Oh, Beni... How could she...
Koyanskaya:
How could she develop into a juvenile delinquent with a look like she's lost all faith in the worrrrld!?
Fujimaru 1:
...(I want to side with Koyanskaya, but...)
Fujimaru 2:
...True, it's a tough call...
Rasputin:
It appears a vote will not be needed. Can you show us the way, Tepeu?
Tepeu:
Yes. The severity of Iztauhqui has worsened, but the route itself is largely unchanged.
Tepeu:
Right this way. We shall cross through several animal nests en route, so there is the risk of being attacked.
Tepeu:
But with all of you, I see no problem. We shall soon leave the second Underworld Border behind us.
--BATTLE--
Narration:
- One day elapsed since setting out over the mountain -
Narration:
Number of ascents made...six.
Tepeu:
This is going well, isn't it? It doesn't look like there are any problems at all.
Fujimaru 1:
Oh yes, it does!
Fujimaru 2:
This is an endless loop!!!
Tepeu:
So it is. No wonder I couldn't stop this unpleasant sweating.
Mash:
You put on a good show of calm as our guide, but you were clearly in a hurry.
Mash:
I understand how you feel, Tepeu, but we need to rethink our plans in times like this!
U-Olga Marie:
Therein lies the difference between the deinos and human biological clocks. But no matter.
U-Olga Marie:
Point of fact, we've been climbing the same mountain endlessly for all this time.
U-Olga Marie:
Now expanding sensory range...there, I knew it. This underworld is an enclosed space. There's no way out.
Mash:
No way out?
Mash:
But the underworld is a “trial through which the dead pass”. Isn't having no way out against the rules?
Rasputin:
Damn. Now it makes sense.
Rasputin:
Beni-Enma is the new Watcher of the Underworld, and the rules of the underworld changed accordingly.
Rasputin:
The Second Underworld is no longer the vale of blades and wind. It has taken on the framework of the hell described in Japanese folklore.
Rasputin:
In which case—
Fujimaru 1:
It's meant to lock us in, rather than let us pass.
Fujimaru 2:
A trial we can't get past until we serve our time...!
U-Olga Marie:
That's brilliant, Fujimaru. It might just be the right answer.
U-Olga Marie:
Come to think of it, the Servant said something about “an eon of eons, times 100” when she took off.
U-Olga Marie:
How many years does that come to, butler?
Rasputin:
One hundred quintillion, my lady.
U-Olga Marie:
Wouldn't that be pushing the end of even my life span!?
--ARROW--
J：Tepeu:
100,000,000,000,000,000,000 years...? Quite the lengthy sentence...
U-Olga Marie:
There's no way we can take that seriously. Even a red giant wouldn't be able to suffer through that.
Mash:
Beni-Enma was probably talking about a Buddhist concept of hell...
Mash:
India was the first country to discover the concept of “zero,” so they had a great understanding of numbers...
Mash:
Even so, an arbitrary sentence like that...that's an astronomically long time.
Rasputin:
Truly a state of life imprisonment. It would seem we have no options but to stage a jailbreak.
Habetrot:
But how do you do that if there's no exit?
Rasputin:
Why, it couldn't be simpler.
Rasputin:
As this has become a penal area because Beni-Enma now acts as watchman, then it should return to its original underworld status if she is removed from it.
Rasputin:
It was recommended we leave it as is, but it appears we have no choice but to attack. Wouldn't you say, Fujimaru?
Fujimaru 1:
...You have an opinion, Koyanskaya?
Koyanskaya:
I'm against it. The phony priest can go die.
Koyanskaya:
But...the truth is that we can't get out of this Underworld without attacking her.
Koyanskaya:
I can keep my business sense and my animal pride separated, so—
Koyanskaya:
—If we're going to attack, then I'll support you to the best of my ability.
J：Tepeu:
So it's decided we're going to fight?
Mash:
...
U-Olga Marie:
...
Fujimaru 1:
We say that, but our odds are pretty dismal...
Rasputin:
Indeed... Her sword dance would slay even the deceased.
Rasputin:
But fortunately, this is a Japanese hell. Even sinners will return to life when they are killed.
Rasputin:
That was likely the reason that my lady was able to use her guts to come back after that fight just now.
Rasputin:
Servants can be killed again and again and they will revive. Past that, it is simply a matter of how much pain they can endure.
Fujimaru 1:
That's not it. I want her back to the way she was.
Fujimaru 1:
She's a Heroic Spirit who responded to Chaldea's summons.
Rasputin:
—
U-Olga Marie:
A natural desire. Excellent employees must be well treated.
Mash:
Yes! I'm in agreement with Master!
J：Tepeu:
It's the same as Kingprotea. Father Kotomine can handle it.
J：Tepeu:
He can pass through that blade of death, as if it were an Ocelotl's gun.
Rasputin:
Hahahahah. Tepeu, we call that lack of a plan a “fire-and-forget.”
Rasputin:
And I must apologize, but that would be difficult. Kingprotea was affected by her tumorous mask.
Rasputin:
Whereas Beni-Enma has no visible cause to her change. I am unable to reverse her Alter transformation.
Fujimaru 1:
...(So we really do have to defeat her...)
Fujimaru 2:
...So that's how it has to be, huh...
Koyanskaya:
Kotomine's finally out of ideas...? Then allow me to suggest something.
Koyanskaya:
Beni-Enma, the Tongue-Cut Sparrow. That form of hers was probably aged to adulthood forcibly.
Koyanskaya:
“Eventually, Beni-Enma shall finish her long training, and become an agent of the kings of Hell.”
Koyanskaya:
That's her future. It's not a transformation, but the end of a growth spurt. So—
Koyanskaya:
Why not just shrink her back down again☆
Rasputin:
I see... A practical application of your own personal “preferences”. What a brilliant plan.
Rasputin:
But only if we meditate on the fact that it is not feasible.
Rasputin:
Do any among us possess magecraft or a Noble Phantasm capable of restoring youth?
Koyanskaya:
Of course not. But aren't you forgetting something? This underworld is a converging space of cause and effect...
Koyanskaya:
...that includes both the “past” and “future”. Here you can summon Servants to your heart's content so long as your magical energy holds out.
Koyanskaya:
We've got an awful lot of friends we can call on. Isn't that right, Master of Chaldea?
Fujimaru 1:
If we summon a Heroic Spirit from a legend about restoring youth...!
Mash:
I'll search the database! We've got to have encountered someone like that by now!
Mash:
I'm sure I'll find one with that sort of Noble Phantasm!
Mash:
...I'm very sorry... I hate to be the bearer of bad news...
Mash:
While there are several Heroic Spirits who boast legends of “invulnerability”, “immortality”, and “invincibility”,
Mash:
it seems like there aren't any Heroic Spirits with a Noble Phantasm related to restoration of youth...
U-Olga Marie:
Not even Urashima Tarou!? Aren't you supposed to be Japanese, Fujimaru!?
Rasputin:
Hahaha. That is a common misconception, my lady. Such a Heroic Spirit would only be able to age in the opposite direction.
Habetrot:
Hm...I dunno if there are any fairies like that either. Usually they just turned you old as a prank.
Tepeu:
So summoning Heroic Spirits does not always provide a solution...how unfortunate. I suppose we must use Father Kotomine after all.
Rasputin:
Hahaha. Your sense of humor is rather obtuse, Mister Tepeu.
Fujimaru 1:
...If restoring her youth isn't possible...
Fujimaru 2:
...there has to be some other way...!
???:
Ah, excuse me. Might I have a word?
???:
The great god here kept telling me, “We can't let Odin show us up.”
???:
May I be so presumptuous as to offer my advice?
Mash:
Huuuh!? T-that voice—
Fionn mac Cumhaill:
A Noble Phantasm is an embodiment or abstraction of tales about a given Heroic Spirit. In other words, a trump card.
Fionn mac Cumhaill:
Naturally, there wouldn't be many Heroic Spirits with a story of using “the restoration of youth” as a trump card.
Fionn mac Cumhaill:
So why not broaden your scope a bit?
Fionn mac Cumhaill:
Heroic Spirits with a Noble Phantasm of “rejuvenation” may be rare, but there are always ones with potions with such an effect.
Fionn mac Cumhaill:
I unfortunately am not one of them—but you know one, don't you?
Fionn mac Cumhaill:
A hero related to you guys, who is all too fond of collecting things?
Fionn mac Cumhaill:
Then I'll leave the rest to you. Give my regards to the proprietress.
Mash:
H-he contacted us from the other side of the summoning circle! The Underworld really is like the transit point for the Throne of Heroes, isn't it?
Rasputin:
—
Rasputin:
(Indeed. All humans eventually die. Heroes are no exception. The afterlife...this Underworld is the final destination for all accumulated human knowledge.)
Rasputin:
(Why did the god Tezcatlipoca create such a place? Was there some other intention for the Underworld Border...?)
U-Olga Marie:
Hmm. Do you have any idea what he meant, Fujimaru?
Fujimaru 1:
I can't say that I–
Fujimaru 2:
I can't really rememb
???:
Gaah, hurry and put your foolish heads in order!
???:
Of course there is! The greatest of Uruk's kings! Mankind's strongest and foremost collector!
Fujimaru 1:
Oooh....it's the King—!
Fujimaru 2:
I-I-It's wonderful to see you again...!
Mash:
King Gilgamesh—! Of course, he would be the one to go to for secret potions!
Mash:
It's been so long! It's such an honor to see you again—
Mash:
Ah, no. “Again” isn't quite right.
Mash:
The events of the Seventh Singularity weren't inscribed into the original King Gilgamesh...
Mash:
I'm sorry...for my impudence just now...
Fujimaru 1:
That's right...
Fujimaru 2:
...I'm sorry...
Gilgamesh:
—Hmph. Fine. I didn't go to the trouble of coming all the way here just to lecture you.
Gilgamesh:
I don't need to teach you how the Heroic Spirit summoning system works. Be sure to study it later.
Gilgamesh:
You need an elixir of youth right now, don't you? If that's the case, I have one, of course.
Gilgamesh:
The summoner's magical energy is only third-rate, so I can't come there myself,
Gilgamesh:
but you should be able to handle just the potion. Go on, take it.
Rasputin:
My, how generous of you. Very unlike the king I know. Could you be a different one?
Gilgamesh:
Hahaha. Fujimaru. Take that one's head now, while you still can.
Gilgamesh:
A man with that look will turn on you at some point. And at the worst possible time.
Rasputin:
That is a misconception. After all, I have not been one of their allies from the beginning.
Rasputin:
However...
Rasputin:
King Gilgamesh. According to legend, you found the sought-after elixir of youth in the abyss.
Rasputin:
It was a “rejuvenating herb” and not “immortality”, but that was enough for you to return.
Rasputin:
However, a snake stole it from you in a moment of hubris on the return journey.
Rasputin:
As I recall...you were unable to obtain the herb of immortality in the end, were you not?
Gilgamesh:
Fool. Where do you think you are right now?
Gilgamesh:
True, the snake stole the herb from me at the fountain, and I returned to Uruk to grow old and rebuild my country.
Gilgamesh:
As I sat on my throne, I never forgot that incident. I am a man who prefers to pretend failures like that never happened.
Gilgamesh:
So I returned for the herb of rejuvenation and put it in my treasury. It was worth the effort.
Fujimaru 1:
I see. (Nodding three times with an agreeable look)
Fujimaru 2:
You know...I think I heard this somewhere before...
BB:
...He already bragged about this to you in your room, Senpai!
Gilgamesh:
Farewell, Mankind's Last Master or what have you. Acquit yourself well in the Underworld.
Mash:
Before you go, by what standard are you saying Senpai is third-rate!?
Gilgamesh:
Magical energy, catalysts, and force of fortuity. Especially the last one. Did you lose that somewhere?
Gilgamesh:
Well, I suppose third-rate was too pessimistic. —you've grown to about second-rate, Chaldean.
Fujimaru 1:
—, okay!
--ARROW--
Koyanskaya:
Well then, I shall take charge of the elixir.
Koyanskaya:
If everyone else would please do battle with Lady Beni-Enma and neutralize her... Should that prove difficult, then you should just wear her down.
Koyanskaya:
After that, I shall risk my life in any way I can! By any means necessary!
Koyanskaya:
If we make Lady Beni-Enma drink this elixir, she'll go back to her original indefatigable, admirable, and gullible self.
Koyanskaya:
We must bring her back into mankind's hands!
Beni-Enma Alter:
What do the guilty want from this court? The verdict has already been handed down.
Beni-Enma Alter:
No retrial shall take place. No appeals will be granted.
Beni-Enma Alter:
Accept your punishment quietly. If you cannot even do that—
Beni-Enma Alter:
I shall cut off your limbs and use you as a sword hanger for my Shinzanken.
Beni-Enma Alter:
One hundred billion eons atop a rock. You will know the weight of my absolute sword's 13,500 kin, granted to me by the Buddha.
U-Olga Marie:
The mountain is coming to life—It's coming your way, Fujimaru!
U-Olga Marie:
Respond with a Servant who has resistance to instant death. If you can't, I'll think of something!
U-Olga Marie:
You stay back, Mash! Having no Saint Graph means one death is all it takes to end you!
Mash:
Y-Yes! Please watch my back, Olga Marie!
Beni-Enma Alter:
—Not even a mouse among the guilty shall escape. Though the mountains shake, make way for the skill of my techniques.
E：Beni-Enma Alter:
Esoteric Enjaku Battoujutsu, Beni-Enma, crimson bird of prosperity. The blazing courtroom is now in session!
--BATTLE--
G：Beni-Enma Alter:
Chirp-chirp—! You are not some kingfisher, yet you dart without pause all about my Needle Mountain's canyon—!
L：Koyanskaya:
Your shortest and swiftest sword-draw is in such a sad state. That weapon isn't suitable for you.
L：Koyanskaya:
It's fitting for grinding up big game, but it's plain to see how it is with smaller targets.
L：Koyanskaya:
Have you become an easy mark since growing up? Or perhaps you're compensating for when you were smaller?
G：Beni-Enma Alter:
Show some modesty, rabbit! Even having become a great king, my sword is exquisite!
Koyanskaya:
—There's my chance! How long I've been waiting for this!
Koyanskaya:
It is you who needs modesty. The sword of Lady Beni-Enma is invisible, striking instantly and without a beat.
Koyanskaya:
It is not some lumbering slash that obscures all sight of its prey!
G：Beni-Enma Alter:
...!
Koyanskaya:
Now—allow me to thread the needle on your behalf!
Koyanskaya:
Running along rock faces is not a skill exclusive to goats! Bunnies can also do it using motorcycles!
L：Koyanskaya:
Eek, I made it! Now then, feel free to drink it down!
G：Beni-Enma Alter:
Chirp,— a pervert!?
Beni-Enma:
I am truly ashamed... A sparrow of such standing as I acted so dithgracefully.
Beni-Enma:
Allow me to greet you once more. I am the Tongue-Cut Sparrow, Beni-Enma.
Beni-Enma:
And you are the Master of Chaldea, correct? Thank you for all your hard work protecting the Human Order.
Beni-Enma:
And from now on, please keep up the good work, ath long ath you don't overdo it!
Beni-Enma:
Health. Rest. Early to bed, early to rise. Eat a proper meal. That'th as much as I ask of you.
Beni-Enma:
Ath long ath I can see your smiling face, I shall spare no effort to cooperate.
Beni-Enma:
Please feel free to call me Beni from hereon. I will show you the way to draw a sword to deftly tholve problems.
Fujimaru 1:
It's my pleasure. Please do.
Fujimaru 2:
Thank you for your hospitality at the Enma-tei.
Beni-Enma:
S-So you have visited the Enma-tei before?
Beni-Enma:
Since the Beni here has no memory of that, we must meet at a later time.
Beni-Enma:
...I know it ith against the rules to enquire of such thingth...
Beni-Enma:
But in which era and to what sort of Enma-tei did you arrive?
Mash:
We were there for New Year's Day.
Mash:
It was at a time you were managing along with Toshi and the other sparrows. We were treated very well.
Beni-Enma:
I see. You have a lovely thmile, Mash.
Beni-Enma:
I feel strangely gladdened to hear that from the two of you!
Beni-Enma:
—Now that's that.
Beni-Enma:
So can you do something about the mononoke clinging to my legs?
Koyanskaya:
You can't be serious, Beniiiiii!! How do you not remember meeeee!?
Beni-Enma:
I know a shrine maiden fox who ith your spitting image, but I have no good opinion of you.
Koyanskaya:
Oh...such a cold shoulder. I'm no stranger to it, but it's so painful...
Koyanskaya:
Especially when it was I who delivered you from disgrace when you were rampaging in an Alter form...
Beni-Enma:
That form was no dithgrace. Beni someday will serve as proxy to the Ten Kings.
Beni-Enma:
What happened then was a natural outcome that thimply must be. I have nothing whatsoever to be ashamed of.
Beni-Enma:
The only dithgrace would be in your having evaded the Shinzanken.
Beni-Enma:
...And a degree of immaturity in my four-fledged Oroshi attack, recklethly showing my strength in response to your provocationth...
Tepeu:
Not at all, Beni-Enma, you showed marvelous skill. Be it by gun or by blade, human tools are truly wondrous.
U-Olga Marie:
By the way, Fujimaru, have your Command Spells returned?
Rasputin:
Well now. That leaves one stroke remaining. Logically, the third Watcher of the Underworld will be holding it.
Beni-Enma:
To make use of Fujimaru's Command Spells wath absurd of that bat-man.
Beni-Enma:
But it did lodge power within Beni.
Beni-Enma:
It's a serious blow to only be able to stay in this Mictlan plathe as a Watcher of the Underworld,
Beni-Enma:
but it seemth I can grow older if I please, thankth to that.
Beni-Enma:
Everyone, please feel free to go ahead. There's no need to worry about Beni.
Beni-Enma:
If you want to cut down the coming enemy, you mutht put all your heart and soul into one swing of the blade.
Beni-Enma:
This will depend on me taking that to heart. In the next battle, you will bear witness to the disciple of Enma.
Fujimaru 1:
...?
Fujimaru 2:
What next battle?
Beni-Enma:
That's what makes it the next battle. Despite Alterization being off the table, Beni is still Watcher of the Underworld.
Beni-Enma:
And you are certain to face a titanic battle on this Underworld Border.
Beni-Enma:
To prepare for that time, Beni shall be here training. There are otherth here with whom to train!
Mash:
...?
Section 9: Lost City By The Water
B：Vendor Ocelotl:
A：Vendor Ocelotl:
C：Vendor Ocelotl:
A：Vendor Ocelotl:
C：Vendor Ocelotl:
B：Vendor Ocelotl:
Tepeu:
This is—dear me—
Fujimaru 1:
This place is just as busy as Uruk...!
Fujimaru 2:
It's just like the electronics district back home!
Mash:
Yes! There's more than 30,000 people—and that's just on the main avenue!
Koyanskaya:
It's quite the turnout, isn't it?
Koyanskaya:
There are 100,000 people living here in Mexico City right now. But those are just the warrior-class Ocelomeh.
Koyanskaya:
The non-combatant women and children build villages in the surrounding forest to support the main city.
Rasputin:
Hm. This is a town of commerce...or possibly a ritual site, rather?
Rasputin:
And it was always this way. Not a reconstruction of the past, like Chichen Itza is.
Rasputin:
Did they build such a metropolis from the ground up?
Koyanskaya:
No... Disappointing as it may be, the city itself was prepared by Tezcatlipoca.
Koyanskaya:
The Divine Spirit Tezcatlipoca. The Servant summoned by the Crypter Daybit.
Koyanskaya:
He bestowed urban civilization to the Ocelomeh, and revived Aztec mythology in Mictlan.
Koyanskaya:
This city does not follow Kukulkan's Doctrine of the Sun, but Tezcatlipoca's Smoking Mirror.
Koyanskaya:
The Ocelomeh can't match the deinos in strength, but are more adaptable and quite fertile—
Koyanskaya:
But the most important reason for their prosperity is their “fighting spirit”. The deinos don't have that.
U-Olga Marie:
...I get the fact that the Tezcatlipoca guy and the Ocelomeh are Chaldea's enemies, but...
U-Olga Marie:
That's a whole separate issue!
U-Olga Marie:
This city's pretty great! It's full of energy to “survive” and “improve”.
U-Olga Marie:
If anything, this color is closer to Mash and Fujimaru!
Tepeu:
...
Rasputin:
My lady. It's not very tactful for a politician to offend their supporters within earshot.
U-Olga Marie:
What are you talking about!? It's not like I'm saying the Ocelomeh are better than the deinos!
U-Olga Marie:
I made sure to call it a separate issue!
U-Olga Marie:
I mean, Tepeu's so smart and well-mannered, so he's a hundred times better in general!
Koyanskaya:
Well, do you have a general feel for the city yet?
Koyanskaya:
Then it's time to discuss what we came here for. The abducted Chaldea staff...
Koyanskaya:
Leonardo da Vinci, Sion Eltnam, the Heroic Spirit Nemo, and Kadoc.
Koyanskaya:
Where are these four being held? That should be our first objective.
Rasputin:
You mean to say, they might be held separately?
Rasputin:
My disguise techniques can give us the appearance of Ocelomeh, but it will not help us understand their language.
Mash:
Yes. The translator in Ortenaus can't seem to make sense of it either...
Rasputin:
Indeed. It seems we will be unable to gather information through conversation.
Rasputin:
Then we have no choice but to simply search for suspicious areas on foot.
Rasputin:
Some place well-guarded. Or perhaps where the presence of the Heroic Spirit Nemo can be sensed.
Rasputin:
Though if I were Tezcatlipoca, I'd have prepared a cell that would block such things from reaching the outside.
Fujimaru 1:
How about those two buildings in the center of town?
Mash:
The twin temples...? They're over sixty meters tall.
Mash:
There are paths from the rooftops, and what looks like an altar in the center...
Koyanskaya:
Right—that's the sacrificial altar. The sacred summit, where the hearts of those sacrificed are ripped out while still alive.
Koyanskaya:
But we can talk about that later. It's not all that important right now.
Koyanskaya:
By the way, those two temples are dedicated to the gods Tlaloc and Huitzilopochtli, respectively.
Koyanskaya:
Tezcatlipoca rests in the shrine of Huitzilopochtli.
Koyanskaya:
And the throne for the king of the Ocelomeh is in the temple of Tlaloc.
Koyanskaya:
Father Kotomine's disguise technique won't fool Tezcatlipoca.
Koyanskaya:
If we're found out, it's RIP for us. So don't go anywhere near the temples.
Note
After selecting one dialogue, it will lead into the exposition dump for the other choice.
Fujimaru 1:
Who's this Huitzilopochtli?
Fujimaru 2:
What about Daybit...?
Mash:
The tribal god of the Aztecs in Pan-Human History, and said to be god of the sun and of war.
Mash:
After the Aztecs lost their land and wandered Central America, he's the god who led them to Metzliapan, the Moon Lake.
Mash:
He is a war god who demands many sacrifices in order to move the sun.
Mash:
It's also said he wields the flaming serpent Xiuhcoatl in one hand, and that one of his legs is either a snake or a smoking mirror, depending on version,
Mash:
leading to belief that he is the version of the Mayan god Tezcatlipoca accepted by the Aztecs.
Fujimaru 1:
Does Xiuhcoatl...
Fujimaru 2:
...have something to do with Quetzalcoatl?
Mash:
Yes. He's said to be Quetzalcoatl's enemy since he abuses Xiuhcoatl as a weapon.
Fujimaru 1:
What about Daybit...?
Koyanskaya:
Daybit doesn't come to Mexico City very often.
Koyanskaya:
When I showed up here, he was always surveying ruins in the sea of trees.
Koyanskaya:
The city concerns...the war between the deinos and Ocelomeh, which he leaves to Tezcatlipoca.
Koyanskaya:
He's absorbed with fieldwork, like some kind of hobbyist.
Koyanskaya:
That man...I don't even know if he's taking his status as a Crypter seriously or not.
Koyanskaya:
Daybit doesn't come to Mexico City very often.
Koyanskaya:
When I showed up here, he was always surveying ruins in the sea of trees.
Koyanskaya:
The city concerns...the war between the deinos and Ocelomeh, which he leaves to Tezcatlipoca.
Koyanskaya:
He's absorbed with fieldwork, like some kind of hobbyist.
Koyanskaya:
That man...I don't even know if he's taking his status as a Crypter seriously or not.
U-Olga Marie:
Well, whatever. I guess we can just look around town.
U-Olga Marie:
It's the first time I've seen a humanoid mankind firsthand!
U-Olga Marie:
Be sure to explain everything, Fujimaru and Mash!
Rasputin:
Please wait, my lady.
Rasputin:
As we cannot gather information through discussion, effective personnel management is a necessity.
Rasputin:
In case of an unexpected turn of events, I must ask my lady and Tepeu to wait outside the city.
U-Olga Marie:
What!? Why!?
Tepeu:
It must be due to my large size.
Tepeu:
While I could don the disguise of an Ocelotl, I will unfortunately be jostling others in the crowd.
Tepeu:
Much like—
Mash:
Oh, that's right... Olga Marie's horns...
Fujimaru 1:
They're too wide...
U-Olga Marie:
But they haven't grown any. I feel like you're gradually losing respect for me.
Fujimaru 2:
Can't you trim those down a bit, Miss President?
U-Olga Marie:
Your first suggestion is mutilation?!
U-Olga Marie:
I've already compacted them as far as I can! They can't get any smaller!
Mash:
I'm very sorry, Olga Marie...this time it would more prudent for you to not go...
U-Olga Marie:
I suppose... The lives of our friends in Chaldea are at stake.
U-Olga Marie:
Very well. I will inspect the colony next time. —However...
U-Olga Marie:
Mash! Fujimaru! Make sure you survey the entire city!
U-Olga Marie:
If you're going to fight the Ocelomeh, then you have a responsibility to understand their culture, ideologies, and way of life!
U-Olga Marie:
You had no choice but to fight them without knowing anything before, but now you've got the opportunity to learn all about them!
U-Olga Marie:
Don't hide behind your ignorance like cowards! You're my special secretaries!
--ARROW--
Koyanskaya:
Now then, I'll investigate the backstreets adjacent to the main avenue. Worse comes to worst, we'll retreat by motorcycle♡
Rasputin:
I shall take a look around the temple. Not to worry, it will suffice to study the structure from a distance.
Rasputin:
I'd like you two to look around the main avenue. Don't forget to behave as though you were Ocelomeh.
Mash:
And so, here we are observing the main avenue.
Mash:
We don't understand the language of the Ocelomeh, so there's no way to listen to their conversations.
Fujimaru 1:
Habetrot's standing by in spirit form, isn't she?
Habetrot:
Yeah, there are no Ocelomeh kids in this city. I'd stick out if I were to materialize even if I used a disguise.
Habetrot:
But I'll pop on out and show them what I've got if there's an emergency. Don't either of you worry about it.
Fujimaru 2:
For now, let's move north to south along the main avenue.
Fujimaru 1:
One thing's for sure, it's bustling.
Fujimaru 2:
There are no jails, police stations, anything like that.
Mash:
Yes, it's been all stalls along the main avenue. Also...
Mash:
Don't you find the whole city overly animated?
Mash:
The masks they wear make it hard to make out their expressions, but every last one seems strangely agitated.
Fujimaru 1:
Now that you mention it...
Fujimaru 2:
It might be more frenzied than animated.
Mash:
I have a bad feeling about this... I'm worried about the safety of everyone who was abducted.
Mash:
It's risky, but there's no other way to get information but to talk with an Ocelotl—
Mash:
Oh?
???:
Whaaat!? You really won't let me trade for it!?
???:
But you said before the price was ten rattlesnakes! Oh, you don't need them? The ceremony is tomorrow?
???:
I see... So then all the required blood has been gathered... I can't argue with that...
???:
Aaah, but that hair ornament is so pretty! I worked so hard to trap these for it too...
Mash:
U-Um, Senpai. It's possible that I may have misheard—
Fujimaru 1:
Yeah, a Pan-Human language!
Fujimaru 2:
Excuse me, over there!
A：???:
Hm? Yes, what can I do for you? In any case, thank you for talking to—
A：???:
—
Mash:
So we didn't mishear! Pardon me, you just, I mean, that language.
O：Ocelotl:
—?
A：???:
Yes, shopkeep, not to worry. This is not the deinos tongue.
A：???:
It's a brand-new language used by Daybit, priest of Tezcatlipoca.
A：???:
There's a lot to remember, but it's more useful in that it conveys greater detail than Ocelotl cues.
A：???:
They'll be teaching it in the schools soon, so you'll have to wait until then.
O：Ocelotl:
, .
A：???:
Now, sorry for the late introduction, travellers! I'm Cuauhtli! And yourselves?
A：Cuauhtli:
I take it you learned the Pan-Human History language? Much like the King Izcalli?
Fujimaru 1:
—Izcalli—
Fujimaru 2:
...Yes, and you as well?
Cuauhtli:
Oh yes. It was a lot of work, but I picked it up right away since it was trendy!
Cuauhtli:
Amazing, aren't I? Don't I deserve praise? Hehe, I get so flustered hearing words of honest admiration!
Cuauhtli:
—So, why go out of your way to talk to me in the foreign language?
Cuauhtli:
Are they stepping up security for tomorrow's ceremony?
Cuauhtli:
Then it must be true what they say about the arrival of the conquering Chaldea warriors.
Cuauhtli:
But I'm sorry. I'm actually not a warrior, myself.
Cuauhtli:
I came to Mexico City today just to get that jade hair ornament.
Cuauhtli:
Begging your pardon, but I won't be participating in the sacrificial ceremony.
Cuauhtli:
I'm not so good at fighting. My specialty is more in reclaiming and cultivating land.
Mash:
(The female Ocelomeh live outside the city... just as Koyanskaya mentioned.)
Mash:
(What should we do, Master? She doesn't seem knowledgeable about Mexico City...)
Fujimaru 1:
Um...
Fujimaru 2:
I don't suppose we've met somewhere?
Cuauhtli:
Possibly. The seas of trees are deep, and visibility is often blocked.
Cuauhtli:
Maybe we've passed one another there, and you didn't even notice.
Cuauhtli:
Or maybe—
Cuauhtli:
You've travelled with “someone” who looks just like me? What a lovely coincidence, if so.
O：Ocelotl:
.
Cuauhtli:
Hm? You smell honey coming from [♂ him /♀️ her]? And if so, you'd like to trade for it?
Cuauhtli:
Umm... Let me ask you something. Do you have anything sweet on you?
Fujimaru 1:
Yeah, I do.
Fujimaru 2:
You mean this?
O：Ocelotl:
, ! , !
Mash:
You don't need words to understand. The stall vendor is so excited!
Mash:
He's gesturing for us to make a trade!
Fujimaru 1:
Okay, here.
O：Ocelotl:
! , !
Fujimaru 1:
And here.
Cuauhtli:
Huh? For me? May I ask what for?
Fujimaru 1:
That's what gifts are for.
Fujimaru 2:
It's fair when we won't meet anyone else like you.
Cuauhtli:
—I see. I suppose your kind do have that mindset.
Cuauhtli:
Fine, I'll gladly take it!! ¡I've never received a present from a human before!
Cuauhtli:
Let me share a little useful information out of gratitude.
Cuauhtli:
The Chaldea conquerors brought here by King Izcalli and Tezcatlipoca will be used tomorrow.
Cuauhtli:
They were chosen to be sacrificed to the sun because of their special blood.
Cuauhtli:
So you'd better get prepared if you want to save them.
Cuauhtli:
It'll mean doing battle face-to-face with 100,000 Ocelomeh.
Cuauhtli:
I trust you can put that wisdom of yours to use, Fujimaru of Pan-Human History?
Fujimaru 1:
...! How do you know my name!?
Fujimaru 2:
Wait...!
Mash:
...I'm sorry...I lost sight of the woman calling herself Cuauhtli...
Mash:
She wasn't particularly fast, but she moved through the crowd like a breeze.
Fujimaru 1:
It could be that nobody could catch her.
Fujimaru 2:
For now, let's go back to the campsite.
Mash:
Yes. If what she said is true, then there isn't a moment to lose.
Mash:
Let's hurry and meet with everyone to form a plan!
U-Olga Marie:
Chaldea is going to be sacrificed!? How can they just pull out hearts from the living...?
U-Olga Marie:
For what the hell kind of crime!? I wouldn't even go that far over presidential defamation!
Rasputin:
Not so, my lady. Human sacrifice is not meant to punish the guilty.
Rasputin:
The Aztecs held the offering of hearts to be holy. It could not be subjected to the sinful.
Rasputin:
Sacrifices were chosen by warriors from other tribes who had lost battles, or those who had been raised for that purpose.
U-Olga Marie:
I know all about human sacrifices! It's no different from executing prisoners!
U-Olga Marie:
Shame on them as statesmen for wishing for their nation's prosperity at the expense of outsiders!
Fujimaru 1:
(U-Olga Marie is genuinely upset...)
Mash:
Yes. She's seriously angry over the welfare of those who have been taken captive.
Fujimaru 2:
Thank you, on everyone's behalf.
U-Olga Marie:
Hmph... This rage comes from disappointment.
U-Olga Marie:
Disappointment in myself for giving the Ocelomeh four stars for building such a fine city.
Tepeu:
...Begging your pardon. May I ask a question?
Tepeu:
Why do they perform sacrifices? Did this also occur in Pan-Human History?
Tepeu:
I know the priority right now is to discuss the rescue of the four captured Chaldea personnel...
Rasputin:
No, that question is a clue to understanding the Ocelomeh. In turn, it will be an important key to rescuing the hostages.
Rasputin:
It's not a pointless question, Tepeu. Besides, I had a question for you as well.
Rasputin:
So this works out. Let me explain a little about the meaning of human sacrifice in the Aztec civilization.
Rasputin:
Would you like to know as well, Fujimaru?
Fujimaru 1:
Okay.
Fujimaru 2:
I think we ought to know.
Rasputin:
Then I will be brief.
Rasputin:
The civilizations of Central and South America include not only the Mayans and Aztecs, but also the more ancient Olmecs, Zapotecs, and others.
Rasputin:
While the last mythos to come from Mesoamerica is that of the Aztecs,
Rasputin:
it has been strongly influenced by the Mayan mythology, which itself has elements from Olmec myths.
Rasputin:
Myths in the current Latin America aren't exclusive to each tribe or civilization.
Rasputin:
I believe there to be a “memory of creation” that has been passed down through the generations to all who live in this land.
Koyanskaya:
Memories... Something like the images that the jungle ingrains in its people?
Rasputin:
Yes. On such a vast land, their tribes had continued to quarrel as part of their daily routine.
Rasputin:
The creation myth cannot easily have its purpose twisted by the greed of us humans...or rather, have arbitrary meanings assigned to it.
Rasputin:
They added to the myths as they experienced them, gazing at the swirling darkness in the jungle and reaching concessions.
Mash:
Compared to those of other regions, American mythologies tend to have a more disjointed chronology.
Mash:
Different names may carry the same meaning. To begin with, the ways in which they perceive time may be unique.
Mash:
Although they remain documented, it's difficult to organize them without contradictions.
Mash:
Because they're not accounts of human intellectual activity,
Mash:
but of lands, phenomena, or things born from a higher perspective...correct?
Rasputin:
It is. The people of the region did not keep large livestock, use carts, or ride animals.
Rasputin:
Despite possessing the knowledge to build them. A civilization whose standard of living improves easily...
Rasputin:
It can only be assumed that they themselves forbade humans to grow greater than the jungle itself.
Rasputin:
On the other hand, they had an unusual interest in astronomy.
Rasputin:
Its accuracy was foremost among the ancient civilizations. They had a very strong interest and respect for the universe—
Rasputin:
And they were fearful. Why? It should be obvious.
Rasputin:
Because their ancestors were the victims of a threat from the cosmos.
Rasputin:
They sensed the American continent's memory of the world being destroyed by a foreign object from space.
Rasputin:
In Aztec mythology, the world has met with destruction many times.
Rasputin:
Fujimaru. Do you know how many times that has happened?
Fujimaru 1:
Where that's concerned, I think—
Fujimaru 2:
(Mash's explanation said...)
Rasputin:
Yes, five times. Four, to be precise. But the fifth is the “present” relative to the Aztec mythos.
Rasputin:
There are many myths about the world itself perishing. But the loop of destruction, rebirth, destruction again, rebirth again...
Rasputin:
This is unique to the Aztec mythology.
Rasputin:
The Aztec lands... Central America has clear memories of extinction and rebirth, and its people took those memories as a moral precept.
Tepeu:
I see. If something occurred over and over again, you'd surely learn from it and plan ahead.
Tepeu:
Then the learning side would be astronomy, and the plan would be this “human sacrifice”?
Rasputin:
Indeed. The Aztec civilization believed the world would be destroyed once every 52 years.
Tepeu:
Years?
Rasputin:
This is the day the two calendars coincide–the solar calendar, xiuhpōhualli, and the ritual calendar, tōnalpōhualli.
Rasputin:
At this time, the sun loses its radiance, and the world is plunged into darkness.
Rasputin:
This is the destruction of the Aztec world.
Rasputin:
And on this night, the Aztec people...held a grand ceremony in the capital city of Tenochtitlan.
Rasputin:
The populace were holed away in their homes, praying for the return of the sun while fearing tomorrow wouldn't arrive.
Rasputin:
In response to the people's wishes and frenzy, the Aztec priests pull the heart from the living sacrifice and offer it to the altar.
Rasputin:
So then does the sun gain the vitality to sustain the world “another 52 years”, rendering the world reborn.
Rasputin:
The human sacrifice ceremonies are neither an offering to the gods, nor a means of controlling the people.
Rasputin:
They are a wish to grant the world rebirth.
Rasputin:
Aztec mythology does not consider that the world can be saved from doom.
Rasputin:
Destruction is sure to come.
Rasputin:
The common understanding of the region's people was that doom was inevitable.
Rasputin:
A worldview based on the sun and doom. Meaning that the more this was accepted, the more difficult it was to live off the land.
Tepeu:
I can scarcely believe it. All you people of Pan-Human History I've met have been so calm and rational.
Tepeu:
Did no one protest such fanaticism, that is...
Tepeu:
Did no one protest that the sun could in fact operate independently of humanity?
Rasputin:
In the world of the Aztecs, it was reality.
Rasputin:
Only those living in that world at that time are in a position to argue otherwise. We can only document and not forget.
Rasputin:
Though personally...I think that it was real magecraft.
Rasputin:
The rejection of their sacrificial ceremonies led to the Aztec empire's destruction. Their mythology and world were doomed.
Koyanskaya:
Huh? Is that really a fact? Is this some revolutionary interpretation?
Rasputin:
On a mythological level, Koyanskaya.
Rasputin:
Tezcatlipoca and Quetzalcoatl. I mentioned before that these two gods were adversaries...
Rasputin:
I've yet to mention what put them at odds. Has what I've said made it clear?
Rasputin:
What they were in conflict over was— Yes, Fujimaru?
Fujimaru 1:
Pro wrestling and pistols?
Rasputin:
...Just what kind of Quetzalcoatl have you met? Some relation to Lady Forklift?
Rasputin:
Well, it isn't surprising the good god Quetzalcoatl would celebrate the people currently living in his land and the culture flourishing there,
Rasputin:
rather than the particular race that once worshipped him. However, the correct answer is the sacrifice ceremonies.
Fujimaru 2:
The human sacrifice ceremonies?
Rasputin:
Quetzalcoatl was the sole Aztec deity to oppose the human sacrifice system.
Rasputin:
On the other hand, Tezcatlipoca is on the supporting side. This conflict is a fair expression of the two gods' natures.
Rasputin:
Tezcatlipoca strictly protects the land and teachings of the native peoples of Latin America.
Rasputin:
Quetzalcoatl is a free spirit who shatters stereotypes and believes the people's lives should be more stable.
Rasputin:
The Aztec empire was flourishing during the 16th century landing—
Rasputin:
The Spaniards were astonished when seeing the jewel-like Tenochtitlan up close, the most elevated waterside city on earth.
Rasputin:
“There is no city of the water as remarkable as this in all the world. And yet—”
Rasputin:
“How can the state religion allow such a horrifying, primitive practice as human sacrifice?”
Rasputin:
To the Spaniards, Tezcatlipoca was a wicked god for approving of the sacrifices,
Rasputin:
and Quetzalcoatl, who refused the sacrifices, was recognized as a good god.
Rasputin:
Incidentally, we know that the then-king of Tenochtitlan, Moctezuma II...
Rasputin:
...extended an open invitation to Hernán Cortés, leader of the Spaniards...
Rasputin:
...and Moctezuma's future conqueror, into the capital.
Rasputin:
But why did he invite Hernán Cortés?
Rasputin:
“Hernán Cortés is the god Quetzalcoatl, now returned from exile.”
Rasputin:
They say that on account of the stories passed down, but it's somewhat peculiar.
Rasputin:
The gods worshipped in Tenochtitlan were Tlaloc, the rain god, and Huitzilopochtli, the tribal god.
Rasputin:
Would the king be so hasty as to welcome Quetzalcoatl, a dissenter of the sacrifice ceremonies?
Mash:
Now that you mention it...it's certainly odd.
Mash:
Moctezuma II is said to have been tricked by Hernán Cortés...
Mash:
It's a wild notion, but imagining the other side of it, if I had wanted to make use of Hernán Cortés...
Rasputin:
He did. According to the records, Moctezuma II was a frail man compared to the intrepid kings before him.
Rasputin:
But he had wisdom, a tolerance for human rights, and most of all, an excellent imagination to imagine the future of the Aztec empire.
Rasputin:
His view was that as matters stood, the Aztec empire would be destroyed by the other tribes.
Rasputin:
Perhaps he hoped to adopt the culture of an outside power—the Spaniards.
Rasputin:
To do so, it was necessary to subvert the sacrificial culture at its root. “The second coming of Quetzalcoatl”...
Rasputin:
as Hernán Cortés was styled, was a weapon that had fallen into Moctezuma's lap.
Rasputin:
And so, the king invited in his conqueror, knowing the harm this presented, but was defeated in deception due to unforeseen factors.
Rasputin:
Hernán Cortés was a guest, completely ignorant of the land and the local culture.
Rasputin:
King Moctezuma must have thought it would be simple to manipulate such a man.
Rasputin:
But Hernán Cortés already had a meeting with Lady Luck.
Rasputin:
An indigenous woman named La Malinche.
Rasputin:
Formerly the daughter of a city's noble family, she was sold to a hostile tribe, becoming a slave.
Rasputin:
Having had a noble's education, La Malinche found it easy to learn the Spanish language.
Rasputin:
She taught Hernán Cortés languages, culture, and provided detailed research and reports on the Aztec empire's weaknesses.
Rasputin:
As a result, King Moctezuma was the one deceived by Hernán Cortés.
Rasputin:
The Aztec empire was defeated by the Spanish empire.
Rasputin:
It's said to be a miraculous victory of 600 Spanish cavalry against 200,000 Aztec soldiers.
Rasputin:
When in fact, it was La Malinche who destroyed the Aztec empire, and a coalition of surrounding tribes...
Rasputin:
...who had been subjected by the empire to many bitter hardships.
Rasputin:
—Of course, those tribes were destroyed as well by the Spaniards, following the collapse of the Aztec empire.
Tepeu:
I see...
Tepeu:
The king's desire to end the sacrificial ceremonies led to the Aztec empire's doom...
Tepeu:
As a result, their culture met its end there. By contradiction, the sacrificial ceremonies did have meaning.
Rasputin:
Albeit barring the moral and human rights perspectives.
Rasputin:
The sacrificial ceremonies that went on since the Age of Myths—the Mystery of sending light into the early dawn.
Rasputin:
At that time, their sun was destroyed.
F：Rasputin:
Now my question for you, Tepeu. Has the sun ever disappeared here in Mictlan?
Fujimaru 1:
...!
Fujimaru 2:
(Oh, now I see the point.)
Tepeu:
—. —
Tepeu:
Yes, it has.
Tepeu:
I didn't witness it personally, but once, long ago, the sun was lost as Malla became dimmed.
Tepeu:
We deinos called it the “night of terror”. The sun disappeared and night went on for a very long time.
F：Rasputin:
Hmm...then that gives credence to the rituals of the Ocelomeh. There is a precedent for the loss of the sun in Mictlan.
F：Rasputin:
They wholeheartedly revived the Aztec civilization of Pan-Human History. Stopping the sacrificial ceremony itself will be difficult.
Koyanskaya:
If handled poorly, it means war with 100,000 Ocelomeh. I wonder if us conquerors stand any chance at all?
F：Rasputin:
It would require rescuing the hostages while everyone's eyes are on the ceremony, and escape thereupon.
F：Rasputin:
...Incidentally, Tepeu, is there anyone who knows more about this “night of terror”?
Tepeu:
It is something only passed down orally among the priests. We only know it once happened.
Tepeu:
The only ones who could know more are Kukulkan, and the observatory's...
Tepeu:
Never mind.
Tepeu:
The Solar Itinerancy on the throne of Chichen Itza may have a detailed description.
F：Rasputin:
I understand. Perhaps then, if there is an opportunity.
Rasputin:
Apologies for the wait, Chaldeans, onto the issue at hand.
Rasputin:
Tomorrow, a sacrificial ceremony will be performed, using the people from Chaldea.
Rasputin:
We must do all we can to rescue the prisoners before the ceremony.
Rasputin:
There is one truly harrowing fact you should be aware of.
Rasputin:
The venue for their imprisonment is the basement in the temple of the god Tlaloc.
Rasputin:
You can only imagine how many Ocelomeh are stationed all around the site.
Rasputin:
Drawing close would be difficult enough, never mind affecting a rescue.
Koyanskaya:
So you've already located them? No wonder you took your time with the lecture on sacrifice.
Koyanskaya:
By the look of you, you've even come up with a plan. Well, I think we may be of a like mind.
Rasputin:
Indeed. Infiltrating the temple today would be impossible, but tomorrow will be a different story.
Rasputin:
The Aztec sacrificial ceremony from Pan-Human History...the festival for the world's rebirth, Toxiuhmolpilia.
Rasputin:
It's said that all the people will stop fighting and fall to the ground to pray for the ceremony's success.
Rasputin:
The Ocelomeh should be no different. If anything, the warriors outside will be participating.
Rasputin:
Expect there to be some soldiers in the temple, still. Fujimaru can handle them.
Rasputin:
In short...
Fujimaru 1:
Just before tomorrow's ceremony, we sneak in to mount the rescue!
Rasputin:
Correct. I'm sure the infiltration routes and other preliminary details can be handled tonight by the crafty bunny there.
Rasputin:
We shall replenish our strength and make for the temple at dawn. How does that sound?
Koyanskaya:
I suppose there's no room for debate. There may be no other way.
Koyanskaya:
Very well. Leave it to me to secure your way in.
Koyanskaya:
You're all welcome to stay and chat. On the honor of NFF Services, I will open up a safe route for you.
--ARROW--
Izcalli:
The watchfires are lit on the main avenue... it'll soon be a year since the ritual began.
Izcalli:
So this is to be my last look at the aquaduct dividing the city and the clear, blue Lunar Path.
Tlaloc:
To think you'd be going out alone on a sunless night.
Tlaloc:
You can only afford to be so careless, Izcalli. I wonder if you've forgotten that you're a king?
Izcalli:
Great Tlaloc!? No, of course I haven't.
Izcalli:
This is Mexico City's consecrated grounds. Heights that only kings, gods, and sacrifices are allowed to enter.
Izcalli:
No miscreants shall set foot here. I can ensure that on my own.
Izcalli:
More importantly...why assume that form? You look just like those humans from Pan-Human History...
Tlaloc:
Don't worry about it... I'm only doing this to match my brother's style.
Tlaloc:
“If you want to protect Mexico City, prove you're trying to blend in with civilization.”
Tlaloc:
He'd say that people hate old-fashioned gods. That the Ocelomeh would call me outdated.
Izcalli:
No. I have no complaints against your usual appearance, Tlaloc.
Izcalli:
Mictlan deserves to see you embody the blessed rains, as well as the death caused by the flooding rivers.
Tlaloc:
You're right... This is the Mictlan of the Lostbelt.
Tlaloc:
It's nothing like the lenient Mictlan of Pan-Human History. Only those who fight may survive.
Tlaloc:
Do you know how Aztec mythology defines paradise, Izcalli?
Tlaloc:
The ones who went to Mictlan were those who were not warriors.
Tlaloc:
It was a world where those, regardless of good and evil, who died of natural causes rather than death in battle went.
Tlaloc:
The exact opposite of this Mictlan. At the very least, that would be the case for those Ocelomeh.
Izcalli:
Yes. Ocelomeh are all valiant warriors. Their deaths in battle are offerings to mighty Tezcatlipoca.
Izcalli:
And that's where the Aztecs of Pan-Human History went wrong. It is not merely a ceremony of rebirth.
Izcalli:
Sacrificial ceremonies carried out daily. Offerings to the gods in exchange for rain,
Izcalli:
carving out the hearts of non-warriors and dyeing this beautiful city in their blood.
Izcalli:
Their main avenue was constantly drenched in blood. There was never a time when the Lunar Path wasn't dyed crimson either.
Izcalli:
—How foolish. Their foolishness knew no bounds. What exactly did they hope to achieve with the blood of ignorant slaves!?
Izcalli:
But we're different. We don't shed blood needlessly. We carve out only the organs of the strong.
Izcalli:
Only powerful organs will suffice in reviving the god.
Izcalli:
And we will soon reach the numbers demanded of us. The mage of Chaldea and the outstanding artificial human.
Izcalli:
Their hearts are rarer than those of the deinos.
Izcalli:
Worthy to serve as the final step towards the resurrection of the true Tezcatlipoca.
Tlaloc:
The hearts of the deinos we gathered were sent down to the lowest layer of Mictlan via the Lunar Path...
Tlaloc:
Has my brother told you about what kind of place the lowest layer is?
Izcalli:
Yes. There slumbers a weapon capable of destroying Pan-Human History.
Izcalli:
One year ago, Tezcatlipoca ascended from the lowest layer to the fifth layer here, bestowing weapons upon us.
Izcalli:
All so that he could return to the lowest layer in a year's time, obtain that weapon, and destroy Pan-Human History.
Izcalli:
We are guided by that will. To exterminate the deinos and dominate Mictlan—
Izcalli:
We of Mexico City will succeed the fools from Pan-Human History as the new mankind.
Tlaloc:
You're right, more or less...
Tlaloc:
Very well, Izcalli. You who lack hesitation. The Tezcatlipoca in human flesh, whose growth has taken a year.
Tlaloc:
Ensure that tomorrow's ceremony goes off without a hitch. The price of failure will be your death. Remember that well.
Izcalli:
Of course, I shall live up to your expectations, O Tlaloc. I swear I will destroy the world of Pan-Human History.
Izcalli:
If Chaldea has anyone with guts left, they'll show up to interrupt the ceremony.
Izcalli:
A magus should qualify as a sacrifice. We'll behead both of them at the altar.
Izcalli:
Their beating hearts will be offered up to you, goddess. And to Tezcatlipoca.
Tlaloc:
...Even though they bested you once? Has your deathlessness made you arrogant, Izcalli?
Tlaloc:
You were struck by lightning back at the Storm Border, and I was the one who picked up your charred body as it floated down the river.
Tlaloc:
So repay that debt, and answer me truthfully. Are you or are you not underestimating Pan-Human History?
Izcalli:
—I'm belittling them. But that doesn't mean I'm underestimating them.
Izcalli:
They are but novices who lose their composure at seeing their companions die before them. As a warrior, I cannot understand their feelings.
Izcalli:
They intend to kill hostiles like us, yet they are not prepared for the death of their own—
Izcalli:
I've never felt such hatred before. The humans of Pan-Human History are far too repulsive.
Izcalli:
Since I was raised to become Tezcatlipoca, their civilization is one unworthy of my acknowledgement.
Tlaloc:
I see... You won't acknowledge them, yet you remain hateful of them.
Izcalli:
Tlaloc?
Tlaloc:
Just talking to myself. But if you heard me, then think about what I meant.
Izcalli:
Ah—umm, please wait, great Tlaloc.
Tlaloc:
What?
Izcalli:
Urrr...is your forehead fine? After being shot by Tezcatlipoca, I mean.
Izcalli:
If it hurts, I can fetch some medicine for you right away—
Tlaloc:
—No need for that. Like he said, I'm a sturdy one.
Tlaloc:
You're to be Tezcatlipoca, so I'd deduct points for that empathy. But I'll keep this a secret from my brother.
Sion:
As expected, the comms aren't working. This entire building appears to be on consecrated ground.
Sion:
Quite the powerful Divine Spirit must reside here... no, that alone doesn't explain this jamming.
Sion:
It's almost like we're in a different world...like we're inside a creature...
Sion:
Or like being in a spacecraft that's jamming radio waves...
Sion:
Are you listening, Kadoc!? Just how much longer are you going to sulk?
Sion:
The sacrifice happens tomorrow, alright!? We need to hurry!
Kadoc:
I'm not sulking. I'm just preserving my stamina!
Kadoc:
The one thing I realized after enough investigation is that escape is impossible. So we've got no choice but to wait it out.
Kadoc:
If by any chance they...no, they'll definitely come to our rescue...
Kadoc:
Well, I don't want to slow them down by being exhausted when that time comes.
Kadoc:
...I'm worried about Da Vinci and Nemo since they're in a different cell, but there's nothing I can do right now.
Kadoc:
All we can do is sleep and wait for our ragtag team of intruders—
Kadoc:
See, I told you. They made it—
Daybit:
Sorry, but I'm probably not who you were expecting.
Kadoc:
Daybit!?
Kadoc:
Well...this shouldn't come as a surprise. This is your Lostbelt.
Kadoc:
You didn't waste time in attacking the Border once it crashed. I knew you wouldn't.
Kadoc:
In our previous meeting, you were competing with Beryl, saying things like “killing is a rare experience”.
Kadoc:
Though I didn't expect you to arm the Lostbelt natives with guns and raise an army.
Daybit:
My Servant acted independently of me when he visited your ship.
Daybit:
I was elsewhere, attending to another matter. I just got back to Mexico City.
Daybit:
Having said that, the result would've been the same even if I were present. Although I would have opted to kill you all instead of taking you prisoner.
Sion:
So this person is Daybit Sem Void...
Sion:
Pleased to meet you. I am one of Chaldea's collaborators, the name's Sion Eltnam Sokaris.
Daybit:
How rude of me to have you name yourself. You can just call me Daybit.
Daybit:
You are the mediator between the Wandering Sea and Chaldea, the one who provides them with their Anti-Alien God weaponry, correct?
Daybit:
I've memorized your name and face. You're someone I should definitely kill.
Daybit:
I'm not as gifted as Wodime was, but my memory is second to none.
Daybit:
If we ever share the same space again, I'll go straight for you. I promise.
Sion:
Oh, okay.
Sion:
(Woah, that was a death threat just now, wasn't it, Kadoc?)
Kadoc:
(If you consider that a proposal, then you're some nutjob.—More importantly...)
Kadoc:
You said “again”, which means you're not going to kill us now. But why? You're the only Crypter left.
Kadoc:
Unlike Kirschtaria, you haven't turned against the Alien God.
Kadoc:
You have no reason to spare the Chaldeans, or a defector like me, for that matter.
Daybit:
Tezcatlipoca was the one who captured you. Not me.
Daybit:
He has his own ideas and objectives. An absentee like me has no business interfering with him.
Daybit:
—Although I guess you could say he beat me to it.
Daybit:
He's the type of person who'd leave without saying a thing. And before you know it, he comes back out of the blue,
Daybit:
all, “Oh, sorry, but I spent all your money,” like nothing happened.
Sion:
(Does that count as domestic violence?)
Kadoc:
Huh. So that means you and your Servant aren't on good terms. Then the reason you're not killing us right now is because...
Kadoc:
You're afraid of Tezcatlipoca, am I right?
Daybit:
Sure. He's quite the Servant, that one.
Daybit:
In a single year, he established the rules of Pan-Human History in a Mictlan dominated by extraterrestrial life.
Daybit:
Truth be told, Mexico City belongs to him.
Daybit:
He summoned the temple, raised the Ocelomeh, built this city, and chose its king.
Daybit:
I am merely Tezcatlipoca's summoner.
Daybit:
If Chaldea is intent on fighting this Lostbelt,
Daybit:
then I'm not the enemy you ought to defeat. That would be Tezcatlipoca.
Sion:
So I assume you have no interest in this Lostbelt, Daybit?
Sion:
Do you not mind if Chaldea purges this Lostbelt?
Daybit:
An immediate purge would be an issue, but I wouldn't get in your way if you did it ten days from now.
Sion:
I see. So it'd throw a spanner in the works should Chaldea cut down the Fantasy Tree within that timeframe?
Daybit:
If you can do it, that is. Personally, I don't mind either way—
Daybit:
But since Wodime saw it through to the end, I will also carry out my Order.
Kadoc:
Don't be ridiculous... Kirschtaria couldn't see anything through.
Kadoc:
He was betrayed by Beryl at the very end, and lost his life.
Daybit:
I'm not talking about the outcome. I'm talking about the determination.
Daybit:
He didn't act under the presumption that his plan was bound to succeed.
Daybit:
The only thing that kept his dying body going was his determination to do so.
Daybit:
He did not lose it, even in the very end. He may have been frustrated, but he bore no regrets.
Daybit:
—You could say he saw it through to the end, even if the ideal he sought didn't come to fruition.
Kadoc:
Sure... I guess you're right...
Daybit:
We got off topic. Let's get back to it. We don't have much time left today.
Daybit:
Here's my question, Kadoc. Why didn't you bring along your own Servant?
Daybit:
You're a Master. It would be trivial for you to use a Servant to escape from this cell.
Kadoc:
There's no way I'd have one. I defected from the Crypters.
Kadoc:
Chaldea wouldn't give me permission to summon a Servant, and I'm not about to ask either.
Daybit:
You're missing the point. Why don't you use what you already possess?
Kadoc:
Huh?
Daybit:
Good grief...what a carefree man you are. No wonder Peperoncino couldn't leave you be.
Daybit:
You still have the Greater Command Spell, the Sirius Light.
Daybit:
A spell generating significantly higher amounts of magical energy than a Command Spell. A detonator that amplifies the spellcaster's Magic Circuits for an instant.
Daybit:
If a Crypter activates their Sirus Light, they will die. After all, they implode once they do so.
Daybit:
The Greater Command Spell is a bomb. An insurance that Marisbury prepared so that an Order can be completed—
Daybit:
should a Crypter in their Rayshift destination fail their mission. Even if it meant annihilating the entire region to do so.
Daybit:
Fortunately for them, Ophelia was on the verge of death. She died before the Sirius Light could fully activate.
Daybit:
If Ophelia had used her Greater Command Spell prior to her fatal injury,
Daybit:
the Chaldean survivors and the Shadow Border would've been annihilated entirely.
Kadoc:
I kind of figured that would be the case... Beryl was there to make sure we used our Sirius Lights, wasn't he?
Kadoc:
He would forcibly activate the Sirius Light of any Crypter who tried to flee the Singularity out of fear for their life.
Kadoc:
In doing so, the distortion from the Singularity would be resolved. Which is why there were seven Crypters.
Kadoc:
Marisbury never believed we could handle the Human Order Restoration from the start.
Daybit:
—True. That was his plan from the beginning.
Kadoc:
Hmph. So you're saying I should use my Sirius Light here and blow us both up?
Daybit:
That's one option, but Da Vinci and Nemo are in the adjacent temple.
Daybit:
If you're fine with that, then I won't stop you... although I wouldn't recommend it.
Daybit:
The Sirius Light is indeed a bomb, but it can also be an ace in the hole for a Master.
Daybit:
It offers you a chance to direct otherwise impossible commands at your Servant.
Daybit:
As I mentioned in Ophelia's case, the Sirius Light won't cause an implosion if you commit suicide right after using it.
Daybit:
Basically, the two options are to either die, or achieve your goal before you die. The rest is up to you, Kadoc.
Kadoc:
...Is that all!? What did you even come here for!?
Daybit:
Isn't that obvious? To confirm the enemy's capabilities.
Daybit:
Since I can't kill you right now, it's the least I should do.
Sion:
Yeah, no way. This is far beyond what I had imagined.
Sion:
He was right in front of me, yet it didn't feel real. I couldn't even comprehend what he was talking about!
Sion:
I'm amazed you could be on the same team as something like that, Kadoc.
Sion:
It's like talking to a gaping hole in the world, isn't it?
Kadoc:
Yeah...that was how I felt at first too.
Kadoc:
But in spite of his looks, he's actually good at looking after others. He's tactful and knows how to read the room.
Kadoc:
He only says things that are necessary for everyone. Which—
Kadoc:
(Which is why that information about the Sirius Light holds meaning... He's telling me to think—about how and where to use it.)
Kadoc:
Sion, I've got a favor to ask. About what we just discussed...
Sion:
Dear me...I get it. No worries. You're asking me to keep quiet about using the Sirius Light, aren't you?
Sion:
I would like to object, but it's true that I couldn't remove the thing from you, Kadoc...
Sion:
So let's make this our little secret. I mean, even I know when to keep my peace!
--ARROW--
Fujimaru 1:
...
Fujimaru 1:
...
Fujimaru 1:
...
U-Olga Marie:
Looks like you can't sleep. How foolish of you, Fujimaru!
U-Olga Marie:
Are you that worried about our rescue mission tomorrow!?
Fujimaru 1:
O-Of course I'm not!
Fujimaru 2:
Not so loud, you're gonna wake everyone up!
U-Olga Marie:
Don't worry, it's alright. Don't sweat it. The mental activity of caring for one's companions has a beautiful spiral shape to it. I approve of this color.
U-Olga Marie:
However, I cannot overlook the fact that this is preventing you from resting!
U-Olga Marie:
Umm, good things come to those who wait? Wait, no...a good night's sleep makes for a healthy child?
U-Olga Marie:
Anyway, you need to get some sleep before the big day! Am I wrong!? And if you can't do that—
U-Olga Marie:
Then I'll take care of it for you. I just have to tire you out, don't I?
U-Olga Marie:
Leave it to me, it's super simple. This is my first time doing it, but I'm sure it'll be smooth sailing.
Fujimaru 1:
Wait, stop. Stop, Miss President!
Fujimaru 2:
This is DEFINITELY a bad idea!
U-Olga Marie:
Now empty your head and surrender yourself to the cosmos!
U-Olga Marie:
Opening channel! Programme name, President: Earth!
U-Olga Marie:
Now, go and witness hell within my mindscape!
--BATTLE--
U-Olga Marie:
Heh heh heh. What do you make of this splendid simulation of mine?
Fujimaru 1:
WHAT A SHITTY GAME!!!
U-Olga Marie:
N-No way, I spent a whole day balancing it!
U-Olga Marie:
Tell me exactly where I went wrong!
Fujimaru 1:
You and I were just being lovey-dovey, Madam President.
U-Olga Marie:
okfsjkvhbnuseiovas!? W-W-W-We did no such thing!
U-Olga Marie:
My genre of choice was action! I even got us virtual enemies and everything!
Fujimaru 2:
It was shittier than the shittiest movie I've seen...
U-Olga Marie:
T-That's one heck of a sad color on your face...!?
U-Olga Marie:
Grr...just you wait and see, I'll come up with an even more fun battle!
Fujimaru 1:
Putting that aside, could it be that you...
U-Olga Marie:
Hmph...so you understood what I was getting at.
U-Olga Marie:
The last enemy I set up was a recreation of the Divine Spirit Tlaloc that I heard about on the Storm Border.
U-Olga Marie:
You will most likely be fighting against her tomorrow. Which is why I let you get some practice beforehand.
U-Olga Marie:
The ceaseless floods. The river's flow that keeps you from moving an inch.
U-Olga Marie:
Such a mistake wouldn't have happened if I had been there, but there's no telling when a battle's about to break out.
U-Olga Marie:
But having experienced that once also means you can take countermeasures against it, right? After all, you're not one to lose a rematch.
U-Olga Marie:
So it's either a Servant who's constantly floating or a Servant who can withstand such currents....
U-Olga Marie:
Either way, I expect you to win, Fujimaru.
Fujimaru 1:
Thanks, Miss President...
U-Olga Marie:
Sure, it's the least I could do...
Fujimaru 2:
Thank you, Director...
U-Olga Marie:
Not that again... I'm a President, not a Director.
U-Olga Marie:
It's a far cry from the Head of State title...but for some reason, I don't dislike it.
Tepeu:
Just woke up.
U-Olga Marie:
Tepeu!? You were awake!?
Tepeu:
Yes. But it's nothing to be surprised about. Mash is eavesdropping from over there too.
U-Olga Marie:
Fine then! If none of you can sleep,
U-Olga Marie:
then I'll send you all into my simulated space! You'd better be prepared for exactly zero shut-eye tonight!
Fujimaru 1:
You're putting the cart before the horse!!!
Fujimaru 2:
I've had enough of hardcore games!!!
Section 10: Day of ORT
Mash:
The main avenue's packed. You can feel a different sort of energy emanating from the city compared to yesterday.
Koyanskaya:
Yes. That swell of theirs almost feels like a trance.
Koyanskaya:
The sacrificial ceremony is, for the Ocelomeh, both a sacred act and their greatest entertainment.
Koyanskaya:
We'd be seeing an immediate bloodbath if there were any deinos present.
Koyanskaya:
These people truly desire a sacrifice whom on which they can enact retribution. As they are right now, a massacre could break out without hesitation.
Tepeu:
Father Kotomine. Is my disguise functioning properly?
Rasputin:
Fear not, there's no one who wouldn't see you as an Ocelotl.
Rasputin:
You should be safe so long as you take into account the differences between them and you, such as bumping your head or limbs into their buildings.
Rasputin:
I take it you understand as well, my lady. Take care to not scrape against the walls like a cat does with its claws.
U-Olga Marie:
I have done no such thing. Though I may have scratched it a teeny-tiny bit.
Habetrot:
We can talk later! We can head straight for the temple once we pass this place, right?
Habetrot:
It'll be too late once the sacrificial ceremony begins. We need to rescue them ASAP!
Koyanskaya:
Worry not, for the ceremony follows a procedure. At present, the priests are conducting prayers offered to the sun.
Koyanskaya:
The Ocelomeh gather on the main avenue, to add their own prayers to those of the priests.
Koyanskaya:
Once that has reached its climax, the sacrifices are brought to the point connecting the two temples... to that altar.
Koyanskaya:
We should have two more hours before that happens. I've seen this ceremony happen here before♡
Tepeu:
The same ceremony? Was it a deinos who was sacrificed back then?
Koyanskaya:
Yes. What of it? Do you wish to exact vengeance upon the Ocelomeh?
Tepeu:
No, not really. But I do find it rather terrifying.
Fujimaru 1:
Terrifying...?
Tepeu:
Yes. I have heard that they dismember deinos, and utilize their organs for a variety of purposes.
Tepeu:
So I have no unpleasant feelings in particular about the hearts of deinos being used in ceremonies. However...
Tepeu:
Even in a city as spacious as Mexico City, vibrant with culture unlike that of the deinos,
Tepeu:
they choose to sacrifice even fellow humanoids, humans from Pan-Human History. I struggle to understand this.
Tepeu:
That's just murder. To murder one's own brethren for one's own benefit, for the sake of one's own prosperity.
Tepeu:
This is wrong. This is clearly wrong.
Tepeu:
I had never been interested in the Ocelomeh before now. Now I find myself shocked and terrified by them.
Tepeu:
Though I myself do not know what exactly it is I find so terrifying...
Rasputin:
...
Koyanskaya:
Ladies and gentlemen, do prepare yourselves now. Once we turn that corner, we'll be right beside the temple.
Koyanskaya:
There are no Ocelomeh around the temple, but there should be a few stationed within as guards.
Koyanskaya:
Conflict is all but unavoidable should they discover us, and the safety of the prisoners cannot be guaranteed should that come to pass.
Koyanskaya:
Time is of the essence. Am I clear?
Koyanskaya:
Let's be off then. Our rescue operation commences now!
Fujimaru 1:
We got into the temple easily, but...
Fujimaru 2:
I guess we've gotta split up to search for them...?
Rasputin:
Hmm. Why don't we drag one or two into the shadows for an interrogation?
Rasputin:
If we reveal our identities as we interrogate them, they should understand what exactly it is we seek.
Rasputin:
Fret not, even if there is a language barrier, it is a trivial matter to make their bodies understand should we apply the appropriate pressure.
Koyanskaya:
Oh dear, is it not unbecoming for a man of cloth to engage in torture?
Koyanskaya:
Leave it to me, I'll show you how a professional handles an infiltration.
I：Ocelotl:
. .
Koyanskaya:
Oh my, thank you for your assistance☆So it's the third cell down from these stairs then?
I：Ocelotl:
. , !
Koyanskaya:
And there you have it, all. Here's the cell where they're holding the Pan-Human History prisoners.
Mash & Olga:
How'd you do that!?
Fujimaru 1:
While we were hiding in the shadows...
Fujimaru 2:
What exactly...happened...?
Koyanskaya:
Well, even the Ocelomeh are naught but mere males before my skilful wiles♡
Koyanskaya:
Punching them, blowing them up them with rockets, and disemboweling them.
Koyanskaya:
A priest who can't help but negotiate with such means wouldn't be able to pull this off, would he?
Rasputin:
—
Tepeu:
Fujimaru, Father Kotomine over there's tightly clasping his hand and trembling. What does that signify?
Fujimaru 1:
Shh!
Fujimaru 2:
(Is this how relations are between Apostles of the Alien God?)
Koyanskaya:
(The truth is that I bribed them with bananas and maize, but that's a trade secret.)
Koyanskaya:
And this is no time to be patting our own backs.
Koyanskaya:
The two sacrifices have already been sent to the altar during the night. The remaining two are being held in the dungeons.
Koyanskaya:
The sacrifices are a magus and a homunculus. They're likely to be Kadoc and Da Vinci.
Koyanskaya:
First we rescue Sion Eltnam and the ailing Heroic Spirit Nemo from the dungeons,
Koyanskaya:
then we make a dash for the altar and rescue the other two—Any questions?
Fujimaru 1:
Nope!
Fujimaru 2:
Let's hurry!
Mash:
Sion, Nemo, are you alright!? We're here to rescue you!
Kadoc:
—Well, he's fine. Nemo's resting on the only bunk we've been given.
Kadoc:
Cutting it close, aren't we? Though I guess this was the only opportunity.
Kadoc:
The sacrificial ceremony's under way up above, right? I can feel the excitement in the air all the way down here.
Fujimaru 1:
Kadoc, I'm glad you're alright...!
Kadoc:
I didn't have it as bad as you did. You were like a Hollywood star, falling off an airship and all.
Fujimaru 2:
Hold on, so the magus taken as a sacrifice was...
Kadoc:
They chose the superior magus... Naturally, that means Sion.
Kadoc:
I've got more Magic Circuits than she does, but she's one of those Atlas bigwigs.
Kadoc:
They're called the Six Sources, I think. They surely must have some special organs we commoners can't even comprehend.
Kadoc:
I understand our situation too. We'll make our escape, of course, but let's save those two first.
Kadoc:
But it doesn't seem like Nemo can move...he's been still as a stone ever since the Border crashed.
Kadoc:
It might even be that he's—
Tepeu:
Excuse me, but is this the Heroic Spirit named Nemo? If so, I will administer this medicine I received from Professor.
Tepeu:
I believe the spell goes like this.
Tepeu:
Mythological ideas, elucidated. Human Order essentials, analyzed. Saint Graph constituents, augmented. Accumulated creeds, established.
Tepeu:
I boost the deepest of the Heroic Spirit Nemo's convictions and the most outstanding of his abilities.
Tepeu:
Thus, a revival from his fatal injuries. Gradation Air, Nemo Origin.
Tepeu:
Whew. I do hope this works—
Kadoc:
(H-Hey, Fujimaru. Who the hell is that guy!? A friend of yours!?)
Kadoc:
(That was one hell of a refined spell just now! Akin to summoning a Servant all on your own!)
Fujimaru 1:
Yep. He's a reliable friend.
Fujimaru 2:
(I can't really say he learned how to do that just by hearing about it...)
Nemo:
...What just happened...? No, I can't believe I've been asleep for this long...
Nemo:
Thank you. I'm awake now. Who are you? Are you a Lostbelt native?
Tepeu:
—
Nemo:
Hello? Could it be that you can't understand my words...? I do believe you were the one who administered the medicine...
Tepeu:
No, nothing's the problem, Captain Nemo. It's just that you resemble someone I once lost.
Tepeu:
Pleased to make your acquaintance, my name is Tepeu. I am a person from the underground world of Mictlan in the South American Lostbelt.
Tepeu:
You can ask Fujimaru and Mash for the details. I will stand guard in the passageway.
Nemo:
—Him aside, I understand the situation we're in right now.
Nemo:
Let's plan a rescue operation and execute it immediately. Naturally, I will be joining you.
Nemo:
Sion and Da Vinci are both our fellow Chaldeans, we will save them both without fail!
--ARROW--
U-Olga Marie:
So you're Kadoc! Those bags under your eyes look awful. Are you taking proper care of your liver?
Kadoc:
L-Leave me alone. That's how it goes for people who use anti-beast magecraft.
U-Olga Marie:
Anti-beast magecraft... Magecraft for fighting off animals, then.
U-Olga Marie:
True, beasts are mightier than humans. Your eyes would get tired from being on alert all the time...
U-Olga Marie:
That means you're timid! I can get along just fine with the meek!
Kadoc:
(Hey, Fujimaru! What the hell is going on? I couldn't have predicted this insane situation in my wildest dreams!)
Kadoc:
(Rasputin and Koyanskaya! Not to mention, U-Olga Marie!)
Kadoc:
(Just what sequence of events fell together to form this idiotic party!? Cram the soap opera up your ass!)
Fujimaru 1:
Is it all that different from you being with us, Kadoc?
Kadoc:
I'm nothing special! Don't lump me in with them!
Fujimaru 2:
The party's full. Don't worry.
Kadoc:
Oh yeah? I get the feeling like there's more around the corner.
Kadoc:
(Whatever... Anyway, I take it we're supposed to just play dumb about the Director?)
Kadoc:
(That's the way it seems between you and Mash. As far as we know, she's someone we met in the Lostbelt.)
Rasputin:
Ah, a secret conversation? It's splendid to see that you've been making friends, Kadoc.
Rasputin:
How proud I am. It was worth the risk of delivering you to the Border.
Koyanskaya:
My! So it was you who rescued Kadoc from certain death in Olympus, Father!?
Koyanskaya:
Such a betrayal... You Apostles were so close to one another too...
Koyanskaya:
The late Limbo or Muramasa would be turning in their graves around now...
Koyanskaya:
Putting it mildly, I think you ought to atone by committing seppuku...
Rasputin:
You mustn't feign grief, Koyanskaya. The Lord will not forgive crocodile tears, even from a beautiful woman.
Rasputin:
To improve your acting, you should first face your own repulsiveness in a mirror.
Kadoc:
Here's the plan. There's priests and others by the altar which we'll have to take care of.
Kadoc:
So Fujimaru, Mash, Nemo, U-Olga Marie, and...
Kadoc:
And the dinosaur, Tepeu...I think I'll go with him. This is a contest of shock and awe.
Tepeu:
I cannot fight, but I would be the right choice to draw the attention of the Ocelomeh.
Kadoc:
(...So he's got a pacifist nature... Everything's so backwards in this Lostbelt...)
Kadoc:
So while the rest of us are making a ruckus, Rasputin and Koyanskaya will rescue Da Vinci and Sion.
Kadoc:
Of course, Chaldea isn't so naïve as to trust those two. I'll keep an eye on them.
Fujimaru 1:
S-Sure.
Fujimaru 2:
Okay, let's go with that.
Kadoc:
Then we go our separate ways from here. We'll take different routes to the altar.
Kadoc:
The bigger the show you put on, the greater our chances of success. Give 'em hell!
Izcalli:
Howl with me, warriors of Mictlan!
Izcalli:
With the blood of the lowly deinos, the Lunar Path has regained its proper color!
Izcalli:
The foolish Deinos, creators of nothing, advocates for a cycle with no change!
Izcalli:
Their blood has now been sent to Xibalba, to awaken the great sun once again!
Ocelomeh Below:
—! —!
Izcalli:
Life unto the sun! Glory unto Tezcatlipoca!
Izcalli:
And brutal death unto the conquerors!
Izcalli:
Pan-Human History, that which denies our Mictlan and the Fifth Sun! Though a foreign enemy, their hearts stoke holy fire!
Izcalli:
Rare blood to set the sun in motion! With these sacrifices, our wishes will be fulfilled!
Ocelomeh Below:
—! —!
Mash:
They're in such a fervor! The cheers from the ground are shaking the bridge...!
Fujimaru 1:
But there's our opening!
Fujimaru 2:
Only Izcalli and the priests are at the altar...!
U-Olga Marie:
I'm heading in! Make sure you two don't fall down!
Fujimaru 1:
That's enough!
Fujimaru 2:
You're giving those two back!
Ocelomeh Below:
...? , —!!!
Izcalli:
About time you showed up, Pan-Human [♂ man /♀️ woman]. It wouldn't have been worthwhile otherwise.
Izcalli:
We have all the hearts we need, but your heads have plenty of value.
Izcalli:
After all, you're warriors who have defeated numerous Ocelomeh. This will be a suitable finale for the ceremony.
Izcalli:
These are the eldest Ocelomeh, all warriors among warriors, and a match for any Servant you can invoke.
Izcalli:
—I won't let my guard down this time. I am king of the Ocelomeh, and Tezcatlipoca upon year's end.
Izcalli:
So do I vow as ruler of Mictlan! I will never be defeated again by a conqueror!
--ARROW--
Izcalli:
How...!? Is this...the power of a hero...?
Izcalli:
Ridiculous! What good are Pan-Human heroes...!?
Izcalli:
They believe in no one! They betray the trust of others! They destroy everything in their ignorance, even what they take from others!
Izcalli:
I won't allow it. I won't allow a future for your world! —Priest! Start the ceremony!
Izcalli:
Slay their comrades first! Destroy their morale!
Ocelotl:
—
Koyanskaya:
Whoops, too bad. It's a bit too early to throw away your pride.
Koyanskaya:
I've safely secured both Sion and Da Vinci.
Kadoc:
We've achieved our goal! Fall back, Fujimaru!
Kadoc:
If we can get to a safe zone before the Ocelomeh make it up here—
Kadoc:
...!
???:
Looks like you got what you came for this time. Not bad for a feint operation, huh?
Tezcatlipoca:
You've only just dropped into the enemy stronghold. What's your rush?
Tezcatlipoca:
You won't get another chance like this. You should clean up the house while you still can, boys and girls.
Kadoc:
Tezcatlipoca...!? When did he get here!? There was no sign, no magical energy...nothing!
Tezcatlipoca:
I was here from the start. This whole city is my world.
Tezcatlipoca:
You know that Western idea that “God is everywhere”? Yeah, it's kinda like that.
Fujimaru 1:
Is that...Tezcatlipoca...?
Fujimaru 2:
(Somewhere...before)
Tezcatlipoca:
—You gave it away? The more I deal with others, the less I understand their temperaments.
Tezcatlipoca:
Well, whatever. If you don't want to take the trials, I'll just kill you here and now.
Izcalli:
O Tezcatlipoca, the battle is not yet over. I will kill them, so—
Tezcatlipoca:
What is your purpose, Izcalli? To slay your enemies? To lead the Ocelomeh?
Izcalli:
—No. It is to survive, almighty Tezcatlipoca.
Izcalli:
This body belongs to you. It shall not perish until the year has passed.
Tezcatlipoca:
That's right. Then you know what you should do now.
Izcalli:
Yes... Please forgive my rudeness.
Tezcatlipoca:
Right then, back to square one. Don't worry, no Ocelomeh will come up here.
Tezcatlipoca:
You came here to end this Lostbelt, right? Well, here's your chance.
Tezcatlipoca:
Just sit back and get it over with already. We've got enough to worry about as it is.
Kadoc:
Ggh... (What do we do...? Run? Fight?)
Kadoc:
(Tezcatlipoca's power is an unknown factor, but he's still a Servant.)
Kadoc:
(There's no such thing as a no-win scenario. Now that he's alone, this could be the perfect chance.)
Kadoc:
(What would you do, Fujimaru...!)
Fujimaru 1:
...Retreat!
Fujimaru 2:
...Attack!
Tezcatlipoca:
Hm?
Tezcatlipoca:
Well now, we've even got an unexpected special guest! Now how did you two get to know each other?
Tezcatlipoca:
Hey there, Little Miss President. Been a while. You here for a rematch?
U-Olga Marie:
Huh? Have we met before? I don't know—you—
Tezcatlipoca:
Still, it's surprising you're still alive, looking like that. Calling yourself a god isn't just for show, huh?
U-Olga Marie:
A god— No, more importantly, you—you—
D：U-Olga Marie:
Augh— Augh—
Fujimaru 1:
Olga!?
Fujimaru 2:
What's wrong!?
D：U-Olga Marie:
I— I—
D：U-Olga Marie:
No, that's not important right now!
D：U-Olga Marie:
I remember! That bastard's the one who killed me! Let's beat his ass, Fujimaru!
Tezcatlipoca:
So, there you go, Tlaloc.
Tezcatlipoca:
The Pan-Human History magus alone is one thing, but dealing with her as well might be a bit much for me to handle.
Tezcatlipoca:
They're all yours. I'll allow their blood to decorate the altar.
Tlaloc:
...You have snuck into our city, defiled the temple, interfered with Izcalli, and raised your hand against my brother.
Tlaloc:
—You're true champions in the art of defying gods.
Tlaloc:
I'll allow you to choose your end. You can jump to your deaths, or be swept away by my currents.
Kadoc:
So it turned into a battle after all! Damn it...!
Kadoc:
Summon someone, Fujimaru! One's got to have some sort of anti-Tlaloc countermeasures!
Fujimaru 1:
Of course! Counting on you, Nemo!
Fujimaru 2:
Any Servant that can float or hover!
Mash:
I-I don't really get it, but I'll follow along with Master's plan!
Tlaloc:
Hm? I've never fought you before but...well, it doesn't matter.
Tlaloc:
You'll fall and die in any case. At the very least, I'll make sure to knock you out so it'll be painless.
--ARROW--
Fujimaru 1:
We did it...!
Fujimaru 2:
We stood our ground against the current!
Mash:
Yes! We've avenged Nitocris!
Tlaloc:
Nitocris...? Oh, you mean that hopeless girl.
Tlaloc:
Are you, by any chance, misunderstanding something? The flooding of the river didn't affect her at all.
Tlaloc:
The reason why she lost to me is a separate matter entirely. Though I am under no obligation to correct your mistake.
Nemo:
Confirming a class change in the enemy Servant! No, not just her class! This is—
Nemo:
Confirming a class change in the enemy Servant! No, not just her class! This is—
B：Huitzilopochtli:
—That's right, Tlaloc's on vacation for now. Rather than Tlaloc's blessings of rain, I'm sure you'd prefer a god of war like Huitzilopochtli, eh?
B：Huitzilopochtli:
This is the Saint Graph you'll be dealing with from here on out. After all, you guys seem to specialize in warfare.
--BATTLE--
Mash:
Ugh...!
Fujimaru 1:
Mash!
Huitzilopochtli:
Now this is a comeback. How refreshing.
Huitzilopochtli:
Back and forth. Even. Symmetry. Don't you think that symmetry is a beautiful thing, no matter the era?
Kadoc:
What the hell is that thing? It's so damn durable and it spins so damn fast! Is that even a living being!?
Kadoc:
Run, you two! A fair fight will only get you crush–
Tezcatlipoca:
Stop badmouthing my little sister behind her back. Oh wait, you're actually saying it to her face.
Tezcatlipoca:
You're judging her? Making an objection? Or voicing your complaints? Either way, now that you've insulted her, I hope you're ready for what's next.
Tezcatlipoca:
Hey Hummingbird, once you've taken care of these guys, go for that magus next.
Tezcatlipoca:
Our two sacrifices—they're long since escaped, haven't they? The handiwork of that priest, no doubt. He sure acts fast.
Tezcatlipoca:
Fortunately, we still have two hearts right here. Their quality may be inferior, but they belong to humans from Pan-Human History.
Tezcatlipoca:
Let's just satisfy ourselves with these today. After all, if the ceremony falls through, Izcalli's gonna feel down.
Huitzilopochtli:
...Yes. Izcalli is doing well for himself. I'll make up for his failures.
U-Olga Marie:
Look at them, all full of themselves just because they momentarily got the upper hand...! What's up with that black smoke anyway? Why aren't my attacks landing!?
U-Olga Marie:
Is there anything you can do, Fujimaru!? At this rate, everyone except me's going to get exterminated, you know!
Fujimaru 1:
Easy for you to say—
Fujimaru 2:
(Well, it's fight or die...!?)
???:
That won't do.
???:
For the record, I did try to stay uninvolved in quarrels between the guests from Pan-Human History,
???:
but that [♂ boy /♀️ girl] over there is under my watchful eye. So I'll lend [♂ him /♀️ her] a hand!
???:
Hyah!
Huitzilopochtli:
She broke through my brother's smoke...!? Who is she!? A Pan-Human History Servant!?
Cuauhtli:
Hm? Oh right. I still haven't introduced myself to you, Huitzilopochtli.
G：Cuauhtli:
Pleasant day to you, friends from Pan-Human History. My name is Kukulkan. The god of wind, water, and the sun itself.
G：Kukulkan:
Simply put, I am Mictlan's creator. ¡Or as you would call me, the South American Lostbelt King!
Mash:
Huh—
Fujimaru 1:
Huuuuuuuh!?
Fujimaru 2:
¡You do resemble a certain someone!
--ARROW--
Huitzilopochtli:
Kukulkan—THE Kukulkan of the Mayans?
Huitzilopochtli:
Mayan mythology shouldn't exist in Mictlan... but this cheerful breeze is definitely that of Quetzalcoatl—
Tezcatlipoca:
Head's up! Don't let your guard down, Hummingbird!
Huitzilopochtli:
...!
Kukulkan:
Let's chat body-to-body, shall we!?
Huitzilopochtli:
Guh—aa—...aaa...
Kukulkan:
Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to break you. So stay unconscious over there for a little while, okay?
Kukulkan:
—We met on the main avenue. There's no need for introductions. Let's get down to business.
Kukulkan:
Can you still fight, Chaldean?
Kukulkan:
If so, then get behind me. If not, then head for the ground right away.
Kukulkan:
I have to go beat that jerk with the sunglasses to a pulp now.
Kukulkan:
I'll be going all out, so I cannot guarantee the safety of anyone on this altar.
Mash:
When you say “jerk with the sunglasses”, do you mean the god Tezcatlipoca?
Mash:
You're the Lostbelt King, so why would you attack him...?
Kukulkan:
Hmm? Does that surprise you?
Kukulkan:
Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca were rivals in Pan-Human History, weren't they?
Kukulkan:
In which case, I shall follow suit.
Kukulkan:
Hehehe. ¡I'm going to beat the absolute crap out of him♡using our mythological history as an excuse!
Kukulkan:
Though in truth, it was Malla's decision.
Kukulkan:
—Mictlan will perish should I leave that human be. Which is why I came here to kill him before that comes to pass.
Fujimaru 1:
That human...?
Fujimaru 2:
Hold on, isn't he a Servant!?
Kukulkan:
Oh, was I mistaken? His biological composition is identical to yours.
Tezcatlipoca:
Yeah, what did you expect? Tezcatlipoca can't be summoned under normal circumstances.
Tezcatlipoca:
I'm a Pseudo-Servant who created a human to be my vessel, then transferred myself into its body.
Tezcatlipoca:
My soul is that of a Divine Spirit. But my flesh is that of a human. That's why I can act as a “human living in the present”, even in the absence of my Master.
Tezcatlipoca:
After all, it's hard to summon a Divine Spirit.
Tezcatlipoca:
I used what backdoors I could to aid Daybit.
Tezcatlipoca:
Naturally, this body is designed to be a Tezcatlipoca in tune with the present era.
Tezcatlipoca:
This body of mine may be human, but I assure you that I am as Tezcatlipoca as it gets.
Kadoc:
(So like those avatars the Machine Gods of Olympus used...but even then...)
Kadoc:
He can't fight a Servant in a human's body! Huitzilopochtli just got blasted all the way through the temple and is incapacitated!
Kadoc:
Now's our chance, Fujimaru! Let's finish Tezcatlipoca off...!
Kadoc:
We don't know what his goal is, but he wants the Storm Border!
Kadoc:
He's one dangerous Divine Spirit, so we ought to finish him off now if possible...!
Kukulkan:
Oh, so you're going to handle him?
Kukulkan:
I see, that's a shame. But don't mind me, he's all yours if that's what you want!
Tezcatlipoca:
—Good grief, so this is the result of a Lostbelt god learning from Pan-Human History.
Tezcatlipoca:
I figured you'd be better than the basic Kukulkan, but I guess I can't trust anyone with wings. You're way too light.
Kukulkan:
Eh? Me? I'm rather on the heavy side myself though. I can't possibly be light.
Tezcatlipoca:
I'm talking between your ears, Birdie. —Do it, Daybit! I don't care!
Daybit:
By my Command Spell, I order you to wield that Authority of yours, even bound in human flesh, Black Tezcatlipoca!
Tezcatlipoca:
And so I will. I pay two of my organs to invoke a solar eclipse.
Tezcatlipoca:
A golden age of prosperity for a single species is a nightmare.
Tezcatlipoca:
Life disappears. Worlds end. Planets burn.
Tezcatlipoca:
Feast your eyes on this extinction. Time to pass the baton, valiant warriors!
Fujimaru 1:
This is bad...!
Fujimaru 2:
Before he activates his Noble Phantasm...!
Mash & Nemo & U:
We won't let you!
Mash & Nemo & U:
We won't let you!
Mash:
—Huh?
Kadoc:
What—the hell is this?
U-Olga Marie:
—
Fujimaru 1:
Mictlan is...
Fujimaru 2:
collapsing...
Nemo:
—No, this is an illusion! There's no way destruction on this scale could occur in mere seconds!
Nemo:
Stop playing tricks on us! This is your doing, Tezcatlipoca!
Nemo:
—No, this is an illusion! There's no way destruction on this scale could occur in mere seconds!
Nemo:
Stop playing tricks on us! This is your doing, Tezcatlipoca!
Tezcatlipoca:
Good grief...
Tezcatlipoca:
“This is no mere illusion.” “I know this unmistakable scent of war.”
Tezcatlipoca:
Those were your thoughts just now, no? How sad, Heroic Spirit Nemo. That you're the only one among them who has experienced modern warfare.
Tezcatlipoca:
You were the first to recognize this as no mere illusion, yet you labelled it as one out of denial for the sake of the greenhorns.
Tezcatlipoca:
—You truly are worthy of being the Captain. I almost regret having to kill you.
Fujimaru 1:
Cap...tain?
Tezcatlipoca:
This ain't the time to be worrying about others. Look below you. This is reality.
Fujimaru 1:
Oh—God—
Mash:
Everyone's—dead?
Mash:
But how...? They were all brimming with excitement moments ago—
Kadoc:
This can't be happening! No Noble Phantasm can wreak this much destruction in an instant, not on this scale, not at this range!
Tezcatlipoca:
It's not that absurd. I just slid out our present for the near future, that's all.
Tezcatlipoca:
Black Tezcatlipoca is an almighty deity who manipulates all creation. Oh, but it doesn't mean my Authority lets me create whatever I want.
Tezcatlipoca:
My Authority lets me manifest anything that could possibly happen within my set of rules.
Tezcatlipoca:
If something will happen in the future, then I can slide the order in which it comes to pass.
Tezcatlipoca:
This scenery you see is the reality that Mictlan will face in a few days.
Tezcatlipoca:
You guys are from the 21st century, right? You've played video games before, haven't you?
Tezcatlipoca:
This is pretty much the demo of your demise. Something you'll eventually face, but where you can enjoy a little sample first.
Mash:
This is...the future? Is this Mictlan...in a few days' time?
Tezcatlipoca:
Yeah, and so the Ocelomeh will die out. The deinos will go extinct. And the world will keep turning without a single care.
Tezcatlipoca:
Just like it always has. The usual scenery. Isn't that right, Kukulkan?
Tezcatlipoca:
For us, this kind of reset is as trivial as eating breakfast.
Kukulkan:
...
Tezcatlipoca:
But as you'd expect, I'm tired of the same old food. Sometimes I just want to treat myself to a luxurious dinner.
Tezcatlipoca:
And now I've been blessed with that chance. It would be a shame for me to hoard this for myself.
Tezcatlipoca:
I'll let you feast your eyes upon it too.
Tezcatlipoca:
The skills of Crypter Daybit Sem Void, an artisan chef not even the Alien God expected.
Tezcatlipoca:
First, you will all die.
Tezcatlipoca:
And Mictlan will, of course, disappear.
Tezcatlipoca:
Then the planet will meet its end.
Tezcatlipoca:
That monster shouldn't have awakened yet in Pan-Human History.
Tezcatlipoca:
The planet-eater stayed alive only in this more complete Lostbelt.
Tezcatlipoca:
It will ravage this underground world, claw its way to the surface, reach the Antarctic, and snuff out your hope.
Tezcatlipoca:
Chaldea's base will be reduced to nothing. It'll consume your celestial sphere.
Tezcatlipoca:
It will spin its web over the planet, and put a definitive end to this celestial body, no cycles necessary.
Tezcatlipoca:
This is the future. Set in stone, at least for now.
Daybit:
Correct, ORT will be the one to end this planet.
Fujimaru 1:
Daybit...!
Fujimaru 2:
(So that's...ORT...)
Kadoc:
I always figured you were a bit nuts. But I never thought you'd be this far gone, Daybit.
Daybit:
So all three of you survived? What a hapless fate, to witness the moment the planet ends. Even if it's just a glimpse of the future.
Mash:
Is this what you wanted, Daybit?
Mash:
Kirschtaria sought to uplift mankind by using the Fantasy Tree, defying the Alien God to do so.
Mash:
But you're...trying to annihilate mankind in its entirety. And that's...
Fujimaru 1:
No different from the Alien God, who would erase human history.
Daybit:
You've got one thing wrong.
Daybit:
I am not aligned with the Alien God. I stand here by my own will and judgment.
Kadoc:
Yeah, I know you well enough to understand that much! It's too little, too late!
Kadoc:
And so what!?
Kadoc:
Are you trying to tell us that you're not our enemy because you don't support the Alien God!?
Daybit:
No. I am an enemy of mnakind, no matter how you look at it. Unlike the Alien God, that is.
Mash:
Unlike the Alien God...? Are you saying that the Alien God isn't a threat to mankind...?
Daybit:
...
Daybit:
I'll fulfill my role as a Crypter. I will destroy this planet before everything is hollowed out.
Kadoc:
Damn it, he dove off!? He said all he had to say and disappeared...!
Mash:
SHEBA is observing maximum danger! The hostile organism—no, a fatal destiny is approaching!
Mash:
Ah—It's so close— We can't escape anymore—
Mash:
Here it comes— It's ORT!
U-Olga Marie:
...
--BATTLE--
U-Olga Marie:
Ggh...!
U-Olga Marie:
Get it together! Where's your usual decisiveness!? We can't win like this!
U-Olga Marie:
Tezcatlipoca has pulled back, and Daybit dropped below us!
U-Olga Marie:
Koyanskaya and the butler have secured our two captives and are falling back! We should too!
Fujimaru 1:
R-Right...!
Fujimaru 2:
How could I get shocked that badly...!
Kadoc:
It's not just you, Fujimaru. Anyone would panic in this situation.
Kadoc:
But it's thanks to you that we're back to our senses! You're more than just a scolding voice, Olga Marie!
U-Olga Marie:
...? Are you another one who has trouble remembering someone's full name? Or is leaving off the first letter some kind of new trend?
Mash:
...! ORT is pulling away from Mexico City! But the direction it's heading is—
Kadoc:
Towards the Storm Border!?
Kadoc:
This is bad! It's definitely heading that way! Does it see them as food!?
Kadoc:
Mash, make an emergency call to Gordolf and the others!
Kadoc:
They should be able to receive! Relay to all hands, evacuate and abandon the Border!
Mash:
I can't get through on the emergency line! We're chronologically disconnected from them!
Kadoc:
Gh...He did mention sliding the future in! The Border is still in the present!
Kadoc:
The crew at the Border can't see any of this! They'll only spot ORT when it's right on top of them!
Fujimaru 1:
Oh God...!
Fujimaru 2:
There's no way we can make it in time!
Kukulkan:
...? Is it really something that important?
Fujimaru 1:
Extremely!
Fujimaru 2:
That's our home!
Kukulkan:
Okay! Guess I gotta protect it!
Kukulkan:
So that's the Flying Rock! So cooooool!
Kukulkan:
Hm. It's a kind of combination between the technology of Pan-Human History and some mechanized alien race?
Kukulkan:
Heeey! You down there! Can you tell the crew to get inside and buckle up?
Gordolf:
I am confused by the sudden appearance of this beautiful woman. Fortunately, thanks to Koyanskaya's return, I am now immune to such a situation.
Gordolf:
Therefore, I will simply ask you quite calmly— what the devil are you talking about!?
Wak Chan:
Oh, is that the great Kukulkan? Sup. You're in a rush. Is something wrong?
Kukulkan:
Yeah, it's pretty bad. So can you...go do what I just asked?
Wak Chan:
If ya say it's bad, great Kukulkan, it must be pretty bad. Alrighty, in we goooooo!
Kukulkan:
Glad you're quick on the uptake! I can always count on my mankind!
Kukulkan:
Right! Let's do this! Hold on to your hats, everyone in the Border!
Fujimaru 1:
—(Utter shock)
Mash:
Senpai...the Storm Border is hopping through the jungle like a rabbit...
Kadoc:
...That woman calling herself Kukulkan...she just picked it up and carted it away...all by herself...
U-Olga Marie:
Big deal. Normally, I could do that too!
Mash:
The Border has been carried to the sea of trees southwest of Chichen Itza...oh, she's set it down there.
Fujimaru 1:
We're back to normal...?
Fujimaru 2:
ORT...vanished too?
Nemo:
So it seems. The cards of the future and present scenes were slid back to their original positions in the deck.
Nemo:
This so-called slide wasn't indefinite. There must be a limit on its duration.
Mash:
Ah—thank goodness. It looks like Nemo is safe too.
Kadoc:
Because we've returned to the present...?
Kadoc:
Then does that mean at some point in the future we're going to lose you, Nemo?
Nemo:
No. That previous phenomenon was merely borrowed from a possible future...a “What if ORT appears”.
Nemo:
That's all we can confirm for now.
Nemo:
Suppose that future were ten days from now, and nothing happens until then, then nothing will happen to me.
Kadoc:
I see. I think I get it, but I just wanted to confirm.
Kadoc:
By the way, how do you think we figured that out, Fujimaru?
Fujimaru 1:
Because the city is back to normal?
Fujimaru 2:
Because the Ocelomeh below are all eyeing us.
Mash:
Oh wow, you're right!
Mash:
All the Ocelomeh on the main avenue are distributing guns to point at us!
Mash:
That's definitely—
Nemo:
From where they're standing, we've picked a fight with not only Izcalli, but also Tezcatlipoca.
Nemo:
The altar may seem like a safe haven, but judging by how furious they are, they'll soon climb up here.
Nemo:
The Ocelomeh do not take hostages. If they catch us, they'll rip our hearts out alive and tear us limb from limb.
Nemo:
We need to get out of here, right now. It's an awful long way to the Storm Border though.
Fujimaru 1:
It's fine. They're near a deinos city.
Fujimaru 2:
Let's meet with everyone outside here first.
Mash:
Understood, Master. The rope ladder left by Koyanskaya is over there...
Mash:
Director? Is something wrong?
U-Olga Marie:
Not really. I was just savoring the taste of victory. —You're going back to your ship? I'm not opposed to that.
Nemo:
(...I tabled it since we were in a crisis at the time, but she's been cooperative and dedicated all this time.)
Nemo:
(In terms of strength, we can definitely rely on her. Though, whether we can trust her...is still too early to say.)
Nemo:
Roger that. Mash Kyrielight will be the vanguard. Master Fujimaru will follow.
Nemo:
After [♂ him /♀️ her] will be Kadoc Zemlupus, then me.
Nemo:
Miss President, it doesn't look like you need a ladder. Cover us from above until I reach the ground.
U-Olga Marie:
I was going to do that from the start! You've got good instincts, Captain! I think we're going to get along great!
--ARROW--
Tlaloc:
(—The city has returned to normal...we didn't lose even one citizen...)
Tlaloc:
(But this is only in the present. In the future Tezcatlipoca showed us, everything was—)
Tezcatlipoca:
Woo! That was fun, wasn't it?
Tezcatlipoca:
The sacrifice was completely botched, but what the hell? Sometimes your business partner just runs off with the goods, y'know?
Tezcatlipoca:
We may have come out the losers, but I don't feel too bad about it. I love when events have surprise participants. It keeps things shaken up.
Tlaloc:
Brother...
Tezcatlipoca:
What's up? I can't tell what that face is supposed to mean. You upset about something?
Tezcatlipoca:
If you got something to say, come out and say it. We're siblings, after all.
Tlaloc:
How is your body faring...? Sliding events must not be easy on you right now.
Tlaloc:
If your other limbs are in pain, order the Crypter to treat them.
Tezcatlipoca:
No way. I don't want to give him another penalty. He needs to be in top shape for the Underworld Pilgrimage.
Tezcatlipoca:
What about you? Kukulkan's blow shook up the whole temple, didn't it?
Tlaloc:
I'll deal with her next time... No, I'll take her down for good.
Tlaloc:
I hate Quetzalcoatl. The same goes for that woman mimicking her.
Tezcatlipoca:
That so? Then work hard to fix up your temple. It's something important to Mexico City.
Tezcatlipoca:
In the end, no traces of it will remain, but if it stays broken like this, the Ocelomeh won't be content.
Tlaloc:
About that...
Tlaloc:
Was that the true future just now, brother?
Tlaloc:
Will our...no, their cities really disappear again? Is that set in stone?
Tezcatlipoca:
Yeah, but so what?
Tezcatlipoca:
That's just the way this city is. The Aztecs are a fatalist nation. A soldier dies when his time comes. There's no need to go changing fate.
Tezcatlipoca:
Still, I didn't expect the total body count. Who'd have thought 100,000 Ocelomeh would just die without accomplishing anything?
Tezcatlipoca:
“Don't go head-to-head with an enemy you can't defeat.” “If you have no chance, fall back until you can see one.”
Tezcatlipoca:
Izcalli's not very good at that either. If he's got a gun in his hands, he doesn't care a bit about his own well-being.
Tezcatlipoca:
I tried to teach him so he wouldn't become just another battle junkie, but I guess he'll always be just another dumb ape. Damn it.
Tlaloc:
That...may be. Brother...
Tlaloc:
Your goal is the battle itself. A declaration of war and victory over Pan-Human History, through the Ocelomeh.
Tlaloc:
Then is it really necessary to use the city as a battleground? Or even that monster—
Tezcatlipoca:
Tlaloc.
Tlaloc:
I'm sorry... I wasn't reprimanding you. Everything goes as the god Tezcatlipoca wills.
Tezcatlipoca:
And that'll do. I'm nobody's ally. I'm on the side of battle itself.
Tezcatlipoca:
Daybit's and Chaldea's objectives. The wishes of the Ocelomeh and of the deinos.
Tezcatlipoca:
I support them all, and won't try to stop them.
Tezcatlipoca:
Except for Kukulkan, of course. She basically takes the same stance as me.
Tezcatlipoca:
In Mictlan, whoever's dead or whatever's lost is a trivial matter to her and I.
Tezcatlipoca:
Well, right now I'm going all in on Daybit. He's the one who'd produce the biggest prize from winning.
Tezcatlipoca:
You going for Izcalli? If things go well for him, he'll improve exponentially. He's got some latent talents.
Tezcatlipoca:
Either way, just enjoy it, Tlaloc.
Tezcatlipoca:
What Quetzalcoatl has that you don't is the freedom to just enjoy things for the hell of it.
Tlaloc:
The freedom to embrace entertainment...the hot winds of the Americas...the spirit to learn about new cultures...
Tlaloc:
That's what destroyed us. I'm not like her. I won't fail this time...this time, I'll...
Tlaloc:
What's right to me is protecting this city and its people... my whole reason to be... my joy—
Tlaloc:
And to mourn the warriors who loved this city and continued to be proud of it.
Tlaloc:
But...that will not come to pass. My brother will destroy Mexico City.
Tlaloc:
Izcalli too...he who underwent a year's trial to become Tezcatlipoca...
Tlaloc:
As it is now, nobody can change how everything will end...
Izcalli:
Damn it... What's all the racket about, Ocelomeh?
Izcalli:
...No, I think I understand. There's discontent about me failing the ceremony.
Izcalli:
A king twice defeated by the Pan-Human History conquerors. An unworthy king. An undignified king.
Izcalli:
“Get out. Get out. Get out of Mexico City.”
Izcalli:
“Let the foolish king leave our city—”
Izcalli:
That's just fine. After I become Tezcatlipoca, I'll leave this city.
Izcalli:
Damned classless warriors. Who would want to live in a city that imitates Pan-Human History civilization?
Izcalli:
I'll build a city like no one's ever seen. One where people, gods, and the sun support each other.
Izcalli:
It won't need sacrifices. It won't breed weaklings. It won't produce the wealthy. It won't fight meaningless battles.
Izcalli:
A paradise of an underworld where Tezcatlipoca may dwell.
Izcalli:
—My scar aches. It has since Chaldea arrived.
Izcalli:
The Pan-Human History conquerors. Humans who come to excise Mictlan.
Izcalli:
They're the enemy, but they have their uses. A third party will make the elimination of the deinos go more smoothly.
Izcalli:
This is just a minor problem... There's no major issue.
Izcalli:
We couldn't take their hearts as sacrifice, but theirs are worth less than that of a single deinos.
Izcalli:
We were only ever putting on a show to raise the Ocelomeh's morale.
Izcalli:
The discontent will pass. Give them new guns and they'll be fired up again in no time.
Izcalli:
... ...Shit!
Izcalli:
What do you expect from people who derive pleasure from pulling the triggers of their guns, Izcalli?
Izcalli:
Pointless sentimentality is unbefitting of a king. Just do the work for our god. And yet—
Izcalli:
How am I so hesitant after watching that scene?
Izcalli:
I am the Ocelotl chosen by Tezcatlipoca.
Izcalli:
I'll destroy it all, then build a new world. What other king could be bestowed with such glory—
Camazotz:
—So making use of ORT means extinction? How logical. It makes perfect sense.
Camazotz:
So that's your big plan, Tezcatlipoca? O uncaring Tezcatlipoca!
Camazotz:
I'll admit that tabula rasa is dull. Though the act of bleaching doesn't mean destruction as long as the foundation is intact!
Camazotz:
Yet you mean to tear up the chronicle of Pan-Human History, and throw away Mictlan with it!
Camazotz:
What a farce. Truly, what a comedy!
Camazotz:
After all, he's practically confessing that he has no way to save the world!
Camazotz:
But I'm different. I want to protect Pan-Human History. Even should their history be empty, its mere existence has value.
Camazotz:
Even should the pages be left unturned, even should nothing ever be further recorded upon it. That is preferable to it's destruction.
Camazotz:
That's right. I couldn't care less about the contents. I'm not enough of a fool to ever read or reflect on it.
Camazotz:
Tezcatlipoca is a foolish god, only interested in the present. Kukulkan is a cold god who can only see the far-off future.
Camazotz:
Neither can be king of Mictlan. To speak of Pan-Human History is beyond their merit.
Camazotz:
To feed on humans and to live among them for sustenance is a god's prerogative. And I, who rule the underworld, am worthy to be Mictlan's king.
Camazotz:
Nevertheless...even the mighty Camazotz will tremble with ORT in the picture.
Camazotz:
Are we to repeat the mistakes of six million years ago? Ignorance only goes so far before becoming sin.
Camazotz:
Maybe it's because neither Tezcatlipoca nor Crypter have personally tasted that thing's strangeness...
Camazotz:
Now, what to do, Camazotz? To cooperate with Chaldea, or wait out the ruin of both sides?
Camazotz:
—I know. Why not go and exchange a proper greeting first?
Camazotz:
Good, very good! Come to think of it, I never even got [♂ his /♀️ her] name!
Camazotz:
I've tasted Chaldea's Heroic Spirit summoning. In return, let me show off my Departed Spirit summoning!
Camazotz:
Away with my scythe, and let my staff sow terror!
Camazotz:
Just you wait, Chaldean [♂ priest /♀️ priestess]! When I kill you, I will become mankind's last Master!
Section 11: Life in Chichén Itzá (II)
Kukulkan:
Welcome, Chaldeans! The people of Chichen Itza welcome you!
Kukulkan:
I know you have no intention of harming the life in Mictlan for selfish reasons.
Kukulkan:
How, you ask? That would be because I've been hearing about you from the very beginning.
Kukulkan:
These people aren't foreign invaders. I, Kukulkan, shall inform all the deinos of this fact and instruct them to treat you as friends.
Dinosaur King:
You heard her. She's gone and left me with more unwelcome baggage.
Dinosaur King:
Vucub, make an announcement that talking with the Chaldeans about Pan-Human History shall be permitted.
Dinosaur King:
The Chaldeans aren't like the Ocelomeh. They're a sociable bunch, much like the deinos: the dinosaurian mankind.
Priest Vucub:
...But still, they look like Ocelomeh, no matter how you slice it.
Priest Vucub:
Nay, they're far nastier than the Ocelomeh.
Priest Vucub:
Are they not of the same species as that Crypter, the one who sowed the seeds of a nefarious culture in Mictlan?
Kukulkan:
Indeed. They are of the same species as Crypter. Their civilization knows much in the way of bad things.
Kukulkan:
But isn't it a bit unfair that Mexico City gets to have an intercultural exchange while Chichen Itza doesn't?
Kukulkan:
The deinos will all take this opportunity to learn. Not just the good parts of life, but also the bad.
Kukulkan:
Not to worry, Vucub. The deinos are a smart people. The nature of their species won't change now.
Kukulkan:
Human values will provide spice to their lives. Can't let corn be the only source of excitement, can we?
Priest Vucub:
...Understood. All shall be as Kukulkan wishes.
Priest Vucub:
—Tch.
Fujimaru 1:
(He was glaring real hard at us when we left...)
Fujimaru 2:
(Such intense hostility and hate...)
Gordolf:
Um, ahem! May I assume that it's our turn to speak now!?
Dinosaur King:
Oh, right, you represent Chaldea. Let's hear it, but make it snappy.
Gordolf:
C-Certainly. First I'd like to thank you for welcoming us.
Gordolf:
Irreconcilable existences like Pan-Human History and a Lostbelt must now join hands to defeat our common enemy, Tezcatlipoca.
Dinosaur King:
You don't need those justifications. No flattery needed either. I told you to keep it concise.
Dinosaur King:
With or without Ocelomeh, we don't consider Pan-Human History to be our enemies.
Dinosaur King:
The troublesome woman over there called you her friends. That's good enough for the deinos.
Dinosaur King:
So, what do you need?
Dinosaur King:
I was watching from all the way here, and that was a helluva sight. Our goddess here was like a damn gorilla.
Dinosaur King:
Some of the crew in the ship musta been injured. We've got medical instruments on hand meant to be used on me, but they work on any human.
Dinosaur King:
I'll give you as many of 'em as I can. If necessary, I'll have the priests manufacture more.
Gordolf:
R-Really? Now that you mention it, you ARE human...
Gordolf:
What's your relationship with Tezcatlipoca in the first place?
Gordolf:
The Tezcatlipoca of Mexico City and the Dinosaur King Tezcatlipoca.
Gordolf:
Both appear to be the Tezcatlipoca of Pan-Human History...
Dinosaur King:
Yeah, don't worry. We're both Tezcatlipocas, but it's not like we're buddies or anything.
Dinosaur King:
Gods have multiple aspects. It's just that these aspects exist independently of one another.
Dinosaur King:
If you call yourself a magus, you oughta know that.
Gordolf:
(...So a stray Servant unrelated to the Tezcatlipoca that Daybit summoned?)
Gordolf:
(They DO say that the god Tezcatlipoca has multiple divinities. It does make sense if he's one of those...)
Dinosaur King:
Need anything else? Can you repair that ship?
Gordolf:
O-O-Of course we can! But we're short on both manpower and materials! Might you have those!?
Dinosaur King:
Hah, you sure do have an appetite! Just can't let yourself starve, can you!?
Dinosaur King:
You're their commander. Rather unbecoming of ya to dive straight into a feast like that!
Dinosaur King:
But fair enough, I've no animosity for desperate men. Especially one as dishonest as you.
Dinosaur King:
You've got Tepeu, don't you? I'll make him your liaison to rally some deinos.
Dinosaur King:
You can ask the deinos to procure materials too. Things will go much smoother that way.
Dinosaur King:
From Pan-Human History's perspective, Mictlan's a cornucopia of resources. There's nothing you can't acquire here.
Gordolf:
Hmm. I-Is that so? You have my gratitude, Dinosaur King.
Gordolf:
...So what price will we have to pay? Surely you aren't going to demand a sacrifice...are you?
Gordolf:
(They're laughing their hearts out for some reason! Was I right on the money!? Our cultures are way too different, I don't get it at all!)
Kukulkan:
What do we do now, Your Highness? Since they've offered, do you want a sacrifice or two~?
Dinosaur King:
Hey, did you try eating meat on your trip to Mexico City?
Dinosaur King:
A'right then. Livers are delicious, but they do have a peculiar taste. I prefer 'em raw, but the uninitiated should cook them first.
Dinosaur King:
You'd become a Mictlan legend on the off chance you get an upset stomach.
Dinosaur King:
The great Doctrine of the Sun, Kukulkan, holed up in the crapper in an unsightly manner.
Kukulkan:
That won't happen because I won't eat any! ¡The sun never hides!
Kukulkan:
I doubt there are any sun gods who'd cower away in a cave over personal reasons!
Fujimaru 1:
(Nod in agreement)
Fujimaru 2:
Well...umm...
Kukulkan:
Thanks for the offer, Gordolf, but sacrifices won't be necessary.
Kukulkan:
This is the kind of help that you take for granted in Mictlan. Not a transaction.
Kukulkan:
If there's anything the deinos can do for you, please don't hesitate to ask.
Dinosaur King:
Yeah. And if there's any sincerity you have on hand to show us,
Dinosaur King:
that'd be to repair that ship of yours as quick as possible and leave Chichen Itza.
Dinosaur King:
If you're intent on fighting the Crypter, then take it outside. Cleanup's going to be a pain in the ass if you turn this city into a war zone.
Dinosaur King:
I figure we're done talking, then? The icebreaker's over. Rejoin your companions.
Dinosaur King:
I'm not one to waste time. Make sure all my memories of you will be meaningful ones.
Kukulkan:
Your Highness sure is serious! Then you won't mind taking care of the Solar Itinerancy~.
Dinosaur King:
...So you're going with Chaldea...? Well, suit yourself.
Dinosaur King:
You won't be lessening my burden by being here either. It's better you're not around to disturb me.
Kukulkan:
Yay, approved by His High~ness☆
Kukulkan:
Fujimaru, Gordolf, let's head back to the forest where the Border is moored.
Kukulkan:
Mash, Miss President, Kadoc, Da Vinci, Sion...
Kukulkan:
You've got a bunch of other Servants too, don't you? I can't wait to meet them in person!
Mash:
You're both back. How did your audience with the Dinosaur King go?
Fujimaru 1:
It went great. He's allowed us to stay,
Fujimaru 2:
and he's promised to assist us with repairs.
Da Vinci:
That's great news. We can finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Da Vinci:
Having said that, we've got tons of work to do.
Da Vinci:
I've read the report Fujimaru's compiled so far,
Da Vinci:
and this subterranean world...there are far too many unknowns at the moment.
Da Vinci:
The humanity in this Lostbelt, known as the deinos, and the sole goddess that they worship, Kukulkan.
Da Vinci:
And the god Tezcatlipoca who assaulted the Storm Border.
Da Vinci:
The Dinosaur King of Chichen Itza also calls himself Tezcatlipoca,
Da Vinci:
but let's leave that be for now.
Da Vinci:
He's also unmistakably Tezcatlipoca, but it is certain that he is not our enemy.
Da Vinci:
The problem here is the Crypter, Daybit, and Tezcatlipoca, his Servant.
Da Vinci:
The Ocelomeh who worship the Aztec faith those two spread, and their capital, Mexico City.
Da Vinci:
And ORT will manifest there in the near future. What's more, we've got to repair the Storm Border and...
U-Olga Marie:
...
Rasputin:
Is something wrong, my lady? Your face is saying nothing in the world matters.
Rasputin:
Fujimaru and Commander Gordolf have returned from the altar.
Rasputin:
Would it not befit a good ruler to offer them a few words of appreciation?
U-Olga Marie:
I know, but I can do that later. Besides, they don't seem to be hurt.
Rasputin:
...What of your declaration of Presidency towards the staff of Chaldea?
Rasputin:
You've really been looking forward to meeting up with the Chaldeans. It's unlike you to gaze at them from afar, my lady.
Rasputin:
Or has something changed your mind? Something like—
Rasputin:
Clearly remembering who you truly are.
U-Olga Marie:
S-So what if I did remember!?
U-Olga Marie:
I'm hardly 1 AU closer to remembering about myself, for starters!
Rasputin:
How unfortunate. However, in that case you should be able to join their conversation.
Rasputin:
Are you sure you won't be needing to give your campaign speech?
Rasputin:
Your sole reason to exist, my lady—the title of the “strongest entity”, will be snatched away by Kukulkan.
U-Olga Marie:
I'm not competing for any such title. Can you shut up for a minute?
Da Vinci:
...We've also got to address those two there... U-Olga Marie and Rasputin.
Da Vinci:
To be honest, I have no idea how to handle them.
Da Vinci:
(I REALLY can't forgive Rasputin, but I'll restrain myself for now...)
Da Vinci:
She may have lost her memories, but U-Olga Marie is undoubtedly the Alien God.
Da Vinci:
In the end, no, from start to finish, she's always been our enemy.
Da Vinci:
In Holmes' absence, I am now both the Technical Advisor and Administrative Advisor.
Da Vinci:
We cannot simply trust them to cooperate with us... no, we cannot count them as part of our forces.
Da Vinci:
Even if they've helped you countless times before you got here. Even if they saved us in Mexico City.
Fujimaru 1:
Collaborators, but not allies. That's what you mean?
Da Vinci:
...Uh-huh, if you had to put it into words, then yes. Even if I'd like to be able to count on them...
Mash:
(...To doubt and deal with those suspicions was Holmes' role after all...)
Mash:
Um, then what about Koyanskaya?
Da Vinci:
Oh, she won't be a problem. Koyanskaya's thrown her lot in with Chaldea...
Da Vinci:
After all, TRISMEGISTUS II has determined that she's a Servant who sides with the Human Order.
Da Vinci:
Our staff is recuperating in the Border for the time being...
Da Vinci:
since the rather violent movement from when the Storm Border was being carried has left many unwell.
Da Vinci:
Including Meunière. Thanks to that, we still haven't taken a vote on U-Olga Marie's situation.
Da Vinci:
I'll explain our current status to the staff once they recover from their motion sickness.
Da Vinci:
And if there's even a single person who objects to her presence, I will respect their opinion.
Da Vinci:
I hope you're both fine with that.
Fujimaru 1:
...
Fujimaru 2:
...OK.
Mash:
...Understood.
Mash:
I have no objection if you would want an unanimous vote.
Gordolf:
If you're all fine with that, then so am I.
Gordolf:
Regardless of what the President of Earth truly is, she looks identical to Olga Marie.
Gordolf:
I can hardly fathom the emotions of the staff who have bonded with her since the days of Finis Chaldea.
Gordolf:
It would be foolish of me to wield my authority as commander to make proclamations such as “use whatever we can” or “take any help we can get”.
Gordolf:
If Meunière and the rest of the Storm Border's staff cannot accept U-Olga Marie,
Gordolf:
then there's nothing left for me to say. Having said that.
Gordolf:
Meunière, Tomarin, Octavia, Chin, Kayan, Elron, Kawata, Marcus!
Gordolf:
The proud Chaldeans who have overcome countless battles.
Gordolf:
It's clear they'll accept an evil mastermind or two in their midst, even if it's a bit of a pain in the butt!
Fujimaru 1:
—New Director...
Fujimaru 2:
You're right!
Tepeu:
Have you finished your discussion?
Tepeu:
Apologies, but I've been keeping an eye on everyone since there seems to be tension within the group.
Tepeu:
I'm making this call since they are on the verge of getting physical.
Tepeu:
Greetings, Chaldeans. Judging by the situation, you must be Da Vinci.
Tepeu:
My name is Tepeu. A deinos who met Mash and Fujimaru on the first layer,
Tepeu:
and who accompanied them all the way here. And the ones behind me are...
1st Deinonychus brother:
Yep, we are...!
2nd Deinonychus brother:
Deinospower you can count on!
3rd Deinonychus brother:
The 11 Deinonychus Brothers!
Mash:
Death Rolling! Could it be that you're in the middle of cardio training!?
D：Deinonychus brother:
No, we're not. This ain't no time for xoqqer practice, Missy Mash.
C：Deinonychus brother:
We've come to repair Chaldea's ship at Master Tepeu's urging.
Mash:
I-Is that so? Thank you very much.
Fujimaru 1:
Glad to see you again.
Fujimaru 2:
There's no bunch more reliable.
B：Deinonychus brother:
Hehe. I know, right? Honestly I've never held anything heavier than a ball, but I'll pull through somehow!
Tepeu:
With me as their manager, they'll get the job done.
Tepeu:
The Deinonychus Brothers work fast. We can have them procure resources and transport them.
Tepeu:
We will acquire the materials necessary for repairs, so Da Vinci can focus on—
Tepeu:
Oh dear. Are you perhaps feeling under the weather?
Da Vinci:
—
Gordolf:
What's the matter, Administrative Technical Advisor? Your eyes...look blank.
Da Vinci:
Dino... Dino... Dinosaurs—
Da Vinci:
Wow, they're dinosaurs!!! The real deal, this rocks, this is art!!!
Da Vinci:
What on earth is going on, the deinos are ACTUALLY dinosaurs! Amazing, phenomenal! I wanna touch them!
Deinonychus brother:
...!!!?
Da Vinci:
I sincerely apologize. I just woke up and I'm feeling a little befuddled.
Da Vinci:
My name is Leonardo Da Vinci. I'm Chaldea's chief engineer.
Da Vinci:
You must be Tepeu, the deinos ally mentioned in the report. Pleased to make your acquaintance.
Fujimaru 1:
(She's trying to play it off like nothing happened...)
Fujimaru 2:
(The Deinonychus Brothers are tired of being petted...)
Tepeu:
Likewise. We cannot comprehend the composition of this ship.
Tepeu:
So if you can tell us what resources you need for repairs, we can procure them right away.
Tepeu:
On top of that, I'm also offering you use of my house at night. So if there's anyone who wishes to spend time in the city, please do let me know.
Tepeu:
I will do all I can to accommodate my friends from Pan-Human History.
Da Vinci:
No way, that sounds amazing! I'm going, I'm definitely going! I wanna see the deinos city!
Da Vinci:
Oh, to better understand this Lostbelt, of course. We'll need to know Mictlan's history and culture and stuff.
Da Vinci:
If I'm not going to be a bother to you, Tepeu...
Tepeu:
I'd love to have you come along.
Tepeu:
It's not every day that you get to speak with a scholar from Pan-Human History.
Tepeu:
—Oh, but there is something that needs doing before we get there.
Tepeu:
The Storm Border's repairs will take some time. Many nights, I expect.
Tepeu:
As such, we must first ensure our safety. We ought to exterminate the carnivorous insects and beasts in this area.
Gordolf:
Hmm, a carnivorous insect. Just the sound of that makes me want to run off. My instinct is telling me as much.
Gordolf:
Master Fujimaru. Mash Kyrielight.
Gordolf:
You two go and do something about that. Both Nitocris and Nemo have yet to recover.
Fujimaru 1:
Roger that!
Fujimaru 2:
(We could also ask U...no, now's not the time...)
Mash:
I've fought off the carnivorous insects several times. We have enough firepower.
Mash:
Let's go, Master. Just the two of us will— Kukulkan?
Kukulkan:
Hmm? You're going to ward off aggressive creatures from this area, no?
Kukulkan:
If that's the case, may I accompany you too? After all, I'm the one who set the ship down here—
Kukulkan:
I've always been fascinated by these “battles” of yours.
Kukulkan:
I don't know the proper conduct for it, so please direct me as you see fit. Will you allow me to fight alongside the heroes of Pan-Human History?
--ARROW--
Da Vinci:
Some people here don't know me, so allow me to reintroduce myself.
Da Vinci:
I am Leonardo Da Vinci. Chaldea's Technical and Administrative—
Da Vinci:
Well, you can think of me as a jack of all trades. Remember me as the almighty genius that I am!
Nitocris:
I am Nitocris. A Caster class Servant.
Nitocris:
I understand the deinos over there has been guarding the Border while I was incapacitated.
Nitocris:
You have my gratitude. Short-lived as it may have been, I was once a pharaoh.
Nitocris:
I shall repay this kindness in the same manner without fail.
Wak Chan:
Huh? All I did was just kick the asses of any Ocelomeh that came near.
Wak Chan:
You guys overreact to every little thing. Ya ought to relax a bit more. Aren't ya tired of living all uptight?
Nitocris:
Hehe. You possess a mighty body, a stout heart, and you are a kind soul, Fighter Wak Chan.
Wak Chan:
I-Is that so? What do you mean by “kind”?
Sion:
Next up is yours truly, Chaldea's collaborator, Sion Eltnam Sokaris.
Sion:
Thanks for saving our hides back at the altar. You have my gratitude.
Sion:
Tezcatlipoca used some sort of herb to put Da Vinci and I to sleep,
Sion:
but I hear you witnessed an unbelievable scene at that altar. Please do tell me all about that later!
Habetrot:
Oh, is that it? No one else came?
Da Vinci:
Nemo's crew is on the Border. After all, the Border's foundation is the Nautilus.
Da Vinci:
Should Captain Nemo leave the Border, that alone would cause the Border's capabilities to decline.
Da Vinci:
Captain will be there for a while, to restore the Border to normal as swiftly as possible.
Da Vinci:
The Chaldea staff will be using their own quarters too, since they're still intact.
Da Vinci:
Commander Gordolf is the problem here...
Gordolf:
Chichen Itza...the city of deinos. Under normal circumstances, I would've only deployed our survey team there...
Gordolf:
Hmph, I can tell you won't listen to me either way. It can't be helped then, go on.
Gordolf:
Me? I shan't be going, not to a place as dreadful as that!
Gordolf:
Didn't you see Wak Chan!? He's a nice fellow, but he sure throws his weight around, literally!
Gordolf:
He casually snapped a tree over 10 meters wide with a swipe of his tail while swatting off bugs!
Gordolf:
The city of the deinos is, so to speak, a city of giants! I'd suffer a fatal accident if I went there carelessly like a sightseeing tourist!
Gordolf:
Which is why I'll remain on the Border. Though neither my room nor the control room have yet to be repaired.
Gordolf:
Fortunately, I was able to convert the hangar into my personal room. I consider myself lucky that the air conditioning is still working.
Kadoc:
I get you. The heat here in Mictlan is absurd.
Kadoc:
Just being in this jungle makes me miss the hellish cold of Russia.
Kadoc:
I'm surprised Fujimaru and Mash are able to withstand this.
Gordolf:
Took the words right out of my mouth. Perhaps the temperatures in the wilderness of Jerusalem...
Gordolf:
...in the report on the Sixth Singularity were not so exaggerated after all.
Gordolf:
Even when I participated in the Dakar Rally (as a spectator), it wasn't nearly THIS hot!
Gordolf:
Hmm? Hold on, Kadoc Zemlupus. Will you be staying on the Border too when you don't have a room?
Kadoc:
Oh. Yeah, the incarceration room got blown up when we crash landed.
Kadoc:
But Fujimaru lent me [♂ his /♀️ hers]. Told me I could use it as my own...
Kadoc:
...But that's one hell of a mind of steel [♂ he's /♀️ she's] got, huh?
Additional Dialogue
This line displays if player is Female. Kadoc also blushes. Ehe.
Kadoc:
Or is it normal in Japan to invite the opposite sex over?
Koyanskaya:
Oh dear, so the two of you will be remaining on the Border then? In which case, I'll camp here too.
Koyanskaya:
We may have warded off hostile wildlife during the day, but there's no telling when the Ocelomeh will attack.
Koyanskaya:
After all, I am a Chaldean Servant. Consider this a part of my duties to ensure you remain in good health.
Koyanskaya:
I shall defeat them and retrieve—no, I meant to say confiscate their firearms and neutralize them.
Kadoc & Gordolf:
(This woman's planning on retrieving the firearms SHE handed out, and then pretend it never happened!)
Da Vinci:
Well, he said he'd protect the Border as its commander. Let's leave it at that!
Wak Chan:
Sounds good. The Border's heavily armored. There ain't no telling what'll go down on a sunless night.
Wak Chan:
I'd say the Border is a safer place than being in Chichen Itza.
Da Vinci:
So, the pre-dinner introduction ended up being way too long, but that's all from me.
Da Vinci:
After all, we've been eliminating wild beasts all day. I'd like to feast, sleep, and prepare for tomorrow.
Da Vinci:
But is there anything you'd like to ask, Fujimaru?
Fujimaru 1:
Let's see...
Kukulkan:
...?
Fujimaru 1:
Who's the top dog, Kukulkan or the Dinosaur King?
Kukulkan:
Oh? Haven't I mentioned it already?
Tepeu:
Who the top dog is...I assume you wish to clarify the chain of command? I do admit that's a rather ambiguous matter.
Wak Chan:
Hmm. I do know which of them's stronger. But I ain't sure though which is the boss here.
Kukulkan:
The ultimate authority in deinos society would be the Dinosaur King. His commands are law in Chichen Itza.
Kukulkan:
I mainly represent order, kind of like a go-between.
Da Vinci:
Is that so? You referred to yourself as Mictlan's creator in the records from the sacrificial altar.
Kukulkan:
That was a spur of the moment thing... I was trying to show off in front of that sunglassed scumbag...
Kukulkan:
Mictlan itself is a terrestrial resource, so I'm kind of unrelated. You could consider me an outsider of sorts...
Kukulkan:
Oh...right!
Kukulkan:
I'm here just for the sake of being here. I am not responsible for anything, nor am I responsible for anyone.
Kukulkan:
I hear the “gods” of Pan-Human History are such beings...was I mistaken?
Da Vinci:
Yep. The more almighty the god is, the less involved with human society they are.
Da Vinci:
They'd only make people aware of their existence. For that is how a god ought to be.
Da Vinci:
There's nothing good nor evil about natural phenomena. It's humans who assign such roles to them.
Da Vinci:
And you are an embodiment...the deification of Mictlan's order as envisioned by the deinos?
Kukulkan:
Yes. You're probably right. I can't quite say who envisioned me though.
Fujimaru 1:
So why do you wear Ocelotl clothes, Kukulkan?
Kukulkan:
Because I wanted to!
Kukulkan:
No, wait. The reason's not that simple. Umm, let's see...
Kukulkan:
A disguise! Yes, it's a disguise!
Kukulkan:
I copied Pan-Human History's attire to blend in with Mexico City!
Tepeu:
I see, as expected of Kukulkan. How wise of you. However, we are back in Chichen Itza.
Tepeu:
Why not disrobe now? You never used to wear clothes before.
Wak Chan:
Yeah, true. Unlike us, the heat must be getting to ya, right? Why don't ya go naked, Kukulkan?
Da Vinci:
(Whistle) Go for it.
Mash:
N-Nake...!?
Sion:
Well, it does make sense for a goddess of the deinos, logically speaking. On a side note, what do you make of it, Fujimaru?
Mash:
No way at all, Sion! Kukulkan, I beseech you to keep those clothes on!
Mash:
I-It has this punkish, rockish, desperada feel to it!
Kukulkan:
Well, of course! Though I do feel “desperada” is not really a compliment!
Da Vinci:
—Alright. Now that we've all cooled off, let's talk about tomorrow's schedule.
Da Vinci:
It's mainly about repairing the Storm Border, though we'll be splitting ourselves up between the resource procurement team and the manual labor team.
Da Vinci:
I'd like Mash to act as Sion's assistant in the computer room.
Da Vinci:
Fujimaru will join the resource procurement team to get us what we need.
Da Vinci:
Nitocris as our escort in the jungle, and Wak Chan as our escort in Chichen Itza.
Wak Chan:
No can do! I got some real important plans!
Da Vinci:
My apologies then. Well—hehe.
Da Vinci:
Guess I've got no choice but to be the escort and go stall-hopping! Yep, there's just no other choice!
Tepeu:
...The two of you alone will be in need of a guide. Should that need come to pass, please let me know.
Tepeu:
Chichen Itza is a peaceful city, but you can never be too safe.
Da Vinci:
Thanks, Tepeu, we'll be counting on you. I've got lots of things I want to discuss.
Da Vinci:
Alright then, folks, lights out! Tomorrow's going to be a busy day!
Fujimaru 1:
Hmm?
Fujimaru 2:
(Did U go back to her room already...)
--ARROW--
Narration:
A long, long time ago. Prior to your current existence, prior to the Neogene period, prior to the Paleogene period, prior to the Cretaceous period, prior to the Jurassic period, prior to the Triassic period.
Narration:
We originated on a continent that existed 300 million years ago.
Narration:
That is how it was written in this Texture's backstory.
Narration:
Back then, all continents were as one. Three continents collided, converged, and birthed a new world.
Narration:
Countless mountain ranges were formed. Air currents formed due to those mountain ranges.
Narration:
Changes in the atmosphere created a monsoon season, and as a result, many rivers came to be. And so did the wetlands.
Narration:
A countlessly plenty amount of plants grew. —A great forest was thus birthed on this planet.
Narration:
This forest was made up of massive pteridophytes around 40 meters high by your scale.
Narration:
They were our vessels. A new society where we could thrive.
Narration:
And so the forest continued to expand, and in the absence of natural predators, insects continued to evolve, growing larger and stronger.
Narration:
Life had finally evolved into something that wouldn't be out of place in the present.
Narration:
So we, too, changed our course accordingly to keep up with the evolution of life.
Narration:
On a side note, those pteridophytes would eventually form strata,
Narration:
only to be dug up by your generation and used as coal.
Narration:
For this reason, you people called this period the Carboniferous period.
Narration:
Yet the age of the insects was a short-lived one. For vertebrates arose on the surface of this planet.
Narration:
—We still recall the shock and joy we felt in that moment.
Narration:
A mouth with teeth. Sturdy limbs. A head that grows from the body yet exists separately.
Narration:
Amniota. A new life similar to what you would call a lizard.
Narration:
It was all but written in the stars that they would dominate this planet.
Narration:
They would reproduce using amniotic eggs... called amnions.
Narration:
Amniotic fluid filled the interior of the amnion, and the child was thus reared within an embryo.
Narration:
A birth under the protection of a wall known as the egg, keeping it safe from the outside. An unprecedentedly safe form of birthing.
Narration:
The result was that they no longer required the presence of water to reproduce, allowing them to move onto land.
Narration:
Over the long, long years, they differentiated into Synapsida and Sauropsida. And the Sauropsida that survived that extinction event were reptiles—
Narration:
They were the ancestors of the dinosaurs, the deinos. And they established a paradise on land that lasted for 47 million years.
Narration:
So far, nothing has diverged from your world. However, from this point onward...
Narration:
—The beginning of a Mictlan far different than that of your world.
Narration:
66 million years ago, this planet approached its third mass extinction.
Narration:
81% of marine life and 70% of vertebrates went extinct.
Narration:
In the time of your Pan-Human History, their world ends here.
Narration:
But this is an alternate story.
Narration:
A tiny deviation in trajectory brought us to the world about 250 million years sooner.
Narration:
And we chose them. Not you, the ones who would arise later.
Narration:
The children of the Paleozoic, who strove to live on this planet, much like you.
Fujimaru 1:
—And that was the dream I had.
Da Vinci:
Hmm. It sounds like the kind of lucid dreaming a Master would experience if they were mentally attuned with their Servant.
Da Vinci:
The Carboniferous period, you say? In that case, the scenery you saw must have been the Earth during its Paleozoic era.
Da Vinci:
The Paleozoic era ended with the Devonian period, the Carboniferous period, and the Permian period.
Da Vinci:
And with the end of the Paleozoic era, the Mesozoic era began and the dinosaurs flourished.
Da Vinci:
Do you know why the organisms from the Paleozoic era died out, Fujimaru?
Fujimaru 1:
Mash told me.
Fujimaru 2:
The Big 5...the five mass extinction events, right?
Da Vinci:
Yep, precisely. And the Permian extinction was said to have been the largest among the Big 5.
Da Vinci:
Unlike other mass extinction events, the cause of the third mass extinction event is still unknown to us.
Da Vinci:
Perhaps volcanoes erupted all across the continent at once, or perhaps the extinction was caused by a chain of various overlapping factors.
Da Vinci:
Had this mass extinction event not occurred, life would've evolved in a significantly different manner.
Da Vinci:
And so, in the Mesozoic era, the world of the dinosaurs continued on for 180 million years.
Da Vinci:
Until it reached our current Cenozoic era. Across the span of 66 million years, that is.
Da Vinci:
However, no Heroic Spirit could possibly have memories of such a past.
Da Vinci=spot:
Scratch that, there may have been an odd exception who lived during the Precambrian age,
Da Vinci:
but generally speaking, the Heroic Spirits of mankind belong to the Cenozoic era.
Da Vinci:
If there's anyone who could show you such a scenery, Fujimaru.
Da Vinci:
It would be the brain of the planet...the memories of the planet that the world of magecraft refer to as the Archetype.
Fujimaru 1:
Archetype...
Fujimaru 2:
The memories of the planet...
D：Tepeu:
Pan-Human History's tableware is quite good. Truly magnificent. I am especially enamored by this cup.
D：Tepeu:
We, too, utilize tableware. Although ours don't come with such variety.
D：Tepeu:
I see, so this is known as a watering can. May I have a sample?
D：Tepeu:
I would like to show this to our artisans. I'm sure they would understand and endorse its mass production.
D：Tepeu:
A deinos-compatible cup, the Unspillable Cupman. This sure is going to be trendy.
Da Vinci:
(Oh...that's what Mash brought over from the Border last night...)
Da Vinci:
A watering can isn't exactly used for that, but whatever.
Da Vinci:
The deinos all appear to be highly intelligent, although they seem to avoid taking unnecessary actions.
Da Vinci:
I can tell that Tepeu's the odd one out. You're full of curiosity, aren't you?
Da Vinci:
I wonder if you could call that an adventurous spirit? It's like you're still keeping your inner child alive!
Mash:
I-Is that so? I got the impression that Tepeu's a rather mature individual...
Tepeu:
That may be so, if you mean that I've stopped growing mentally after a certain period.
Tepeu:
I have always been deficient at accepting what I lay eyes on for what they appear.
Tepeu:
As I have mentioned to Mash, I was simply incompatible with deinos society and thus became a recluse.
Tepeu:
My thought patterns may be closer to that of Pan-Human History's.
Tepeu:
On a side note, the sun is starting to pass by the altar.
Tepeu:
Let us begin repairing the Border. Just in case, may I confirm what your schedules are?
Mash:
Of course. I'm assisting Sion in the Border's computer room.
Mash:
And Habetrot's currently out of commission since she's recharging her magical energy back on the Border.
Da Vinci:
I'm going to tour Chichen Itza with you, Tepeu! I hear they've got some rare minerals there!
Nitocris:
I will escort Fujimaru.
Nitocris:
Nemo Bakery has instructed us to fetch some ingredients for preservable foodstuffs in the forests.
Kukulkan:
Won't you be in need of a guide? I know the sea of trees like the back of my hand!
U-Olga Marie:
...
Fujimaru 1:
Come with us, U-Olga Marie.
Fujimaru 2:
Care to accompany me, Miss President?
???:
Gangwaaaay!
Wak Chan:
Looks like I made it in time! Sorry about breaking the wall! Too late for apologies though!
Wak Chan:
But hey, lemme off the hook! After all, after all—
Wak Chan:
I came here for a showdown!
Wak Chan:
Come with me, U! I've got this perfect place I just gotta show ya!
U-Olga Marie:
...Now that you mention it, you did say something similar yesterday...
U-Olga Marie:
Something about a place “the weak Ocelomeh can't build, but the mighty deinos can”.
U-Olga Marie:
Very well, guide me then! I'd much prefer that to repairing this ship!
U-Olga Marie:
...And there you have it. Tough luck, Fujimaru.
Fujimaru 1:
...
Fujimaru 2:
(Was this...really the right thing to do?)
Kadoc:
You're here already? We've just finished assigning jobs.
Kadoc:
For some reason, a bunch of deinos gathered around me and started talking incessantly.
Kadoc:
They're all friendly, so it's not really a problem, but I'm having a hard time dealing with them.
Kadoc:
Are they out on a pleasure jaunt, Tepeu? If so, I'd like them to stay away.
Tepeu:
Yes. An unusual reaction from the deinos. It may have been the result of the Dinosaur King's decree.
Fujimaru 1:
And by decree, you mean the whole...
Fujimaru 2:
"Permission granted to mingle with Pan-Human History" thing?
Tepeu:
Yes. Since they have permission, they have come to take a look for themselves.
Tepeu:
Well then...how about setting up a site for intercultural exchange once we're done with today's work quota?
Tepeu:
That would sate the deinos' curiosity.
Tepeu:
Can I ask this of you, Mash and Fujimaru?
Mash:
Are you sure you want us on this?
Mash:
I believe you, Sion, or Da Vinci would be capable of hosting a more meaningful conversation...
Tepeu:
No. You are the perfect fit. Isn't that right, Kukulkan?
Kukulkan:
Right you are.
Kukulkan:
I'd like to hear tales from Pan-Human History and the Lostbelts, not from the mouth of scholars, but from the two of you who experienced them.
Kukulkan:
Oh, I've already heard it all! ¡But it's so interesting, I'd like to hear it again!
Mash:
...?
Kadoc:
So, where? If we do it here, we'll scare the staff...no,
Kadoc:
you know the impact the appearance of a deinos can have a person. It takes time to get used to them, so, you know.
Kukulkan:
I think so too. The shrine would befit such an assembly. I'll go pester the king for permission.
Kukulkan:
I'm glad you chose your words carefully, Kadoc.
Kadoc:
I-I was just stating facts. You're the one I've got to thank for getting us a place.
Nitocris:
So we shall go beast hunting in the forests, then? All we have to do is find non-poisonous creatures, correct?
Kadoc:
Yeah. The Border's pantry is totally empty after a few days of being besieged.
Kadoc:
Bakery's so far gone that she's started stirring empty pots.
Kadoc:
We'll need to stock up on meat ASAP. Fruits and spices too, if possible.
Kukulkan:
In which case, the area around the ruins of Ka'an would be best. There are still trees and shrubs there suitable for you.
Kukulkan:
Let's be off then, Nitocris, Fujimaru.
Kukulkan:
Oh, but do be careful. It's no poultry effort to catch one of Mictlan's turkeys!
Kukulkan:
Should we let our guards down, we'd be the ones ending up as food. So let's focus, okay?
--BATTLE--
Nitocris:
That was...a horrible experience...
Nitocris:
What's with that awful scream!?
Nitocris:
Regrets, remorse, ruefulness, shame! Envy and profanity against all who live!
Nitocris:
Isn't Mictlan supposed to be a consecrated world that tests the deceased yet offers them salvation!?
Kukulkan:
That's just Pan-Human History stuff...
Kukulkan:
But it IS indeed unusual. Sure, their sound waves paralyze our semicircular canals,
Kukulkan:
but how come you were so much worse off than everyone else, Nitocris?
Nitocris:
In any case, let's prep that turkey well before we cook it!
Nitocris:
There's a good chance its insides are full of blasphemous matter!
1st Deinonychus brother:
Whew, that was exhausting! The round trip between the fourth layer and Chichen Itza sure is draining!
2nd Deinonychus brother:
What do you think we're doin' this for? Master Tepeu said this'll strengthen our legs!
7th Deinonychus brother:
Heard it's just some simple job of rounding up parts for the ship.
7th Deinonychus brother:
Master Tepeu failed to mention the distance though. There's Ocelomeh around too. This job's real hard.
3rd Deinonychus brother:
Come on, don't say that, bro. This is for the sake of our new siblings.
3rd Deinonychus brother:
They said we could play xoqqer on the deck once the ship's repaired. Those mid-air passes we could do...
3rd Deinonychus brother:
What'd you think?
4th Deinonychus brother:
I'm all hyped up. Let's do our best next cycle too!
5th Deinonychus brother:
But Fujimaru's gotta do [♂ his /♀️ her] thing before that. Here's my seat.
Fujimaru 1:
Eh?
Fujimaru 2:
What are you talking about?
7th Deinonychus brother:
I'm talking about THAT. You're gonna tell us all about that Pan-Human History stuff of yours. Right?
7th Deinonychus brother:
I thought I was the only bro interested in such things, but it turns out everyone's curious.
Mash:
Regarding what Tepeu's been talking about then. I understand.
Mash:
Since Nitocris is here with us, let us talk about ancient Egypt.
Mash:
May we, Pharaoh Nitocris?
Nitocris:
No problem. While my reign may have been a short-lived one, I WAS once a Pharaoh myself.
Nitocris:
Let me tell you the story of the splendorous Sixth Dynasty of ancient Egypt, our kingdom!
Nitocris:
...Thus my life as a Pharaoh came to an end, and I departed this world without heading for the land eternal.
Nitocris:
This took place around the 22nd century BC, and the ancient Egyptian dynasty continued to prosper until the 1st century BC.
Nitocris:
The Pharaoh Cleopatra endured until the bitter end, but it was the Roman Republic that ended our history.
1st Deinonychus brother:
You've gotta be kidding me... You were living life on hard mode, Your Highness...
1st Deinonychus brother:
So those wicked priests were kind of like Vucub then?
1st Deinonychus brother:
And they'd been swarming you since you were born? And your king brothers were not only manipulated, but also poisoned to death?
1st Deinonychus brother:
So Miss Nito was surrounded by enemies on all sides, pretended to be manipulated by them, then created an opportunity for a counterattack?
1st Deinonychus brother:
And once you'd reached your limit, you rounded up all those wicked retainers in one place?
1st Deinonychus brother:
Can WE do that? Can YOU do that, brothers? For instance, can we treat even our xoqqer team as enemies?
2nd Deinonychus brother:
Woah, no way man, I can't do that! I'm never gonna make it like that!
2nd Deinonychus brother:
And she actually came out on top!? Miss Nito's amazing, she's even cooler than Kukulkan!
2nd Deinonychus brother:
So THIS is what a goddess is made of! After all, ours mostly just loiters around!
Kukulkan:
Hehehe. I wonder if it's time to cull the Deinonychus species?
Nitocris:
No. It's not that I'm amazing. It's only natural for a Pharaoh to act as such.
Nitocris:
Besides...if I truly were amazing, I wouldn't have executed those priests—
Nitocris:
...Because I would have saved my brothers before those priests could assassinate them.
Mash:
Nitocris...
Nitocris:
Having said that, I won big time! That much is certain.
Nitocris:
I'm sure my brothers would look upon me with pride in the land eternal.
Nitocris:
Your attentiveness is truly deserving of praise. It's great that the deinos are all so well-behaved.
6th Deinonychus brother:
I mean, that's 'cause you're a great storyteller. It was real immersive.
6th Deinonychus brother:
So you call this “history”...or a “story” then? This stuff cuts real deep, my head's still buzzing.
6th Deinonychus brother:
If we lived in your world, I'm sure we'd all be dead by now.
6th Deinonychus brother:
Family plotting against family, losing one another. Deceiving, hating, and slaughtering your own kind.
6th Deinonychus brother:
We couldn't possibly withstand such cruelty.
6th Deinonychus brother:
But we can stand it if it's in story format like this. So THIS is what stories are all about.
Nitocris:
—That may be so...could it be that warfare itself is a forei—
7th Deinonychus brother:
But there were some parts I couldn't grasp.
7th Deinonychus brother:
You're talking about that “year” thing? Do you Pan-Human people just naturally count time?
Fujimaru 1:
Don't the deinos do the same?
Fujimaru 2:
(...Now that they mention it...)
Mash:
Huh? Hold on a minute, does Mictlan even have years...?
Mash:
No. I assume the counting of years is not a part of your culture.
Tepeu:
...Yes. I too have felt something off since I started travelling with all of you.
Tepeu:
Deinos and humans seem to perceive time differently. A “year” is a concept foreign to us.
Tepeu:
What you call the “past”, we call “earlier” as a general rule of thumb.
Tepeu:
A century ago would be “a little earlier”, and a millennium ago would be “a lot earlier”.
Tepeu:
As such, our society avoids complications such as the dynasties that Nitocris mentioned.
Tepeu:
We do not record our history or the passage of the years. The need to record history is simply not in deinos nature.
Tepeu:
For this is how we've led our lives ever since a “long, long, long time ago”.
Tepeu:
—Truly, if we consider Pan-Human History's scale, we haven't changed at all for 66 million years.
--ARROW--
Nemo Professor:
Here's a quest for you~. The heat shield on the Border's bow got peeled o~ff.
Nemo Professor:
So I was wondering if I could get you to fetch some quartz for me, Master.
Nemo Professor:
Sion said she can manufacture one for us with alchemy if we get her around twenty tons of it.
Fujimaru 1:
Twenty tons!?
Fujimaru 2:
You realize a human can't possibly carry that much, right?
Mash:
Y-You do have a point.
Mash:
Even with backup from the Decisive Battle Mystic Code, twenty tons is too much for a human like Master.
Kukulkan:
Oh, come now. You've gotta ask ME for those favors! I can carry anything that fits in my hands!
Kukulkan:
Oh...but not just any mineral will suffice, will it...?
Kukulkan:
I'm sorry, I'm not really cut out for the complicated stuff... Should I just carry a mountain over here?
Sion:
In that case, would you happen to know where something similar to this is? It's called obsidian.
Fujimaru 1:
If we're talking obsidian—
Fujimaru 2:
There's a literal mountain of it!
Mash:
You mean the Second Underworld! It had mountains of obsidian as far as the eye can see!
Kukulkan:
Lucky for you the Second Underworld isn't too far! Let's be off then!
Beni-Enma:
I understand the gist of it. You are in need of obthidian?
Beni-Enma:
This mountain range of blades you see is an amalgamated myth. It is Iztauhqui, the Thecond Underworld. And it is also the mindscape of the Great King Enma.
Beni-Enma:
While Beni would like to preserve these bladed mountains as a sword,
Beni-Enma:
I suppose it's all right if you need thome to repair Chaldea's ship. However—
Prideful Voice:
■■■—!
Beni-Enma:
While I may have given my permission, the wardens appear to be objecting.
Beni-Enma:
“Beat us if you can.” “You're not getting your hands on these rockth THAT easily,”
Beni-Enma:
is what they're saying. They're so full of themselves, perhaps I may have thpoiled them a tad too much.
Beni-Enma:
Unfounded confidence hurts not only onethelf, but those around you. You should give them a good beating to discipline them.
Kukulkan:
Whew... You really are a strict person, despite your appearance...
Kukulkan:
Beni-Enma has said as much, so may I, Fujimaru?
Kukulkan:
Will cases like “tread on a worm and it will turn” or “love thy enemy” apply here?
Fujimaru 1:
...The farming of materials is always a hard-fought battle...
Fujimaru 2:
Knock them down for a three-count.
Kukulkan:
I see. You need not hold back against those that would harm you. “Survival of the fittest”, so that's how it is?
Kukulkan:
Alrighty. Then I'll go easy on their bodies, but I'll crush their pride!
Kukulkan:
Aww~! I'm not really fond of violence, but the phrase “three-count” really hits me in the right spot!
--BATTLE--
Voice swearing revenge:
■■■, ■■■!!!
Fujimaru 1:
They...blew themselves up—!?
Fujimaru 2:
(Did we overdo it...?)
Beni-Enma:
No. That was a voice full of fighting spirit, vowing to fight again.
Beni-Enma:
“I'll be in training for when I thee you next.” “Nice fight, I can at least drop you a smithing stone.”
Beni-Enma:
Good for you! This ith how all folk tales ought to end!
Kukulkan:
Yes... They were ore, yet had a backbone. It really made hitting them feel worthwhile...
Kukulkan:
And just short of blowing them away too.
Kukulkan:
¡Don't mind if I take a mountain's worth! I hope there's at least twenty tons in all this!
Beni-Enma:
...So someone exists that can carry off a whole mountain? No, that wath not a human, but a god.
Beni-Enma:
Leave the recovery and transport of the ore in her hands. By the way...
Beni-Enma:
Is it just you that came?
Beni-Enma:
Mash is minding your house, but what of that other woman?
Fujimaru 1:
By whom you mean...Koyanskaya?
Beni-Enma:
Not the money-grubbing pervert. If you had brought her along, I may have made the mountainth shake with a rabbit hunt.
Beni-Enma:
The woman with the hornth and crown... I mean U-Olga Marie.
Fujimaru 2:
By whom you mean...U-Olga Marie?
Beni-Enma:
That woman was just as dedicated to keeping you out of danger as Mash.
Beni-Enma:
So between the two of them, you could make it through Mictlan without a thingle injury.
Beni-Enma:
That is what I thought as I saw you off.
Beni-Enma:
...Still, now you've brought along a far more ludicrous being.
Beni-Enma:
I am not worried about your journey, but did you two have some kind of quarrel?
Fujimaru 1:
I wouldn't go that far,
Fujimaru 2:
but the timing wasn't right.
Beni-Enma:
I see. I hope that you're still together.
Beni-Enma:
Be that ath it may, human hearts can tend to change.
Beni-Enma:
Even small misunderstandings can lead to crackth that cannot be mended.
Beni-Enma:
Ask when you must. Apologize when you must. Drift away too far and you cannot hear the other call out.
Beni-Enma:
You only live once. Whatever the occasion, don't balk at an opportunity to talk thingth out.
Koyanskaya:
Oh, things seem to bustling here as well.
Koyanskaya:
The deinos seem to hold no hostility, animosity, or prejudice against foreign cultures.
Koyanskaya:
Volunteers for fixing up the Border have joined in without even needing to be recruited.
Koyanskaya:
Humans could stand to learn from that... Though that isn't universally true.
Koyanskaya:
One cannot structure a business with no mind towards profit and loss... And being too quick to understand is also something of a problem.
Koyanskaya:
To have the intelligence to feel misery, but not to sense tragedy for what it is.
Koyanskaya:
To have a heart that feels frustration, but not to perceive the unfairness in it.
Koyanskaya:
These people may not pick up on abundance or scarcity, but the creatures living nearby are less able.
Da Vinci:
...
Dinosaur King:
—Damn, turnout's bigger than yesterday.
Dinosaur King:
I said I'd permit talks with Pan-Human History, but man, when's the lid on that gonna come off?
Fujimaru 1:
Huh, the Dinosaur King...!?
Fujimaru 2:
You came to watch the presentation!?
Dinosaur King:
Like hell! I dropped by to kick a ball around, but you guys are still here!
Dinosaur King:
My sole entertainment is gettin' rained out. Move it, Chaqa, I'm reserving the nosebleed seats.
Dinosaur King:
If you've come to listen, then getcher asses up front. Nothing's gonna happen if you keep a distance.
Koyanskaya:
My, that's one way to push those shy deinos into the front rows.
Koyanskaya:
At my own risk of being assertive, you are a most tactful king. May I be so good as to extend an introduction?
Dinosaur King:
Keep it. You're the one who gave Black Tezcatlipoca more “wisdom” than he knows what to do with, right?
Dinosaur King:
If you wanna ply your wares in Chichen Itza, knock yourself out. So long as the deinos want the goods, anyway.
Koyanskaya:
How very harsh. It's true that I have zero sales thus far, but let's not dwell on that.
Koyanskaya:
Business is not a one night affair. I will work for as long as it takes.
Koyanskaya:
After all, my goal is not only to collect not only profits, but something far greater.
Dinosaur King:
Oh, is that your innermost desire? You're a funny woman. I can see you takin' it on the chin.
Dinosaur King:
Well, you gonna just stand there like a stalk of maize? The deinos are waiting on you.
Dinosaur King:
Get up front and start talking about a “what-if” that's never been told of in Mictlan—
Dinosaur King:
Your people have beheld the stories of many worlds.
Fujimaru 1:
R-Right.
Fujimaru 2:
Okay, let's start with
Nemo Professor:
Oh, good eveni~ng. Are you a lost child, Kotomine? I don't mind showing you to your destination~.
Rasputin:
I was just going to take a break, but thank you. I'd been patrolling the ship to see if any Ocelomeh had stowed away.
Nemo Professor:
Well, thanks~. The Captain isn't up to speed yet, so that's a big he~lp.
Nemo Professor:
The Ocelomeh put out almost no magical energy reading, so they're tricky to pick up on senso~rs.
Rasputin:
Ah, that is news to me. I had heard that Captain Nemo was back on duty.
Nemo Professor:
Yeah, he's keeping a stiff upper lip as usual~. Sion pretends like she doesn't noti~ce.
Rasputin:
I see. I'll keep that in mind as well.
Rasputin:
...By the way, is the electricity used to operate the Storm Border only generated by internal combustion?
Nemo Professor:
...? Have you been told otherwise?
Rasputin:
No, but what happens to the power needed to sustain the ship in the event of an engine shutdown?
Rasputin:
I'd heard that when you crash-landed, the engines shut down and you were trapped in the dark with no power.
Rasputin:
It must have been a difficult and penitent time. So, in the event of such an ordeal...
Rasputin:
I had thought that with an external energy supply line from outside that your refit would go more smoothly.
Nemo Professor:
So I see~. That's very priestly of you~.
Nemo Professor:
Rest assured that the pipeline to the engine from outside is good and connecte~d.
Nemo Professor:
If we could summon as many as a hundred Servants who can provide us the power, we could operate without engines.
Nemo Professor:
But with the Wandering Sea base also up in smoke, that won't ever be feasible again—Oh.
Nemo Professor:
No, that could work. Thank you for the consultation.
Rasputin:
Splendid. Then you're prepared even for the unlikely event of total engine failure.
Nemo Professor:
So true~. I'll be in tears if that ever comes to pa~ss.
Kadoc:
...Hey.
Kadoc:
You've been snooping around the Border since yesterday, Rasputin. Shouldn't you be orbiting the Alien God?
J：Rasputin:
Choose the words you speak more carefully, Kadoc Zemlupus.
J：Rasputin:
One mustn't speak of “God” so rashly. Your miraculously maintained balance may be upset.
J：Rasputin:
No, it's discourteous to call it miraculous. The current state of things was made possible by hard work.
J：Rasputin:
You have the healthy spirits of Fujimaru and Mash to thank for it.
J：Rasputin:
Whereas you seem to be less flexible than them. Once you make your first impression, it is slow to change.
Kadoc:
Yeah. Unlike them, I'm a magus. I'm old-fashioned when it comes to changing beliefs.
Kadoc:
Not that it's poison right now either.
Kadoc:
“No matter what happens, we can't fully trust you.” Chaldea really needs a dose of that.
J：Rasputin:
Precisely.
J：Rasputin:
It's Fujimaru to whom we've lent our support, not Chaldea.
J：Rasputin:
If my lady comes to realize her position, we will depart from here at once.
Kadoc:
It always depends on U-Olga Marie with you, huh? You're not gonna be pulling the strings yourself, then?
J：Rasputin:
Of course not. I have no desire to fight. I only wish to witness the birth of the one nearing emergence.
J：Rasputin:
...Although I expect the Heroic Spirit Rasputin's influence is to blame. There are still lingering emotions that a human ought to have.
J：Rasputin:
Such as worrying that you must reach out to a soul that has naught but sorrow ahead of them.
J：Rasputin:
Quite the opposite of your apprehension. The current situation is not in her best interest.
J：Rasputin:
It will only lead to suffering down the line. Apparently, it is time to make a decision.
J：Rasputin:
Of course, I trust that you won't stand in the way? After all, the feeling is mutual.
R：Kadoc:
...Sure. Even if Mash, Fujimaru—
R：Kadoc:
and Olga Marie were to hate me for it, they should split up sooner than stick together.
--ARROW--
Nemo Engineer:
Ugh! I can't take this anymore, I'm stopping the engine! It's gonna break without maintenance!
Nemo Engineer:
Marine, contact that jerkass Captain and tell him we're shutting down all Triton Engines in an hour,
Nemo Engineer:
and it's gonna take at least 120 hours to do an overhaul! Power for our other facilities? I don't give a damn!
Nemo Engineer:
There's no point in doing that if our core breaks! I'll have you know I've got no intention of committing suicide here!
Nemo Engineer:
If he objects, then today's the day I throw the gauntlet down to the Captain! Then I'll be our main body!
Nemo Professor:
Yes, if you say so~.
Nemo Professor:
Calm down, Engine. Here's Bakery's new product, iced rock sa~lt.
Nemo Engineer:
Mm...it'sh so cold, it'sh delischous.
Nemo Professor:
And there's no need to throw down any gauntlet. Because I agree with you too.
Nemo Professor:
We still have 120 hours' worth of power to supply. With that out of the way, we'll turn off the engines.
Nemo Professor:
How timely that I checked our external power supply lines just last ni~ght.
Nemo Professor:
I'll inform Da Vinci of our pla~n. I'll be borrowing roughly six Marines the~n.
Nemo Baker:
I overheard you~☆ Looks like you're going to be needing a bunch of lunch boxes then!
Nemo Baker:
They brought over some delicious chicken, so I'll prep a bunch of chicken sandwiches♪
Da Vinci:
—And so, hydroelectric power's up next! I'll be accompanying you this time!
Mash:
Hydroelectric power? But there are no large rivers around—
Fujimaru 1:
The waterfalls of the First Underworld!
Fujimaru 2:
The Niagara Falls of Nikola Tesla!
Mash:
That's right, we've crossed massive waterfalls that would give the Niagara Falls a run for its money!
Da Vinci:
Uh-huh. Professor came up with the idea after seeing what was in Mash's report.
Da Vinci:
We're loading the necessary equipment into their containers now. It'd normally take us 40 hours just to carry them over...
Kukulkan:
This food, this chicken sandwich, sure is delicious! But why would you feed me so much?
Da Vinci:
As you can see, we've got ourselves a transporter.
Da Vinci:
I'm counting on you to thoroughly explain things and keep morale up, Fujimaru.
Fujimaru 1:
That's fine and all, but...
Fujimaru 2:
Have you seen U-Olga Marie?
Da Vinci:
Ah, U? She was in her room all day yesterday, but...
Tepeu:
But she left today before the sun advanced. I assume she'll be back by nightfall.
Mash:
Um...was she doing okay?
Mash:
It's just that she seemed to be in low spirits since we came back to Chichen Itza, so...
G：Tepeu:
She was in ridiculous spirits, to the contrary.
U-Olga Marie:
Hahahahahaha! Rejoice, mankind! For I am finally back in good shape!
U-Olga Marie:
So I'm off to lay waste to Mexico City! I'm the type of woman to not forget any slights against me!
Tepeu:
—
Tepeu:
No, please wait, Miss President. Is it not premature to resort to violence?
Tepeu:
While the Ocelomeh may hunt deinos, that is only within the sea of trees.
Tepeu:
It is only natural for living beings to compete for survival within the rainforest. We ought to not criticize them for it.
U-Olga Marie:
...Even though they're ritualistically slaughtering you?
Tepeu:
Well, yes. We are not the aggressors. We will defend ourselves, but we will not initiate aggressions.
Tepeu:
On the other hand, it is WE who invaded Mexico City earlier and interfered with their rituals.
Tepeu:
It would be an act of aggression for you to invade Mexico City now. You have no just cause for it.
Tepeu:
It would be a blemish on your presidential career to destroy them merely out of irritation.
Tepeu:
Or is it...that destroying Mexico City is not your idea as the one who rules this planet,
Tepeu:
but rather a more personal reason. Such as, to perhaps impress certain individuals?
U-Olga Marie:
Of course this is my idea as the Sovereign of Earth! I shall treat all of mankind equally, no matter what!
U-Olga Marie:
But you do have a point, Tepeu! I'm going to cool off for a bit!
Fujimaru 1:
(Tepeu's gone quiet?)
Fujimaru 2:
What happened?
G：Tepeu:
She said she would go cool herself off. After all, it IS hot in Mictlan right now.
G：Tepeu:
But I could tell that she was very concerned about the two of you. In a lot of ways, I would say.
Mash:
Is that so... We've been so busy lately that we haven't had the chance to talk, and Olga Marie isn't on the Border.
Mash:
We've been growing distant, but I'm glad we might see her by nightfall.
Fujimaru 1:
Yeah.
Fujimaru 2:
(...I wonder if she's really feeling well or not...)
Da Vinci:
Oh. Speaking of which, where's Wak Chan? He was with U-Olga Marie a couple days ago.
G：Tepeu:
Ah, I spotted Wak Chan last night on the main street.
G：Tepeu:
He looked like he had his soul sucked out of him, so I tried talking to him.
G：Tepeu:
“I screwed up. I really screwed up.” “As a male, no, as a deinos, I am ashamed.”
G：Tepeu:
He kept muttering that to himself, so I left him be. Well, he'll bounce back soon enough.
Da Vinci:
Oh dear... He got dumped, didn't he... Where exactly did Wak Chan take her?
G：Tepeu:
Wak Chan is a fighter, through and through. His only skills are “smashing” and “tackling”, so...
G：Tepeu:
In the worst case scenario, he may have been showing off his fighter's dance for the entire solar cycle.
Mash:
Well...that must've been a learning experience. I'm sure the time they spent together was priceless.
Da Vinci:
(I knew this for a while now, but Mash's Shielder spirits can be terrifying!)
Kingprotea Alter:
No. Of course I'm not going to let you build a power plant here.
Kingprotea Alter:
Don't you realize that this is where I live, temporary as it may be?
Kingprotea Alter:
I'm going to die of boredom here, so at least let me be comfortable.
Kingprotea Alter:
Or rather—your consideracy of me is not even at the micro scale anymore, it's practically nil. You're really bugging me here.
Kingprotea Alter:
If there's a short circuit and I get zapped, will you take responsibility for it? Of course you can't. Not at that size.
Fujimaru 1:
She's in Alter mode!?
Kingprotea Alter:
What, are you surprised? Scared? Feel like running? That's a nice expression you're wearing.
Kingprotea Alter:
Did you think that the little obedient Protea would be here waiting for you?
Kingprotea Alter:
Hmph. Make no mistake, this IS the normal me here in Mictlan.
Kingprotea Alter:
I only un-Altered from my other self temporarily as a reward for freeing me earlier.
Kingprotea Alter:
The treat wasn't going to last forever. My pride won't allow me to be ordered around by humans.
Kingprotea Alter:
Whether they are a magus or a Master, humans are all pathetic slaves meant to serve me.
Kingprotea Alter:
If that displeases you, you can always run away.
Kingprotea Alter:
And I'll ensure the door really does hit you on the way out, HARD.
Da Vinci:
S-She's being uncooperative, what's gotten into her!? She was our ally according to Mash's report!
Nemo Marine:
Yeah, we thought so too. But Protea seems to be in a foul mood, huh?
Nemo Marine:
What's the matter? Are you hurt anywhere? Want us to take a look? We're used to whales, you know.
Kingprotea Alter:
...? There are so many Marines.
Kingprotea Alter:
What about the Marine who was here back then? If he's the one asking, I might be willing to cooperate.
Nemo Marine:
That Marine's not here right nooow. But our feelings are all in sync with one another.
Nemo Marine:
His love for Protea has been transmitted to us, so rest assured.
Kingprotea Alter:
I'm not really trying to seem on guard or anxious or anything.
Kingprotea Alter:
I am merely standing up for my rights and my circumstances.
Kingprotea Alter:
You'd all hate it too if a bed-sized generator got installed in your room, wouldn't you?
Nemo Marine:
Yeah, we'd hate thaaat! But Engine would be ecstatic!
Fujimaru 1:
That's right.
Fujimaru 2:
That IS a reason we can sympathize with...
Kingprotea Alter:
Look here, if you admit defeat, then head back with your tails between your—Wait.
Kingprotea Alter:
I've got a great idea. Depending on the terms, I may agree to installing a generator.
Da Vinci:
Really? If you can help with the installation, then I've got no complaints. We won't need heavy machinery if we've got you.
Da Vinci:
So, what are your terms?
Kingprotea Alter:
Fight me again♡The thought of losing to humans even once makes my skin crawl.
Fujimaru 1:
Seriously!?
Fujimaru 2:
Again!? With our current lineup!?
Kingprotea Alter:
I know, right? You wouldn't want a fight, would you? You know you're not getting another lucky break.
Kingprotea Alter:
Oh, how small. Not just your body, but your hearts too.
Kingprotea Alter:
Isn't it hard living being THAT small? Would you like to try living as my mask?
Kingprotea Alter:
So what's your answer, Fujimaru?
Kingprotea Alter:
If I lose, I help you install that generator. And I'll keep guarding it for you.
Kingprotea Alter:
But if you lose—
Kingprotea Alter:
Be ready to endure the unspeakable. Look forward to what fate awaits you, okay?
Da Vinci:
Mmm, as much of an introvert as her usual self is, her Alter version seems to be a sore loser.
Da Vinci:
What'll it be, Fujimaru? Wanna fight? This might get unnecessarily complicated though.
Fujimaru 1:
No way around it, let's make her submit.
Fujimaru 2:
(She probably doesn't know our strength at the moment...)
Kingprotea Alter:
Or will you apologize? Apologize and quit? Will you then form an eternal contract?
Kingprotea Alter:
Will you make me the only High Servant from the Sakura Five and unsummon the rest?
Kingprotea Alter:
If so, I may agree to—
Kukulkan:
I've put the containers where you told me to! So, what's next!?
Nemo Marine:
A battle it is! Kukulkan vs. Kingprotea, the grand battle of the underworrrld!
Kukulkan:
Okay! For some reason, I'm all pumped up! Let's make this match a good one, young lady!
Kingprotea Alter:
(Did I see what I thought I saw? Her carrying that mountain of containers all on her own...I must be imagining things.)
--BATTLE--
Kingprotea Alter:
What's with that Servant! That's Divine Spirit class, you cowards were hiding her!
Kingprotea Alter:
Eh? Not a Servant? Kukulkan— So you're Mictlan's goddess!?
Kingprotea Alter:
No fair...! That means you're the Lostbelt King!
Kingprotea Alter:
How come you've got someone like that on your side!?
Fujimaru 1:
Just by going with the flow?
Kukulkan:
Flow...so the rhythm of your heart, in other words....
Kukulkan:
I see! So there wasn't even a need for a verbal exchange in the relationship between Fujimaru and I!
Fujimaru 2:
Honestly, I don't know either.
Kukulkan:
¡There is nothing strange about this! ¡After all, I know everything!
Kukulkan:
I've been watching over Fujimaru since the moment [♂ he /♀️ she] arrived♡
Kukulkan:
But it was a splendid match we had, Kingprotea. I'm sure the Xochitónal gladly relinquished its power to you.
Kukulkan:
May I shake hands with you?
Kukulkan:
It is a great honor for me to make contact with the Heroic Spirits of Pan-Human History.
Kingprotea Alter:
...Hah. Lostbelt or not, as long as you bear the name Kukulkan, I suppose you are a genuine goddess.
K：Kingprotea Alter:
Though I would rather never fight you again. There, are you satisfied?
Kingprotea Alter:
Then I'll open up this container and set up the equipment.
Kingprotea Alter:
It is humiliating, but I'll do it. A promise is a promise. Please give me detailed instructions.
Da Vinci:
Thanks, Protea. You're a great help.
Da Vinci:
Firstly, we'll want to secure a flat terrain. May I ask you to craft some scaffolds for us?
Kingprotea Alter:
...Ugh, so tiresome...there's so many types of containers and it's way more complicated than I thought...
Kingprotea Alter:
Should I drop the Alter form and shove this work on that normal me...no, she'd end up breaking more than she'd finish...
Kukulkan:
Hmm? Did you see some deinos just now?
Da Vinci:
Yeah. They followed the Marines. They said it sounded fun, and so they'd help.
Da Vinci:
I've asked the well-built deinos to handle the setup and the swift ones to carry the cables.
Da Vinci:
The deinos are a smart kind, Kukulkan. They immediately understood not just what electricity is,
Da Vinci:
but also how to convert the potential energy of water into kinetic energy of a different sort.
Kukulkan:
I know, right? They may be different from the humans of Pan-Human History, but they are wonderful in their own way.
Kingprotea Alter:
...I'm wiped. I may have a lot of stamina to spare, but the detailed setup's left me mentally drained.
Fujimaru 1:
Good job.
Fujimaru 2:
Thanks, Protea.
Kingprotea Alter:
I'd like to ask you to repay the favor with a Command Spell—but I see you haven't retrieved them all yet.
Kingprotea Alter:
If you've overcome the Second Underworld, then the Third Underworld awaits.
Kingprotea Alter:
Even if you have no business down on the lower levels of Mictlan, you'll eventually have to venture there for your Command Spell.
Kingprotea Alter:
Or perhaps you'll track down that bat-man and retrieve it directly? I'd much prefer that.
Kingprotea Alter:
The next time he swings by, I'll grab him and tear out his cervical vertebrae and make bat juice out of him.
Fujimaru 1:
It scares me that she COULD actually do that.
Fujimaru 2:
Is Camazotz strong?
Kingprotea Alter:
...I don't know. But the Xochitónal in me tells me this.
Kingprotea Alter:
“Do not fight the bat-god.” “Camazotz is the most terrifying god in existence.”
Kingprotea Alter:
I wonder about that though. He didn't seem THAT big of a threat to me.
Kingprotea Alter:
...Also, let me ask you this.
Kingprotea Alter:
That insufferable, heavy-looking woman, Olga Marie. Is she not with you?
Fujimaru 1:
We're on our own for now.
Fujimaru 2:
...The timing just wasn't right.
Kingprotea Alter:
I see. So she's not here. I did like how she kind of looked down on humans.
Kingprotea Alter:
Well, she wasn't a terrestrial being by any stretch of the word.
Kingprotea Alter:
It might be strange coming from me, but she's probably Chaldea's enemy. You made the right choice by splitting up.
Kingprotea Alter:
If she insists on following you around, why not come here? I could give her a few words.
Fujimaru 1:
Are you doing that for me?
Fujimaru 2:
Or for the President?
Fujimaru 1:
Either way, you really are Protea at heart.
Kingprotea Alter:
—!
Kingprotea Alter:
You insolent little... It tees me off when you look like you've got it all figured out, saying things like a know-it-all.
Kingprotea Alter:
...Hah. I'll tell you this, just so you don't get the wrong idea.
Kingprotea Alter:
I'm not that serious about things like holding back against humans or protecting lives.
Kingprotea Alter:
If you insects talk back to me even once without knowing your place, you'll go splat.
Kingprotea Alter:
So do take care and watch your mouth. Don't talk like you would to the usual Protea.
Kingprotea Alter:
It'd be a pain to have to wash my hands each time.
Kingprotea Alter:
Oh. Now you're finally scared. Yep, that's the face I love to see.
Kingprotea Alter:
So long, Mini-Mini-Master who had [♂ his /♀️ her] Command Spells swiped. The next time we meet, make sure you've pulled yourself together, alright?
--BATTLE--
--ARROW--
Assembled Deinos:
...
Fujimaru 1:
...And that sums up our adventures in Atlantis.
Fujimaru 2:
(I've told them all about the first five Lostbelts...)
Priest Deinos:
Imagine a world that's 90% water! And such depths!
Priest Deinos:
What's the water's transmittance? How far down does sunlight go? Does each level have a different way of life unlike ours?
Tepeu:
According to the Pan-Human History scale, the average depth would be around 3,700 meters.
Tepeu:
The deepest trench is over 10,000 metres, I hear. Both the temperature and pressure of the water must be extreme.
Priest Deinos:
Would aquatic deinos be capable of surviving there? Never mind, sunlight won't reach that far down.
Priest Deinos:
I suppose in a world bereft of the gift of sunlight, no deinos could possibly survive...
Kukulkan:
I see... So the goddess Artemis got sniped...
Kukulkan:
I was holding out hope for a brawl after she landed...
Kukulkan:
But that was so sweet of Orion! Shooting down a celestial body, even if it was just a satellite. Way to go!
Kukulkan:
I'm sure he must have been a chivalrous, stoic, glowing eyed, fully mechanical Archer befitting of the moonlight!
2nd Deinonychus brother:
Yo! So why was Poseidon repeating the name of a person who wasn't even there!?
2nd Deinonychus brother:
For him, YOU were the threat present, weren't you, Fujimaru!?
2nd Deinonychus brother:
If he's gonna scream any name, it's gotta be yours! It's the same when we pass and shoot too!
7th Deinonychus brother:
You're like a kid, bro. It's all about love. Guess you wouldn't know about it.
7th Deinonychus brother:
More importantly, let's talk about Hephaestus! A machine creating machines sure is amazing! And he's BALD!?
Tepeu:
Allow me to speak in defense of Hephaestus. I do not believe baldness to be a defect that machines tend to suffer.
4th Deinonychus brother:
I'm curious about that kid Timi who went back to the village at the end. You know why I'm curious, bro?
6th Deinonychus brother:
Cause he resembles you, ever since you were a kid yourself. Even if there are things you hold dear,
6th Deinonychus brother:
some things you realize too late were actually dear to you.
Mash:
I'm just glad the all the deinos enjoyed our records of Atlantis.
Mash:
I thought at first...that it wasn't a good idea to discuss the other Lostbelts with you all...
Tepeu:
It's quite alright, Mash. It's what the Dinosaur King wanted, and more importantly, it's what we wanted as well.
Tepeu:
And to Fujimaru.
Tepeu:
Thank you for being as courteous and as objective and as fair as possible.
Da Vinci:
I'm also thankful to all the deinos present.
Da Vinci:
Because a bunch of deinos came to help fix the Border today too.
Da Vinci:
And above all else, for still welcoming us after understanding the relationship between Pan-Human History and the Lostbelts.
Tepeu:
Hm? Why are you thankful for that?
Fujimaru 1:
You weren't angry, Tepeu...
Fujimaru 2:
But the others might not feel the same way...
Tepeu:
Oh, I see.
Tepeu:
You are from the correct history, and we hail from a history that was supposed to have been pruned.
Tepeu:
But rest assured, we deinos do not possess the concept of comparison.
Tepeu:
“That other person is better than you are. That other person is more gifted than you are.”
Tepeu:
“So take from them what you lack.” “Balance the scale that's tilted over to the other side.”
Tepeu:
We do not possess such feelings. For there is nothing to compare.
Mash:
—Nothing to compare—
Tepeu:
Yes. Which is the “what-if” doesn't matter to us.
Tepeu:
On the contrary, we'd like to hear about these “what-ifs”.
Tepeu:
We deinos are merely entranced by the sceneries you describe.
Tepeu:
A grueling journey. A fulfilling journey. A journey to overcome. An inseparable journey. You must have experienced many such journeys.
Tepeu:
Your—words were brimming with life.
Tepeu:
That passion conveys to us the stories of the “worlds that no longer remain”.
Da Vinci:
—
Dinosaur King:
Look at you all, enjoying the stories of the other Lostbelts as if they were your own. Since when were deinos so inquisitive?
Dinosaur King:
Thanks to that, my throne is deserted. Where are my guards at?
Dinosaur King:
Hey, I became king because I was told that the deinos would do whatever I say. This ain't what you promised, you airheaded woman.
Kukulkan:
Weren't you enjoying yourself too, Your Highness? Especially the part about Odysseus.
Kukulkan:
You were all like, “Hah, you got it coming to you! Nice one!”
Dinosaur King:
—Dumbass. The Lostbelt stories ain't what I was enjoying here.
Dinosaur King:
Whatever, it's about time for the sun to recede. Focus on your own lives rather than stories of other worlds.
Dinosaur King:
Alright, deinos! Time to wrap up! Once you've lit the watchfires, return to your quarters!
Dinosaur King:
If you wanna run post-game analysis, go home and do it with your families. Don't dawdle.
Dinosaur King:
I'm headin' back to my throne. You're coming with me, airheaded woman.
Kukulkan:
Hmm? I don't have any business with Your Highness right now, do I?
Dinosaur King:
You haven't done nothin' with the Solar Itinerancy ever since you started following Chaldea around.
Dinosaur King:
Your faults are gonna be exposed if you keep ignoring the consensus. Though it'd be great for me if you were to self-destruct like that.
Kukulkan:
Oh yeah, I did forget...
Kukulkan:
I'll be sleeping over at the temple tonight! See you all tomorrow!
Da Vinci:
...
Fujimaru 1:
Everyone's gone...
Fujimaru 2:
We're the only ones left now...
Da Vinci:
Oh, right. I've got good news for the two of you.
Da Vinci:
Repairs on the Storm Border's control room are done. Kadoc's room too, by the way.
Da Vinci:
We can sleep on the Border starting tonight, so what are you two going to do?
Mash:
As for me...if possible, I'd like to sleep over at Tepeu's house while I'm in this city...
Fujimaru 1:
Me too.
Fujimaru 2:
Yeah. It's not that hot at night.
Mash:
I know! We'll have dinner with Olga Marie! I'll think up some new corn recipes!
Da Vinci:
—
Fujimaru 1:
...Da Vinci?
Fujimaru 2:
...Did something happen regarding U-Olga Marie?
Da Vinci:
...Sort of. I held a vote regarding her with the Chaldea staff.
Da Vinci:
She may be an amnesiac, but U-Olga Marie is a dangerous existence. Above all else, she is our greatest enemy.
Da Vinci:
But it is also true that she has cooperated with and helped us multiple times.
Da Vinci:
With that in mind, there wasn't a single member of the staff who voted to exclude her.
Da Vinci:
However, over half of them objected to her boarding the Storm Border, including me.
J：Da Vinci:
If we could hold peaceful negotiations with her... with the Alien God, that would be the optimal course of action.
J：Da Vinci:
Truth be told, the possibility of that happening isn't zero, considering her condition right now. However, it's exceedingly low.
J：Da Vinci:
It's all over once her memories return.
J：Da Vinci:
According to TRISMEGISTUS II, her amnesia appears to be temporary, caused by a malfunction.
J：Da Vinci:
Once her bodily functions are restored, so too will her memories. No, I should say she would return to being the enemy of mankind she once was.
J：Da Vinci:
Once that happens, a battle is all but inevitable.
J：Da Vinci:
Yet we currently lack the firepower to match the Alien God, even in her current weakened state.
J：Da Vinci:
What we CAN do is repair our ship before that happens, and prepare thoroughly.
J：Da Vinci:
After that...it comes down to two choices.
J：Da Vinci:
To have faith or not. To take the initiative, or not.
Fujimaru 1:
You mean to say...
Fujimaru 2:
Whether or not we should attack first?
Mash:
...Even if the Storm Border is repaired, we are no match for a perfected Alien God.
Mash:
In fact, we lost to her once before. That's why before she recovers—
Mash:
We have no choice but to attack the current, amnesiac U-Olga Marie... I understand the logic behind it.
Mash:
But that would be an inhumane act.
Mash:
I won't tolerate the act of assaulting an ally who has no hostile intentions towards us, who has faith in us!
Da Vinci:
—Understood. So Mash is against it.
Da Vinci:
What about you? Do you agree that we should attack the Alien God now while we can?
Fujimaru 1:
...I don't.
Fujimaru 2:
I cannot bring myself to attack a friend.
Da Vinci:
—Yep. That's a relief then. I'm sure it'll all go well.
Da Vinci:
Despite knowing that “we stand a chance with a preemptive attack”, you chose “not” to do so.
Da Vinci:
This is of utmost importance. Because you chose your “feelings” over the “plan”.
Da Vinci:
For better or for worse, humans tend to retaliate when attacked.
Da Vinci:
A “plan” will be met with a “plan”. And “feelings” will be reciprocated with “feelings”.
Da Vinci:
Which is why—your “feelings” are highly likely to bear fruit.
Da Vinci:
The possibility that she will remain non-hostile towards us even if she regains her memories.
Da Vinci:
The possibility that she will remain the way she is now, even if she goes back to being the way she was. The possibility that she wishes to stay this way.
Da Vinci:
I, too, believe that would be best. After all—
Da Vinci:
She seems like she's having a ton of fun right now. Kadoc said as much too.
Da Vinci:
“I'm surprised by how Mash changed, but I'm even more surprised by her.”
Da Vinci:
“I don't know what kind of connection she has to the real Olga Marie, but I never thought the old her could smash her way to the driver's seat,”
Da Vinci:
was what he said. This is something that TRISMEGISTUS II, which only outputs results, can never comprehend.
Mash:
So Kadoc is also...!
Da Vinci:
Yes. That's why I'd like you to treat U-Olga Marie the same way you have until now.
Da Vinci:
Well, I'd like her to stay off the Border, but if absolutely necessary, we'll take things as they come.
Da Vinci:
Because the opinions the staff gave me are also justified. When that happens, we'll have to make a compromise.
Da Vinci:
We can't leave the Border, but the two of you can remain in Chichen Itza.
Da Vinci:
Just don't be late for our morning briefings.
Da Vinci:
I've been putting this on hold until now, but tomorrow we'll be going back to our original mission.
Da Vinci:
To excise this Lostbelt and search for ORT. That is the operation we will resume. I want you to prepare yourselves and act accordingly.
--ARROW--
Mash:
We're back, Tepeu. Has Olga Marie returned?
Tepeu:
You mean U-Olga Marie? It would appear she is still absent.
Tepeu:
I spotted her on the main street earlier. She seemed to be headed for the altar.
Mash:
So we must've missed her. I'll go fetch her.
Fujimaru 1:
No, I'll go.
Mash:
Really? Suit yourself then.
Fujimaru 2:
I'd like Mash to s-mash some corn.
Tepeu:
I would like that too. The corn that Mash's shield crushes is so smooth, not a trace of its original texture remains.
Tepeu:
It's top-grade corn mush, however you serve it. I'd like you to grind some cocoa beans with that shield next time.
Mash:
R-Right, I'll take that as a compliment... (I feel like I'm going to get scolded by the Knights of the Round...)
Fujimaru 1:
U-Olga Marie!
Fujimaru 2:
Director!
U-Olga Marie:
...What? It's not like I ran off because it felt awkward or anything.
U-Olga Marie:
I just wanted to wander around a bit. Sometimes you just feel that way, right? Like you just wanna fly.
Fujimaru 1:
No, because I can't fly.
U-Olga Marie:
Hmph. I suppose not. Both deinos and humanoid mankind are the same in that regard.
Fujimaru 2:
With an Immelmann turn?
U-Olga Marie:
You're talking about a ascending manouver. A specialty of the Shooter King Immelmann. I know what that is, I studied it with visual records.
U-Olga Marie:
...
U-Olga Marie:
...
U-Olga Marie:
...
U-Olga Marie:
So, what's the matter? You called for me, so you must have business with me, right?
Fujimaru 1:
It's just because we haven't talked in a while.
U-Olga Marie:
...Well, of course.
Fujimaru 2:
Let's go back to Tepeu's house together.
U-Olga Marie:
Together? With you?
U-Olga Marie:
...I see, so my secretary has come to welcome me. How laudable of you. Not too shabby.
U-Olga Marie:
In that case, I shall wrap up my inspection and head back. I've completely grasped Chichen Itza's layout.
U-Olga Marie:
I can handle the Ocelomeh whenever they decide to strike. Not that I really have any cause to protect this city.
Fujimaru 1:
It's because of your presidential ideals, right?
U-Olga Marie:
How are things on your end? Are repairs on the Storm Border progressing?
U-Olga Marie:
Each day, the deinos assemble at the Border, learning Pan-Human History technology.
U-Olga Marie:
You lot sure are good at building friendships. Even though that's how it happened in my case too.
Fujimaru 1:
The truth is, our operation resumes tomorrow.
Fujimaru 2:
We assemble in the control room first thing in the morning.
U-Olga Marie:
Oh, that bridge I was in that one time! So the power's back on then!
U-Olga Marie:
While I don't want to see the face of that Gordolf fellow, I do want to see it in action!
U-Olga Marie:
Tomorrow morning? What are you going to do next when you resume operations!?
Fujimaru 1:
—
Da Vinci:
However, over half of them objected to her boarding the Storm Border, including me.
U-Olga Marie:
...Fujimaru?
U-Olga Marie:
...Just to make sure, am I allowed to accompany you?
Fujimaru 1:
—Of course.
Fujimaru 2:
...
U-Olga Marie:
...I guessed as much. So that's how it is. I get it.
U-Olga Marie:
—Fine then. I've changed my mind. I don't care about your ship at all.
U-Olga Marie:
Firstly, I can fly by myself, unlike you. And our promise only lasted until you rendezvous with Chaldea.
U-Olga Marie:
You head back first, I'll have a longer look at the city. Leave some corn bread for me, I like that.
Fujimaru 1:
...Yeah...I'm sorry.
U-Olga Marie:
...
U-Olga Marie:
...I don't understand why you're apologizing, Fujimaru.
U-Olga Marie:
If you feel like you owe me something, then repay me with a question.
U-Olga Marie:
So, do you have anything you'd like to ask me?
Fujimaru 1:
Something to ask you?
Fujimaru 2:
I'm drawing a blank right now.
U-Olga Marie:
Is that so? Fine then. Truthfully, I wouldn't know what to answer even if you'd asked.
U-Olga Marie:
Also, if you happen to see Wak Chan— ...No, forget it.
U-Olga Marie:
Good night. You've got to rise early tomorrow, don't you? Cease your functions swiftly and enjoy those so-called dreams of yours.
Literary Fragment (II)
Tezcatlipoca:
Hey there, Little Miss President. Been a while. You here for a rematch?
Tezcatlipoca:
Still, it's surprising you're still alive, looking like that. Calling yourself a god isn't just for show, huh?
Daybit:
So all three of you survived? What a hapless fate, to witness the moment the planet ends. Even if it's just a glimpse of the future.
Mash:
Is this what you wanted, Daybit?
Mash:
Kirschtaria sought to uplift mankind by using the Fantasy Tree, defying the Alien God to do so.
Mash:
But you're...trying to annihilate mankind in its entirety. And that's...
Fujimaru:
No different from the Alien God, who would erase human history.
Narration:
I have been losing my self.
Narration:
Ever since I “died” once at the hands of that Servant.
Narration:
The reason is because I temporarily re-initialized myself to reduce the burden upon rebooting.
Narration:
All I remembered when I awoke in that cave was my life's purpose and my name.
Narration:
In all likelihood, it's information I learned from visual recordings preserved in an external storage medium.
Narration:
“To consolidate foolish mankind and save the planet”, “I am an alien known as U-Olga Marie”.
Narration:
Just those two. I may have died, but I still remain myself. Its simplicity means there's no mistaking it.
Narration:
And yet, perhaps because I rebooted myself.
Narration:
The ornaments that made me what I am were stripped away, leaving me bare.
Narration:
—I gained freedom of emotion. In other words, a decline in decisiveness.
Narration:
Rather than prioritize the order bestowed upon me, I prioritized my own decisions.
Narration:
As a result, I ended up preferring acts I myself believe to be “good”.
Narration:
I cannot quite analyze why I felt that way, but...
Narration:
the journey to Chichen Itza with Fujimaru and Mash was fulfilling.
Narration:
This organization known as Chaldea also piqued my interest. When I told them I'd cooperate, my brain experienced a stimulation.
Narration:
I refused to acknowledge the differences between an alien like myself and Earthlings like [♂ him /♀️ her].
Narration:
I felt like we could somehow get along, just like that.
Narration:
Even though I don't even know who I am.
Wak Chan:
Heeerrrre it iiiiis... We've finally arrived!
Wak Chan:
The best scenery Chichen Itza has to offer, and with a fine beauty to match!
U-Olga Marie:
—
Narration:
I was speechless.
Narration:
This fighter deinos, Wak Chan, took me around the city all day long.
Narration:
And the last place we stopped wasn't some spectacular community hall, not some raucous stadium,
Narration:
it was an exceedingly calming, ordinary scenery from which you could quietly overlook the city.
Wak Chan:
Beautiful, ain't it? The sunlight's great and all, but the lights here're nice too, ain't they?
Wak Chan:
The watchfires are there to ward off the darkness, and we're to rest on sunless nights.
Wak Chan:
I love how the fire casts shadows of the deinos. I like how they're reflected on the walls.
Wak Chan:
A “lived-in” feel that's not quite like how living is in the sea of trees, I guess.
Wak Chan:
It's kinda like leavin' behind traces of our existence in places where we normally wouldn't be.
Wak Chan:
It's just shadows though. Whenever I see a similar shadow, I remember my late pops.
Narration:
I didn't tell him that “reminder” is the word he was looking for.
Narration:
I merely felt, learned, and understood.
Narration:
This world is a peaceful one.
Narration:
Deinos society is an ideal civilization, incomparable to that of humanoid mankind.
Narration:
The place that the strongest of the deinos fighters boasted as being the best of all was...
Narration:
...not a place where he could brag about his own strength, but rather, a tranquil one. This proves it.
U-Olga Marie:
... —
Wak Chan:
O-Olga!? What's the matter, did ya bump into somethin'!?
Wak Chan:
Are ya hurt anywhere!? I'm not seeing any injuries on ya!
Narration:
A world that I aspire to, one I believed in, even before I ended up this way.
Narration:
And yet here I am, denying this scenery.
Narration:
I understand that this world, wonderful as it may be, is not where I belong.
Narration:
So long as I remain the way I am now, I am a being who would scorch this scenery.
U-Olga Marie:
—No. No...no...nooo—
Wak Chan:
W-W-What's the matter? Is it about physical shape and appearance!?
Wak Chan:
I mean, I know you're not like us or Fujimaru's race...
Wak Chan:
But I don't give a damn! It's what's on the inside that counts. Your heart's got a beautiful color!
Wak Chan:
Your color is just like the stars I saw at the observatory as a kid.
Wak Chan:
It's all prickly and rainbow-hued. How should I put it, it's totally unique!
U-Olga Marie:
—!
Narration:
My decisiveness is being impaired. I'm prioritizing my own emotions. And so...
U-Olga Marie:
—Buzz off! I've had enough of you! Get out of my sight!
Wak Chan:
O-Olga...? What's gotten into ya?
U-Olga Marie:
I've always hated lizards! I feel sick just looking at you!
U-Olga Marie:
And YOU call yourself “mankind”? How insolent! How could creatures as unsightly and stupid as you possibly be considered “mankind”!?
Wak Chan:
...
Narration:
I merely rejected him verbally.
Narration:
He was such a free, massive, and innocent deinos. Yet he looked so small, almost like a deinos child.
Narration:
Then he tottered away, with a lonesome look on his face.
Narration:
I'm so disgusted by myself that I feel dizzy. I feel so sorry about Wak Chan that my functions are declining.
Narration:
I was just venting my anger at him. I am aggressive, short-tempered, and yet, I lack courage.
Narration:
I couldn't stop him, nor could I apologize to him.
Narration:
I didn't have the courage to join the others in conversation, so I wander aimlessly through the night.
U-Olga Marie:
...But...
Narration:
I don't know what I should do.
Narration:
I've reset my memories, but that is a temporary measure. I can remember what I've forgotten when I see it.
Narration:
Which is why—I remembered when I laid eyes on Tezcatlipoca.
Narration:
That he killed me. And when he did, I was named the Alien God.
U-Olga Marie:
...I am...the Alien God... Chaldea's enemy...
Narration:
Even if I am proud to be an enemy of mankind, it would appear I do not wish to consider myself Chaldea's enemy.
Narration:
...It's hard for me to go back to Tepeu's house right now. I can't go back until I sort my feelings out.
F：Deinos passing by:
Man, the next thing you know, the sun's already passed by.
Deinos passing by:
Stories about Pan-Human History sure are interesting. Though I'd like to hear more about the Lostbelts too.
H：Deinos passing by:
I sure wanna go to Greece!
H：Deinos passing by:
I'm all pumped up, knowing there are tons of machines just like the Storm Border there!
Narration:
Everyone on the main street's talking about Chaldea.
Narration:
Apparently Fujimaru's been telling them about the Lostbelts at the shrine.
U-Olga Marie:
...Stories about the Lostbelts. If [♂ he /♀️ she] goes and does that, it's going to get more and more—
Narration:
...obvious to the deinos who is behind it all.
Narration:
...Do Fujimaru and Mash not know?
Narration:
That I am the Alien God?
Narration:
No, there's no way they'd know. If they did, they would never have allowed me to accompany them.
Narration:
Fujimaru and the others don't know. Fujimaru and the others don't know.
Narration:
They mustn't know.
U-Olga Marie:
...There's nowhere I belong. Not with the deinos, or the humans...
Deinos passing by:
But, you know what I mean, while I DO want to hear tons of those stories.
Deinos passing by:
Yeah, you're right. Stories about Pan-Human History are fun, but they also make me sad.
U-Olga Marie:
...
Narration:
Fun, but sad.
Narration:
It goes without saying. After all, we can never be a part of it.
U-Olga Marie:
...
Narration:
I've had enough. I'll forego thought, and forget that I am the individual known as the Alien God,
Narration:
and I'll go back to being who I was before I went to Mexico City. That's right, just when I became desperate...
Fujimaru:
Oh, there you are! Hey!
Narration:
I saw Fujimaru who spotted me, waved at me, and came over.
Section 12: Kingdom of Corpses
Fujimaru 1:
Good morning!
Fujimaru 2:
Just woke up!
Tepeu:
Good morning. You're the first to rise this cycle. You recover well from fatigue.
Fujimaru 1:
It's because U-Olga Marie told me to sleep early.
Tepeu:
...
Tepeu:
Concerning that matter, Fujimaru, I have a message for you from Father Kotomine.
Tepeu:
I would normally not have taken your feelings into account and merely delivered the message as it is...
Tepeu:
...No, there's no need to speak of my sentimentality here. I'll speak only of the facts.
B：Tepeu:
Dear Chaldeans, this may be sudden to you. However, we have decided to part ways here.
B：Tepeu:
The memories of my lady have yet to return, and she herself is uncertain of who she is.
B：Tepeu:
“I'm sick and tired of these thick-headed deinos, these frail Earthlings, and the suffocating heat of Mictlan,”
B：Tepeu:
was what she said. We shall be departing this Lostbelt tonight.
B：Tepeu:
It is unfortunate that we cannot be present for your showdown against Daybit. However, I am merely a butler. I shall respect the decision my lady has made.
B：Tepeu:
And I shall pray for your good fortune. From Father Kotomine, a counselor of lost lambs.
Tepeu:
That was the message.
Fujimaru 1:
—
Fujimaru 2:
So they're already gone...?
Tepeu:
Yes. And one more thing. The priest has asked me to hand this to you.
Tepeu:
An etching on a wooden board...is this written in Japanese? It appears U-Olga Marie wrote this.
Fujimaru 1:
—
Fujimaru 2:
...
Mash:
...
Da Vinci:
...I see. So U-Olga Marie and Rasputin have left.
Da Vinci:
We've also confirmed that the signal of U-Olga Marie... the Alien God, has vanished.
Da Vinci:
We could only track her signal halfway through, but it appears...she's headed for the surface, towards the first layer.
Gordolf:
Hmm. I suppose we should assume her memories have yet to return, judging by the fact that she has not attacked us...
Gordolf:
She was hostile to me, but as a rival rather than an enemy.
Gordolf:
If anything, it feels as though she liked us. Especially Fujimaru and Mash.
Gordolf:
And yet she disappeared without so much as a farewell... Could that mean...
Gordolf:
(Is it because of our half-baked approach...? I too have such experience. Or more like, that experience is all I've got.)
Gordolf:
(I've always been the only one out of place within my social circles.)
Gordolf:
(And that hurts. Like a bed of thorns. And most importantly, this majestic pride of mine could not withstand such a reality...!)
Kadoc:
(...Rasputin must've put her up to this. Though I did urge him to do so...)
Kadoc:
(I can't say anything after seeing those two look so down... No, perhaps I had my own expectations too.)
Kadoc:
(For U-Olga Marie...who looks identical to Olga Marie, to join Chaldea.)
Koyanskaya:
It is also unfortunate for me. Because that person, despite being the Alien God, was far too fascinating and far too vulnerable.
Koyanskaya:
If we were able to exploit such vulnerabilities, we could have been able to analyze just what the Alien God is.
Koyanskaya:
We have no idea why she manifested in the form of Chaldea's previous director, or with a Beast's Saint Graph.
Koyanskaya:
We could've gotten to the bottom of this riddle...
Sion:
—
Sion:
Come now, chins up. We didn't sustain any damage, there's no reason to feel down!
Sion:
We may have lost our chance to ascertain it, however, the good news is that she has yet to recover her memories.
Sion:
After all, this is our chance...to prevent the Alien God and ORT from fusing.
Nemo:
Indeed. I know this may sound heartless of me, but this discussion's over.
Nemo:
Our cooperation with U-Olga Marie has ended. It's been decided that we shall be returning to our former adversarial relationship.
Nemo:
Am I clear, Mash, Fujimaru?
Mash:
...But.
Mash:
There's still the possibility that their disappearance is temporary, and that they will be returning—
Nemo:
Yes. I will not deny that possibility.
Nemo:
Be sure to stay on full alert should you encounter her in the future. Having said that—
Nemo:
Should our target seek dialogue with no intention of initiating hostilities, I will not enforce a preemptive attack.
Nemo:
Should that happen, I will defer to your judgment. —Am I understood? Repeat it to me.
Fujimaru 1:
—Thank you, Captain!
Nemo:
I don't want your thanks, I want you to repeat it to me... there's no reason for you to be thankful in the first place.
Fujimaru 1:
Because this means you trust not just us,
Fujimaru 2:
but also U-Olga Marie.
Nemo:
...Perhaps.
Nemo:
The Marines may have fewer special skills compared to the other series. But they are far superior to me when it comes to judging a person.
Da Vinci:
Well then, that took up quite a bit of time, but let's begin the Chaldea staff's briefing!
Da Vinci:
Firstly, let's go over our objectives again. They are, as mentioned earlier,
Da Vinci:
primarily to incapacitate the Alien God and to prevent her fusion with ORT.
Da Vinci:
Secondary to that is the pruning of the South American Lostbelt and the capture of the final Crypter, Daybit.
Da Vinci:
Or that's how it should've been...
Sion:
At present, two unexpected factors have necessitated changes to our plans.
Sion:
Due to her amnesia, the Alien God has no intention of fusing with ORT.
Sion:
Whereas the Crypter Daybit and his Servant, Tezcatlipoca,
Sion:
are attempting to make use of ORT.
Sion:
Is it true that you saw a scenery from the future at Mexico City?
Sion:
If it is indeed true, then what should we do? Firstly, we would need to take that into account.
Gordolf:
Hmm. The collapse of Mictlan and the Earth as reported by Fujimaru...
Gordolf:
However, no visual records of this are present in the Ortenaus.
Gordolf:
It's not that this was not recorded, but that part of the footage is lost.
Gordolf:
Which is why we have little choice but to trust the testimonies of the field team who were present at the site...
Gordolf:
Did the Earth truly shatter? It's not just some illusion or trompe l'oeil?
Fujimaru 1:
It did.
Fujimaru 2:
Unmistakably so.
Gordolf:
I don't believe it! I mean, I do believe your testimony, what I don't believe is how nuts Daybit is!
Gordolf:
He serves the Alien God, does he not!? The Alien God's objective is to dominate the Earth!
Gordolf:
There'd be nothing left to dominate if the Earth were destroyed!
Gordolf:
Koyanskaya, what is Daybit Sem Void plotting!?
Gordolf:
You once sided with the Crypters, even if not too closely. You ought to know at least something, don't you!?
Koyanskaya:
Not a smidgen.
Koyanskaya:
And not just me, that person was a complete enigma, even for the Apostles of the Alien God.
Koyanskaya:
Prior to incarnating as U-Olga Marie on Earth, Kirschtaria was the sole focus of the Alien God's attention.
Koyanskaya:
The other Crypters were considered “insignificant”, however...
Koyanskaya:
Now that you mention it, it does feel like the Alien God ignored Daybit...or rather,
Koyanskaya:
he was never factored into the plan.
Koyanskaya:
He was neither ordered nor coerced. He wasn't even told that he was “insignificant”.
Nemo:
That's not an attitude you take towards your subordinates. On the contrary...
Koyanskaya:
Indeed. It's an attitude you'd take towards someone who's your equal, or perhaps even above you.
Koyanskaya:
I had a pact of non-aggression with the Alien God, so I was able to act with impunity...
Koyanskaya:
However, the Alien God had no leverage over Daybit.
Koyanskaya:
It could be that—Daybit was, from the very beginning, not even a Crypter.
Mash:
Not a Crypter from the beginning...you mean to say, he wasn't one of Kirschtaria's comrades?
Kadoc:
...I see. Wodime's records I saw in Olympus...
Kadoc:
So that's what it was all about.
Kadoc:
Kyrielight. Daybit IS a member of the A-Team. That will never change.
Kadoc:
But our positions were definitely different. He owes the Alien God no debts.
Kadoc:
The very term Crypter itself was something I heard when I was resuscitated in the coffin.
Kadoc:
Ophelia, Akuta, Beryl, and I had never heard the term before...but Daybit seemed like he knew.
Kadoc:
Back then, I figured it was some kind of blood pact to rebel against the Human Order. But I was wrong.
Kadoc:
“You are Crypters”. The Alien God was the one who decreed that to Wodime.
Sion:
So the term itself was not Kirschtaria Wodime's idea...
Sion:
Then what qualifies one as a Crypter? I assume being a part of the A-Team is not what it is then?
Kadoc:
...I can't say with certainty, we heard the term Crypter when the Alien God resuscitated us.
Kadoc:
And that resuscitation came with a price.
Kadoc:
The price is to “resolve the Human Order Incineration incident”.
Kadoc:
Within the confines of the coffin—do what Fujimaru and Mash achieved.
Kadoc:
The Alien God promised to resuscitate us if we proved ourselves capable of resolving the Human Order Incineration incident.
Kadoc:
But...we couldn't do it. I couldn't, Ophelia couldn't, and the other members couldn't either.
Kadoc:
We were corpses in a coffin. I couldn't even make it past the First Singularity.
Kadoc:
But—Wodime took it all upon himself.
Kadoc:
He personally resolved each of our shares of the Human Order Incineration,
Kadoc:
and once we were resuscitated, he didn't say so much as a word to us. He shared with us only equal conditions and chances as Crypters...!
Mash:
That's...right, it DOES sound like something Kirschtaria would do.
Mash:
...I can understand how you feel, Kadoc.
Kadoc:
...It's fine, I've calmed down.
Kadoc:
Wodime wouldn't like it if you were to offer us your sympathies.
Kadoc:
But within our resuscitation records, there wasn't a single mention of Daybit.
Kadoc:
...I'm just speculating here. But in all likelihood, Daybit brought himself back to life.
Kadoc:
The feat that was required for our resuscitation was to resolve the Human Order Incineration.
Kadoc:
He must've cleared it all on his own. Even the Alien God would be bewildered.
Kadoc:
The minimum lifeline the Alien God reproduced within the confines of the coffin—
Kadoc:
was Chaldea's Heroic Spirit summoning. But Daybit didn't even make use of that.
Kadoc:
It may have just been a simulation, but even so, he resolved the Human Order Incineration without using a single Servant.
Fujimaru 1:
Without...using the power of Servants...of Heroic Spirits...
Fujimaru 2:
From the First to the Final Singularity?
Gordolf:
What the hell!? That makes him a Super Master! Is he mocking us!? Or was this a show of power!?
Gordolf:
Resolving the Human Order Incineration without summoning a single Servant,
Gordolf:
would mean that he's better than Fujimaru, am I wrong!?
Kadoc:
That's not the point. This was in Wodime's records.
Kadoc:
“We're missing something about Daybit Sem Void. The way he thinks and acts is different from how mankind does, and always was.”
Sion:
I see. In which case, he would have no choice but to resolve it on his own.
Sion:
In other words, he's—
Da Vinci:
Yes, he's not human. He's not part of the Human Order, which is why he couldn't summon a Servant.
Gordolf:
Stop scaring us with such perfect timing! What's the matter, Sommelier!?
Meunière:
Outside! Something's happening outside! Unknown creatures are running amok!
Meunière:
The deinos are screaming and running! Shouldn't we put the briefing on hold!?
Da Vinci:
Fujimaru, Mash!
Fujimaru 1:
Leave it to us!
Fujimaru 2:
Commencing counterattack!
Mash:
Right! Habetrot, if you will!
Habetrot:
Got it, leave it to me! It's either some carnivorous insects or Ocelomeh, I'll get rid of 'em in no time!
--ARROW--
Group of Deinos:
Camazotz! Camazotz!
Group of Deinos:
The bat has come! The shadow of death is upon us! The sun is still up, yet he came without waiting for the dark!
Group of Deinos:
Run, run! He'll suck your blood dry, he'll turn you into a shambling corpse!
Mash:
Second wave of hostiles, approaching from the rainforest! There's more of them, Master!
Habetrot:
Judging from these footsteps, we've got a big one coming! They're mindless deinos, be careful!
Habetrot:
We don't have the President or Kukulkan on hand right now!
Habetrot:
We have to summon a Servant capable of breaking through the barrier surrounding the deinos. Even a Mystic Code will do!
--BATTLE--
Fujimaru 1:
They turned into dust and vanished...?
Fujimaru 2:
It's almost like they self-destructed...
Mash:
I thought so too. It felt like the loss of intellect occurred not because of pain or poison, but some other factor...
Sion:
...Whew. I never thought we'd encounter a monster of THAT nature in a Lostbelt.
Sion:
No beating around the bush, that was a vampire.
Sion:
That deinos must've gotten its blood sucked by a “bloodsucking monster” and ended up the same way.
Sion:
The first wave of those shambling corpses must've been ghouls, lower-tier familiars.
Sion:
While they may lack sentience, these are monsters that instinctively seek blood, even as corpses, once the blood of an immortal has been administered to them.
Sion:
This enemy is one foreign to us, no matter how you slice it, and one we've never encountered before.
Sion:
Just Daybit Sem Void and Tezcatlipoca are enough of a headache,
Sion:
but now a new threat's appeared, targeting Chaldea.
Habetrot:
It's not new! That was Camazotz! That was what the deinos were saying!
Sion:
Camazotz...one of the dark gods of Xibalba from Mayan mythology spoken of in the Popol Vuh, you mean?
Sion:
Now that you mention, Fujimaru's report did include such a description.
Sion:
Umm...is that really the case? Did you not mishear something, or are otherwise mistaken?
Sion:
While it is true that Camazotz is a monster who reaps the heads of the living and sucks their blood, there is no mention of him having lordship over the dead...
Tepeu:
This is very bad. This is of the utmost importance, Sion and Da Vinci.
Tepeu:
We deinos fear Camazotz more than we fear the night.
Tepeu:
Whenever Camazotz appears, we deinos all huddle up in our homes.
Tepeu:
What I mean is—
Da Vinci:
Yeah! We're not getting any help repairing the Border! The repairs are going to stall!
Da Vinci:
Well, we were planning on repairing it ourselves in the first place, so we're back to square one. Although....
Fujimaru 1:
I get you. Horribly disappointing.
Nemo Engineer:
I'll say! We're not getting any repairs done now without all those deinos!
Nemo Baker:
Speaking of which, I've made so much corn bread today too!
Fujimaru 2:
More importantly, isn't Chichen Itza in danger?
Nemo:
Right. This is the domain of Chichen Itza. There's no guarantee that mob just now won't head for the city.
Mash:
It's simple. We kill the Bad-Man.
Mash:
He's an inexcusably villainous bat who's using Master Fujimaru's Command Spells without consent.
Mash:
A battle between us was inevitable from the start, so I have no objections to this engagement.
Gordolf:
(As long as there's time to plan.)
Habetrot:
Y-Yeah, Mash, you have every right to be furious. But one more thing...
Habetrot:
So, Tepeu, you knew about Camazotz. The First Underworld wasn't your first encounter with him.
L：Tepeu:
It WAS the first time I saw him in the flesh.
L：Tepeu:
Camazotz is the only life form in Mictlan who we deinos are inferior to, which is why he is feared.
L：Tepeu:
I just so happened to be the one deinos who doesn't feel that way, so my first impression amounted to, “Oh, it's him”.
Gordolf:
Hmm. So the deinos are the only ones who fear him?
Gordolf:
In which case, we're up. Let's repay the deinos for helping out with the repairs.
Gordolf:
Fujimaru, Mash! Go beat the snot out of him! You go too, Koyanskaya!
Koyanskaya:
Oh? Why me?
Gordolf:
I have no ulterior motives here.
Gordolf:
I was definitely not thinking, “This beauty's dilly-dallying around while eating our food. She ought to learn a thing or two from the deinos.”
Gordolf:
Absolutely not. Do put in some good work.
M：Da Vinci:
Alrighty, then I'll accompany you too! I know the direction those ghouls came from.
M：Da Vinci:
It was from the sea of trees northwest from our position.
M：Da Vinci:
Around where Fujimaru and the others went to fetch some food a while back!
L：Tepeu:
—Could you elaborate?
--ARROW--
F：Tepeu:
Because I feel a little uneasy, I'll be accompanying you.
F：Tepeu:
Camazotz likely dwells in the ancient ruins of Ka'an.
F：Tepeu:
It is a sinister land. I'd like to do all I can to ensure no danger befalls you this time.
Da Vinci:
What do you mean by “this time”? Did something happen in the ruins?
F：Tepeu:
No, I am not referring to the ruins of Ka'an. Just a slip of the tongue. We should hurry.
Mash:
Tepeu... (He was...talking about what happened to Marine, wasn't he...?)
Fujimaru 1:
...Are the ruins of Ka'an that dangerous of a place?
F：Tepeu:
Ka'an is a city...no, a kingdom, that predates Chichen Itza.
F：Tepeu:
It is said that the deinos of old constructed Chichen Itza in the image of Ka'an.
Koyanskaya:
That's the first I've heard of it. Did the kingdom decline, or perhaps it changed monarchs and relocated to its current location?
Tepeu:
I'm not too sure about that part. I wonder what manner of city Ka'an was?
Tepeu:
What kind of lifestyle did the deinos lead there? Why did Ka'an vanish?
Tepeu:
Since it happened a long, long time ago, there are no longer any deinos around who know why it happened.
Tepeu:
The priests of Chichen Itza only speak of what happened after Chichen Itza was established.
Tepeu:
However...the disappearance of Ka'an may be linked to the Fourth Extinction. Or so it goes.
Fujimaru 1:
The Fourth Extinction?
Fujimaru 2:
Did Mictlan experience an extinction event too?
Tepeu:
Well...I wouldn't go as far as to call it extinction, since the deinos did survive.
Tepeu:
I told Father Kotomine as much, that according to Kukulkan, the sun of Mictlan went dormant once before.
Tepeu:
It is said that a long, long night followed.
Tepeu:
The deinos closed their eyes, rested their bodies, and fell into a deep slumber.
Tepeu:
In your words, it would be a slumber lasting approximately 100,000 years.
Tepeu:
And when the sun returned, only a tenth of the deinos returned to the waking world.
Da Vinci:
100,000 years!? And only 10% awoke!? I can't believe a species that declined that much was able to sustain themselves—
Da Vinci:
Oh, wait. Mankind also experienced such a miracle.
Da Vinci:
70,000 years ago when mankind still inhabited West Africa, abnormal weather conditions caused the population to dwindle down to 2000.
Da Vinci:
Yet they overcame that crisis, migrated to various continents and managed to reach our current heights of prosperity at 7 billion.
Da Vinci:
(The way he phrased that just now implies that the deinos are able to enter self-induced suspended animation...)
Da Vinci:
(It may be similar to a tardigrade's ability to survive in outer space via cryptobiosis...)
Da Vinci:
(...No doubt about it. The deinos are clearly...)
Da Vinci:
(A neo-mankind designed by genetic engineering technology that doesn't exist in Pan-Human History.)
Tepeu:
We're nearly at the ruins of Ka'an. Watch your step. There is a mass of fence around it.
Fujimaru 1:
So these are the ruins of Ka'an—
Fujimaru 2:
It really is falling to pieces...but somehow...
Mash:
Yes. There's something off about this place...
Koyanskaya:
—
Mash:
Is something the matter, Koyanskaya?
Koyanskaya:
Nothing's the matter. Please don't mind me. I was just feeling sentimental, that's all♡
Koyanskaya:
More importantly, have a gander at the sky. Surely you recognize that noisy flapping and laughter?
???:
Hahahahahahahahahahahaha!
???:
Cruel. Utterly cruel! You huddled together, for you were weak. You built your walls, and prospered! That is the definition of kingdom!
???:
And yet the weak remain weak, no matter how wise they may be! Vain effort is an apt description indeed!
???:
Stripped down to the veins, vestiges of dreams long since forgotten!
???:
Then all that's left is for me to laugh, to scorn! The tears of the weak, akin to the taste of blue blood!
Camazotz:
It was well worth the wait, apes! It was well worth sending my familiars!
Camazotz:
Camazotz is used to ennui, yet I do happen to be short-tempered.
Camazotz:
You sure act fast. The deinos ought to learn from your example.
Camazotz:
That being said—
Camazotz:
It's not about how fast you are. How many Servants? The woman with the shield, one, the child scholar, two, the beast with the rabbit ears, three...
Camazotz:
You would fight ME, the lord of the underworld, with that paltry force?
Camazotz:
O Chaldean [♂ priest /♀️ priestess], you who have forgotten the savage valor you displayed in the underworld after tasting Tezcatlipoca's venom.
Camazotz:
...No way around it then. Let me hear your excuses. I'll hear your plea for why you've disrespected me.
Flag
Depending on which dialogue question is selected, future scenes will display different dialogue.
Fujimaru 1:
Are you one of Tezcatlipoca's allies?
Camazotz:
Hmm? Not quite the justification I expected, but I shall excuse you. That was quite amusing.
Camazotz:
I have received many a tribute from him, but I am not ally to Tezcatlipoca.
Camazotz:
He forbade me from attacking the Ocelomeh. I agreed in exchange for “wisdom”.
Camazotz:
And once you arrived, he offered me yet another deal.
Camazotz:
He said he wished to change how the Underworld Borders functioned. I accepted in exchange for the Command Spells.
Camazotz:
That's all there is to it. He and I will eventually fight to the death, with Mictlan as the prize.
Camazotz:
But before that—
Fujimaru 2:
But this isn't even an Underworld Border.
Camazotz:
Did you just say that Camazotz is not to be feared unless he's within an Underworld Border?
Camazotz:
Hah...hah...haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!
Camazotz:
Such hubris, such hubris, such hubris, such hubris, such hubris, such hubris, such hubris, such hubris, I'll kill you, I'll kill you, I'll kill you, I'll kill you, I'll kill you, I'll kill you, I'LL KILL YOU FOR SURE!
Camazotz:
—Fine then. So that's how it is. You vex me to no end, but I do like that nerve of yours.
Camazotz:
For THIS is how a human ought to be. O [♂ priest /♀️ priestess] of Chaldea. I find myself wanting to become you even more now.
Camazotz:
I've grown interested in the art of summoning. This art of meeting fallen warriors again is fascinating.
Camazotz:
You seem to have recovered two of your Command Spells, but the remaining one belongs to the Underworld Border.
Camazotz:
In the Third...nay, in the Fourth Underworld, I shall take your head, and rob you of your eyes and brain. Your viewpoint and wisdom will be mine.
Camazotz:
Such was my plan—
Camazotz:
But first I must correct your mistaken hubris that you can defeat me so long as we're not in the underworld.
Camazotz:
—Time to quench my thirst. Fret not, only your necks need remain.
Camazotz:
I love blood, but I dislike drinking twice from the same fount. And you're all the same in form and appearance.
Camazotz:
I can't tell the difference between Ocelomeh and Servants. Therefore, I kill whoever I already sucked blood from.
Camazotz:
So that they never stand before me again! So that I never drink the same blood twice!
Camazotz:
I shall welcome you! O immortal warriors of Ka'an, it's time to increase your numbers!
--BATTLE--
Camazotz:
Great fight, Servants! Reminiscent of the dark ages!
Camazotz:
Throughout my life, I drank the blood of a billion people! Their souls! All unaware I would use this power to set their cadavers in motion!
Fujimaru 1:
I can't feel their numbers going down...!
Fujimaru 2:
(The souls of the warriors are in their skeletons...!?)
Da Vinci:
We can't get near Camazotz with these many skeletons in the way! Koyanskaya, can you snipe him?
Koyanskaya:
Not a chance♡ His human wall is a true iron-tight defense.
Koyanskaya:
This land is ideal for necromancy.
Koyanskaya:
After all, there are over 100,000 corpses buried under our feet.
Fujimaru 1:
Fall back!
Fujimaru 2:
We're at the worst place possible!
Camazotz:
Indeed, the dead don't need to be in the underworld to walk.
Camazotz:
My threads of blood linking cadaver and soul are beyond your notice!
Habetrot:
Tch, that dude is dumb, but he's skilled! We're completely surrounded with nowhere to escape!
Mash:
We must open a path to the forest. I can force us a few meters through, but not much further than that!
Mash:
Retreat is not a viable option at the moment, Master!
Fujimaru 1:
...!
Fujimaru 2:
Push forward and beat Camazotz!
Tepeu:
No, that is a bad idea.
Tepeu:
If we approach Camazotz, he can escape to the skies and the skeletons will close in tighter on Mash.
Tepeu:
We need a decoy. Someone large, sturdy, and hard to injure.
Tepeu:
Needless to say, I am the best choice. See you again soon, friends.
Tepeu:
I can hold out for as long as the sun is up above, but I'd appreciate if you came to rescue me sooner rather than later.
Mash:
What—Tepeu?
Da Vinci:
(That's the deinos defense mentioned in the reports...! It's like electromagnetic armor...!)
Koyanskaya:
My little tigers will fire all the napalm I have in stock! This should secure us a path to the forests!
Koyanskaya:
It won't last long, so do pick up the pace if you wish to survive!
Mash:
—Senpai!
Fujimaru 1:
I know, we're retreating!
Fujimaru 2:
We'll be back for you, Tepeu!
--ARROW--
Kadoc:
I heard everything through the comms! Tepeu is still in enemy territory!
Kadoc:
We're outnumbered, but trying to beat quantity with quality.
Deinonychus brother:
W-we'll save Master Tepeu... We have to... We must...
Deinonychus brother=spot:
B-but it's Camazotz... He's terrifying! My head says go but my body can't stop shaking!
Gordolf:
Calm down, soccerraptors! No one will force you to fight if you can't!
Gordolf:
Make good use of your quick legs and head to the altar! Send an SOS to Kukulkan!
Gordolf:
She's ridiculous enough to take out hundreds, nay, thousands of enemies in one kick!
E：Deinonychus brother:
Our seventh brother already did that! He roared back to us that great Kukulkan is nowhere to be found!
Gordolf:
Tch, that Lostbelt goddess just does whatever she wants!
Gordolf:
G-gh...! Then our time has come—!
Gordolf:
Koyanskaya is at a disadvantage against the unbribable skeletons, and Captain can't leave the Border,
Gordolf:
leaving us with Kadoc Zemlupus, an expert in anti-beast magecraft, a fighter mage used to the frontlines;
Gordolf:
Sion Eltnam “all-according-to-calculations” Sokaris, an expert in alchemy, toast of the Atlas Institute;
Gordolf:
Gordolf Musik, expert in tactics, an intellectual mage offering encouragement from the control room;
Gordolf:
and four people in Meunière's group that can do something useful, maybe. Has Fujimaru finally called us to duty?
Sion:
I'm not a fighter... I can't use wires or land any combos...
???:
I heard everything! I see that it's my time to shine!
Fujimaru 1:
I know this voice!
Fujimaru 2:
I seeZombies vs mummies!
Y：Nitocris:
No necromancer can possibly best me!
Y：Nitocris:
And users of zombies and skeletons are the lowest class of necromancers.
Y：Nitocris:
Our Egyptian super-engineering came with the techniques to fix flesh in place and take people to the afterlife with all the best fringe benefits—
Y：Nitocris:
I'll teach a lesson to this evil demon for thinking he's a first-class summoner!
Gordolf:
Oh...! Such confidence. It's almost hard to believe she's a Servant with zero wins on her belt!
Gordolf:
Yes, excellent! Reclaim the face you lost in your defeat against Tlaloc, Nitocris!
Nitocris:
I'd rather you didn't mention that!
Nitocris:
I can hear it... The voices of the dead reach me.
Nitocris:
Even an inexperienced necromancer could make this number of spirits possess their skeletons.
Nitocris:
Call 100 and at least 1 will be caught. Since they're just fighters, he must be thinking anyone works.
Fujimaru 1:
(So for each of these, there are 99 more ignoring him?)
Fujimaru 2:
But do we have any real chance!?
Nitocris:
We do. That turkey that we found living here.
Nitocris:
It had no ordinary cry. It was a call for the dead and their spirits.
Nitocris:
I was strongly affected by it back then because my ears can hear the voice of the dead.
Nitocris:
Shame on me for not noticing immediately. I dismissed it as an overblown morning call...
Mash:
You always leave your spiritual sensitivity channels wide open, so it must have been loud.
Nitocris:
It was. But the experience brought this benefit down the line.
Nitocris:
I can clash magecraft that imitates the bird's cry against this necromancer Camazotz's magecraft.
Nitocris:
Jamming his signal with the call of death. He'll need quite a lot of control to maintain his familiars.
Fujimaru 1:
You're really ages above us!
Fujimaru 2:
Which pairs of ears were you talking about?
Nitocris:
Hehe, be less blasphemous. All ears listen the same.
Habetrot:
We made it to Ka'an's ruins! Where's Tepeu?
Tepeu:
The Ka'an warriors' swords cut deep!
Habetrot:
Ok, he's panicky, but not too hurt! We made it in time!
Camazotz:
–Glorious. Welcome back to the dance floor, Chaldean [♂ lad /♀️ lass]. Do struggle. Your heart beats better for it.
Camazotz:
What did you bring this time? Storms? Flames? Plagues?
Camazotz:
Whatever it is, it can't vanquish Ka'an's warriors. They are pure murderous violence against the living, and shan't ever—
Camazotz:
!!!!
Nitocris:
...?
Mash:
...?
Da Vinci:
...?
Fujimaru 1:
...?
Nitocris:
I'm not sure what was going on, but I've seized the opportunity in front of me! I'll open the mirror of the netherworld and cleanse this land of its spirits!
Camazotz:
OH— OH!
Camazotz:
KHAAAAAAAAAH!
Camazotz:
Of course, a necromancer! For shame! You're so repulsive, I want to gouge my eyes out!
Camazotz:
Warriors, kill her! This woman will throw you into a never-ending nightmare!
Camazotz:
Hearing the voices of the dead outside the underworld is an unforgivable barbarity! Mictlan ill needs a necromancer other than me!
--BATTLE--
Camazotz:
—What was that? What did you do?
Nitocris:
Defeated you, Mesoamerican demon. The spirits gathered in this ruins were dispersed.
Nitocris:
You no longer have any pawns to control.
Camazotz:
—Camazotz has asked you what that was!
Fujimaru 1:
Nitocris!?
Fujimaru 2:
Camazotz...!
Camazotz:
Don't move. If you do, my scythe will separate this woman's left from her right.
Nitocris:
...! (He's faster than the blink of an eye...!)
Camazotz:
Now answer, woman. What was that? What is the logic behind it?
Nitocris:
Hngh... You mean how I turned your familiars back to dust? I cleansed spirits with spir—
Camazotz:
No, no, no, no, no! Your soldiers! The soldiers you commanded!
Camazotz:
Those white deceased— You consider THEM the people you rule?
Camazotz:
The ones who died! The ones who lost their dreaming souls! Are you telling me—
Camazotz:
you memorized all of those deceased's names?
Nitocris:
—What?
Camazotz:
I am asking you if you can remember each of their names!
Camazotz:
If you have to recall the names, the memories, of each corpse you employ!
Nitocris:
—Naturally. Those people were subjects of the Pharaoh.
Nitocris:
Their fame may have been lost, but my respect for their deeds never wane.
Nitocris:
An inexperienced Pharaoh like myself could only make it as a Heroic Spirit because I carry their pain with me.
Camazotz:
—KH. KHAAAAAAAAAH!
Camazotz:
Repulsive, repulsive! Augh, this itch-itch-itching won't stop!
Camazotz:
I can't stand this! It's too much for me!
Camazotz:
This is the worst day of my life, having met the most vile of women! Your impudent ears make every hair on my body rise as spikes!
Camazotz:
I must return to bathe in Yayauhqui! Only a soak in the night-time springs can cure these chills!
Nitocris:
Those were some impressively blasphemous parting words...
Nitocris:
But I assume we drove him away. Strange though that he didn't attack me in any way...
Fujimaru 1:
Yeah...
Fujimaru 2:
A win is a win, I guess...
Tepeu:
Exactly. We won. Thank you very much, by the way, for saving me.
Tepeu:
Nitocris, you're the first to ever defeat Camazotz. Nobody else has ever been able to drive him away before.
Tepeu:
Return proud to Chichen Itza. I'm sure they will be holding festivities to celebrate you.
Nitocris:
Oh, festivities... Excuse me, what?
--ARROW--
Fujimaru 1:
The ceremony...
Fujimaru 2:
has begun.
Dinosaur King:
Oh, hellluva job, Nitocris. O exceptional hero who drove Camazotz away.
Dinosaur King:
The deinos won't forget it. Should difficulties befall them, they're sure to chant this...
Dinosaur King:
“With effort, we can drive that annoying bat away. Remember the valor of the fighter Nitocris”.
Group of rejoicing Deinos:
BLAS-PHE-MY! BLAS-PHE-MY!
Nitocris, the center of attention at the altar:
...? ...??? (※Not quite understanding the situation at hand)
Da Vinci:
Looks like the festivities are still going on at the shrine. We can hear the cheers of the deinos all the way from here.
Da Vinci:
It turned out to be one heck of an unexpected day, but Chaldea's popularity skyrocketed thanks to that.
Da Vinci:
We can focus on repairing the Border again tomorrow. But before we do that—
Sion:
We'll need to get back to that topic we put on hold.
Sion:
The Crypter, Daybit Sem Void, whose intentions differ from that of the Alien God's.
Sion:
He's attempting to make use of ORT, which is somewhere in this Lostbelt, to destroy the planet.
Sion:
We ought to prioritize thwarting Daybit's objective over finding ORT and excising the Fantasy Tree.
Sion:
Well, especially given that there's not a single Fantasy Tree in sight,
Sion:
and as such, we can't quite plan its excision yet.
Kadoc:
...I guess so. First a crash landing, then taken as POWs, then intercultural exchanges, and then a zombie incursion.
Kadoc:
The thought of finding the Fantasy Tree didn't even cross my mind. Fujimaru, Mash...
Kadoc:
What about you guys? Seen anything around that looks like a Fantasy Tree?
Fujimaru 1:
Not even close.
Fujimaru 2:
I mean, Mictlan itself is just one big mystery.
Mash:
Yes...I agree with you too, Senpai. The devastation on the surface and the lush underground world...
Mash:
If we get a good grasp of Mictlan's structure, then we should be able to predict the location of the Fantasy Tree...
Gordolf:
Hmph, it should be obvious. Such things always reside within the deepest level.
Gordolf:
What lies at the southernmost of Mictlan...if we look at it in terms of vertical coordinates, wouldn't the Fantasy Tree be at the very bottom, at the ninth layer?
Gordolf:
No worries. So long as we can get the Storm Border fixed, it should be just a stone's throw away.
Gordolf:
Good things come to those who wait. We can leave the rest up to our Technical Advisor and Sion while we take a breather in the air-conditioned rooms!
Nemo:
No can do, Gordolf. Have you forgotten about the report from Mexico City?
Nemo:
We don't know how many days it will take, but at this rate, ORT's awakening is inevitable.
Nemo:
What we CAN do is thwart Tezcatlipoca and Daybit's plans before they awaken ORT.
Gordolf:
Grr...I suppose you're right. But that future's set in stone, true?
Gordolf:
Will thwarting their plans even make a difference?
Sion:
Naturally, the future we saw in Mexico City will come to pass should we do nothing.
Sion:
We are at a crossroads called the “present” right now.
Sion:
We cannot change the future where “ORT awakens” as shown to us by Tezcatlipoca,
Sion:
but if we can bring things to the point where “they won't awaken ORT”, then the future from that point onwards can go either way.
Da Vinci:
Yup. Which is why we need information. Who exactly is Daybit Sem Void?
Da Vinci:
By what means will he try to awaken ORT?
Da Vinci:
And just what sort of being is ORT?
Da Vinci:
Since it's nowhere to be found in Mictlan right now, does it mean it's asleep somewhere, or dead?
Da Vinci:
So long as we don't know these facts, we cannot formulate a plan.
Da Vinci:
But...
Mash:
...There's no way we can find out either.
Mash:
Both the deinos and the Dinosaur King seemed to know nothing except what goes on in Chichen Itza.
Kadoc:
We could infiltrate Mexico City again and try asking Daybit directly... No, that's an absurd idea.
Kadoc:
That's enough desperation out of us. He wouldn't talk anyway, not even with his life on the line.
Gordolf:
Hmm, what to do...
Gordolf:
Like it was with the other Crypters, it's barely been a year since Daybit's arrival to this Lostbelt...
Gordolf:
Where was he during that period, and what was he doing?
Gordolf:
How did someone like him who stands against the Human Order summon Tezcatlipoca?
Gordolf:
And where are ORT and the Fantasy Tree located?
Gordolf:
If only there was someone who knows all these things—No, there's no way a sage would just conveniently...
Kukulkan:
Oh, is that all?
Kukulkan:
If you're referring to the records of the Crypter's actions, I believe there's one deinos who could run a check for you at Metztitlán.
Fujimaru 1:
Kukulkan, since when have you been here!?
Fujimaru 2:
What's Metztitlán!?
Kukulkan:
Oh, do excuse me.
Kukulkan:
The deinos were all asking to hear more about Chaldea,
Kukulkan:
so I came here to fetch Fujimaru and Mash...
Kukulkan:
You were all talking about something fascinating, so I ended up eavesdropping!
Da Vinci:
Is that so? Sorry for not noticing you either. —So, what is this Metztitlán you speak of?
Da Vinci:
I know the name as part of the world structure in Aztec mythology. It's the first and lowest heaven of the thirteen—
Da Vinci:
It's the name of a lunar domain. If I had to venture a guess... I'd call it a moonlike facility overlooking the entirety of Mictlan?
Kukulkan:
Yes! Unlike that jerk with the sunglasses, I don't really gel with the future. Or causality? Or that kind of complicated stuff.
Kukulkan:
But I do want to help you all, so I skipped all the deliberations in Mictlan to tell you this!
Kukulkan:
If you don't know something, ask someone who knows! There's someone in Metztitlán who specializes in that kind of stuff!
Sion:
So there exists someone more knowledgeable about Mictlan than you are. So where are they...?
Sion:
Or rather, who are they? Are they of the Doctrine of the Sun, like you?
Kukulkan:
Well, kind of. The way we were born is extremely similar.
Kukulkan:
If I am the new sun, then she would be the new earth. She NEVER leaves the place of her birth.
Kukulkan:
It's the final destination that a human can reach on foot, an astronomical observatory built on the seventh layer.
Kukulkan:
Its name is the Doomsday Observatory Metztitlán. The incarnation of the planet's soul that has existed since the foundation of Mictlan.
Kukulkan:
It's where the Stargazing Princess Ixquic— Archetype: Earth dwells.
Mash:
The seventh layer—the Doomsday Observatory Metztitlán—the Chaldea of Mictlan.
Gordolf:
Thank you, Kukulkan! This was unexpected aid we received, but you truly are a savior goddess!
Gordolf:
You heard her, folks! We will now be initializing a new operation!
Gordolf:
Fujimaru, Mash, Habetrot, Da Vinci, and Nitocris, who is in the highest of spirits right now!
Gordolf:
The five of you will make haste to the seventh layer! And, Kukulkan, if it is at all possible...
Gordolf:
Would you be willing to accompany them? Da Vinci is only coming along for data analysis purposes.
Gordolf:
There's no one more dependable than you when it comes to combat. I'd like you to help Fujimaru out.
Kukulkan:
Of course I will! Yay! Thanks, Director!
Kukulkan:
I can't turn down such a request! I can cancel the irritating deliberations too!
Nemo:
Sion and I will focus on repairing the Border. Koyanskaya will be our bodyguard.
Nemo:
What'll you do, Kadoc? You'd be a boon to either party.
Nemo:
You should stick with whoever you think could make the best use of your abilities.
Kadoc:
...Let's see, I think I'll stay on the Border, but I can't help out with the repairs.
Kadoc:
I'll check out the Clock Tower documents. Maybe I'll find some records about Daybit in them.
Gordolf:
Right, we do have that option. I shall do the same.
Gordolf:
Having said that, the Clock Tower data is awfully well protected. We'd have to unravel them one at a time...
Sion:
If a code breaker is what you need, I'll pitch in too. Though it'll have to be done between repair jobs.
Gordolf:
Alright, people! Let's commence the operation!
Gordolf:
Oh, don't forget to rest though, Fujimaru, Kyrielight.
Gordolf:
You owe your bodies seven hours of sleep and two hours of relaxation.
Gordolf:
You depart tomorrow when the sun rises. Feel free to enjoy Chichen Itza's nightlife until then.
Fujimaru 1:
Right!
Fujimaru 2:
Would you like to stay overnight at Chichen Itza too, Commander?
Gordolf:
W-Well, about that...this is a ripe opportunity indeed, and if I considered it a tropical rainforest vacation...
Gordolf:
No, I will not be fooled! The instant I set foot in the city, I'll get mistaken for a ball and receive a splendid kick.
Gordolf:
I'll obviously get booted like a bolt of lightning off to somewhere absurd.
Da Vinci:
Let's stop by the shrine and help Nitocris out first, shall we?
Da Vinci:
They've been pestering us about our Lostbelt tales too, so it's killing two birds with one stone.
Da Vinci:
We'll be away for a while starting tomorrow. This may be our last chance, so let's talk our hearts out.
Fujimaru 1:
...And that sums up the Chinese Lostbelt.
Nodding Deinos:
A world with just one human and their vassals, eh?
Nodding Deinos:
Efficient. Wonderfully efficient.
Nodding Deinos:
The vassals provide the labor required to maintain the world, the ones who provide culture to the king.
Nodding Deinos:
The king then examines them, and becomes the trailblazer for further growth.
Nodding Deinos:
If that's the case, then technology won't progress in the wrong direction either.
Nodding Deinos:
The other Lostbelts were also marvelous worlds, but the Chinese Lostbelt is the pinnacle of “perfection”.
Philosoraptor:
I get it.
Philosoraptor:
A society that rids itself of unnecessary suffering or unreasonable expectations.
Philosoraptor:
It is perfected indeed, but the stagnation and maintenance were actually causing the species to decline.
Philosoraptor:
No matter how stable a world may be,
Philosoraptor:
if it doesn't change one step at a time, eventually other species will overtake it and as a result, it will fall into declination.
Philosoraptor:
However, Qin Shi Huang was the only one making such changes possible. So long as they did not err, the Chinese Lostbelt would have remained firm.
Philosoraptor:
And it is precisely because they were a human who did not err that they built the Eternal Empire. What's regrettable is their lifespan as an organism.
Philosoraptor:
I am not talking about the flesh that achieved immortality. I'm talking about their mind.
Philosoraptor:
I believe the sturdy Great Wall had enveloped their mind as well.
Philosoraptor:
And that's what I find odd. Why did a human of such stature cease the expansion of their territories?
Philosoraptor:
To expand mankind's reach to its utmost limits. For that is why they became the First Emperor.
Fujimaru 1:
Perhaps expansion into space was not worth the effort?
Fujimaru 2:
Perhaps they wanted to test human evolution?
Da Vinci:
Hmm, well, it's likely both. Because Qin Shi Huang was the pinnacle of humanity.
Da Vinci:
They were exceedingly individualistic, but that's only because they saw themselves as the law of mankind itself, a principle they'd put into practice.
Da Vinci:
Because if you're both physically and mentally strong, you'd never compare yourself to another in the first place.
Da Vinci:
That was Kirschtaria's ideal.
Da Vinci:
Qin Shi Huang loved their vassals in their capacity as emperor, and pursued the evolution of humanity as a species.
Da Vinci:
They became a perfect human—a zhenren.
Da Vinci:
Unfortunately though, there was no one else who could match Qin Shi Huang in that world, and they became the only “human”.
Deinos tilting their head:
In other words, they were a suuuuper strong-willed human? Not stopping even when they were alone, just like Tepeu.
Deinos tilting their head:
But those other Lostbelts sure are amazing.
Deinos tilting their head:
It's impossible for us to try and survive when extinction time comes for us.
Deinos tilting their head:
We don't really give a damn about the prosperity of our species or our evolution.
Da Vinci:
Is that so? But you don't wish to go extinct either, do you?
J：Debating Deinos:
Death is something to be avoided, but extinction is another matter entirely.
J：Debating Deinos:
That is an individualistic thought. We live for something greater than ourselves.
J：Debating Deinos:
...Though there's not a single deinos who can put that into words.
J：Debating Deinos:
The fact that these Lostbelts are pruned worlds, and the fact that our world is also in the same boat.
J：Debating Deinos:
We were able to learn this thanks to all of you. You have our gratitude. We don't envy the other Lostbelts.
J：Debating Deinos:
Naturally, we don't envy Pan-Human History either. For we know Mictlan is the perfect world.
Deinos tilting their head:
I guess so, everyone loves Mictlan. We're thankful to Kukulkan too.
Deinos tilting their head:
But you know?
Deinos tilting their head:
I wonder if our Lostbelt is a world as meaningful as the other Lostbelts were?
--ARROW--
Tepeu:
I've been looking for you, Wak Chan. Are you already back in top shape?
Wak Chan:
Nah, far from it! I wanna stay here doing nothing 'til the sun goes away!
E：Tepeu:
I don't see anything wrong with your body, brain waves aside. Then here's the message:
E：Tepeu:
The people of Chaldea will be heading for the seventh layer once the night ends.
E：Tepeu:
You'd be of great help as their porter.
Wak Chan:
The seventh layer? That's crazy! It's like a step away from the Grounds of Fear!
Wak Chan:
My pops took me there once when I was a kid, but I've never been back since!
Wak Chan:
Sounds awesoooome! Where are those guys going after they achieve their goal?
Wak Chan:
Ah... But... Olga's gonna be with them, right?
Wak Chan:
I can't find the words to say to her.
Wak Chan:
All I know is that I shoulda cheered her up back then instead of walkin' away.
Tepeu:
Wak Chan... U-Olga Marie is no longer in Chichen Itza.
Tepeu:
She parted ways with Chaldea. She won't come back.
Wak Chan:
What!? Why!? Aren't they friends!? Do you know what's goin' on, Tepeu?
E：Tepeu:
Let me explain...
E：Tepeu:
From all the information I currently have, I can surmise that U-Olga Marie is Chaldea's enemy.
E：Tepeu:
Not only that, but she is also perhaps the greatest threat to us as well. You understand how Pan-Human History and Lostbelts work, right?
E：Tepeu:
Outside our world, Earth's civilization ended due to a phenomenon that is referred to as the Bleaching.
E：Tepeu:
Not just civilization, but all life on the surface was wiped clean.
E：Tepeu:
This was caused by the Alien God. An extraterrestrial being that erased the population of 7 billion Earthlings.
E：Tepeu:
That was U-Olga Marie.
E：Tepeu:
Or at least, I assumed it was. I can't be too sure. Some parts of the story don't fit.
E：Tepeu:
Nevertheless, through some happenstance,
E：Tepeu:
or a series of miracles, we had the opportunity to interact and go on an adventure with her.
E：Tepeu:
That was basically a dream. A waste of time that would soon be over. Our journey with her was a mistake.
Wak Chan:
–Ya think so?
Priest Deinos:
Calm down, Head Priest Vucub. This is the grounds of the Solar Itinerancy, even if at the King's absence.
Priest Deinos:
Take care not to flap your wings too loudly or...
F：Priest Vucub:
Silence, my irritation is more than justified!
F：Priest Vucub:
When will this commotion end? The Dinosaur King is part of the problem! What do they think the shrine is?
F：Priest Vucub:
It's a place to offer gratitude to the solar rotation system. Not some place to sing praise to outsiders!
F：Priest Vucub:
Why can they still not understand after the world of pain we've been through? What good ever came from accepting other cultures?
F：Priest Vucub:
That Crypter's knowledge is nothing but poison!
F：Priest Vucub:
While we've been setting ourselves apart from each other because of all this verbal communication, the Ocelomeh have turned themselves into a force to be reckoned with!
F：Priest Vucub:
You only remain carefree because you know nothing of Mexico City's prosperity!
F：Priest Vucub:
If there were other winged deinos, they might share my vision of that city's dread!
Priest Deinos:
Calm down, please...! If you cannot control yourself, another priest will have to take your place!
Priest Vucub:
—Hmph. No one will come. All the other priests are at the shrine, enjoying jolly stories of Camazotz's defeat.
Priest Vucub:
No one sees the danger. They think we're safe. Is this what being at the top of the food chain does to a species?
Priest Vucub:
They can't understand the fear I feel, being the only one left of my race.
Priest Vucub:
We must slay the Ocelomeh. We cannot disregard Mexico City's prosperity!
Priest Vucub:
We deinos must think as the rulers of Mictlan ought to!
Priest Vucub:
And yet! Kukulkan, our great Doctrine of the Sun, lets the Ocelomeh be!
Priest Vucub:
She brings this random human child to us, only to name him king over all deinos.
Priest Vucub:
She goes to Mexico City for reconnaissance, only to come back wearing Ocelotl garments.
Priest Vucub:
—It all started recently. Pan-Human knowledge is tainting the sun.
Priest Vucub:
No, that's not the cause.
Priest Vucub:
That woman became an ally of the outside world–of Pan-Human History, ever since she took on this concept of “god”.
Priest Deinos:
Priest Vucub, you're being blasphemous...! You mustn't voice those feelings...!
F：Priest Vucub:
Silence! Blame the King and the god who put that in your head! Who do you think I am?
F：Priest Vucub:
I am a rare pterosaur, the only deinos chosen by the skies!
F：Priest Vucub:
I stand above all other deinos!
F：Priest Vucub:
Do you have any idea of the sacrifices I have made for Mictlan in order to get where I am now?
F：Priest Vucub:
The disappointment of it all! That eyesore of a Dinosaur King, and the good-for-nothing Kukulkan!
F：Priest Vucub:
If that Crypter's arrival is all it takes to change our civilization, then it was never worth anything to begin with!
Priest Deinos:
Eeeep...! Y-You're completely correct, Priest Vucub...!
Priest Deinos:
No one loves Mictlan as much as you do! You are the leader the deinos deserve!
Priest Vucub:
—Alright. Let us continue.
Priest Vucub:
I will accept Izcalli's request for a second secret meeting. An operation to take back the sun— Hmph. That man thinks big.
Priest Vucub:
But his grandiose tales are worth listening to. His cause couldn't sound more just.
Priest Vucub:
Very well, he can have Chichen Itza. If that is what it takes to save our crumbling sun.
Section 13: Third Underworld: Xoxoauhqui
Tepeu:
I have heard that you're headed for Metztitlán.
Tepeu:
As I have gone as far as the seventh layer before, may I accompany you as your guide?
Fujimaru 1:
Of course you can!
Fujimaru 2:
Glad to have you on board.
Mash:
Right! There's nothing for us to fear if Tepeu's accompanying us!
Meunière:
Hey there, is this new line working? Am I getting through to you?
Da Vinci:
Yep, not so much as a hitch, Meunière.
Da Vinci:
Mictlan has a strong magnetic field...or rather, each layer has its own atmospheric density, magical energy concentration, and radiation levels.
Da Vinci:
Professor's added an automatic adjustment function for us in the past few days.
Da Vinci:
The comm is all but useless in these so-called Underworld Borders, layers that are similar to Singularities. But other than that, it's business as usual.
Meunière:
Is that so? Then our comms should work on the seventh layer. We'll do our best to support you too.
I：Deinonychus brother:
Is Miss Nito going along too!? But I guess she doesn't have a choice, it IS the seventh layer we're talking about!
J：Deinonychus brother:
After all, the eighth layer is where Camazotz dwells! Miss Nito's the only one who can deal with him if he shows up!
K：Deinonychus brother:
Please help Fujimaru and Mash out, will you!?
Nitocris:
Of course I will. That necromancer is no match for me.
Nitocris:
Once we've finished our business at Metztitlán, I'll return right away to this city.
Nitocris:
After all, I've finally been vindicated!
Nitocris:
Then we'll host the Nitocris Commemoration Cup you mentioned last night!
I：Deinonychus brother:
Whew! An extra xoqqer ritual scheduled! We have nothing to fear now!
Nitocris:
(...Having said that, my victory over Camazotz was merely a matter of compatibility.)
Nitocris:
(...The god of rain, Tlaloc...I can hardly defeat her the way I am right now...)
Kukulkan:
Good morning! Sorry to keep you waiting!
Kukulkan:
I went shopping at the street stalls first thing in the morning, and the next thing you know, I'm late...
Kukulkan:
...In the end, the item I wanted was out of stock... I suppose adventures ARE something you need to prep in advance...
C：Tepeu:
Please do not fret, Kukulkan. I have prepared everything we'll need to camp.
C：Tepeu:
We're fully prepped. After all, I've guided Fujimaru and Mash all the way here from the first layer.
Kukulkan:
Then I'll just tag along. Break a leg, Tepeu.
Tepeu:
I will, of course, do my best...but why do you sound so happy?
Kukulkan:
Well, it's the first time you've ever boasted about your own achievements. You've grown more assertive.
Tepeu:
Hm. I don't believe that to be the case... The two of you think so too, don't you?
Fujimaru 1:
Tepeu tends to...
Fujimaru 2:
flick his glasses up, doesn't he?
Mash:
Yes. Tepeu is quite the modest person, so I believe he himself does not realize it.
Mash:
He takes full responsibility for the tasks he undertakes, and the results he achieves.
C：Tepeu:
I-Is that so? These glasses are not meant to be an expression of my intent though.
C：Tepeu:
I designed them so that I wouldn't have to see what must not be seen...
C：Tepeu:
I have enjoyed this conversation. I would like to keep it in my memories.
Da Vinci:
Alright. Then let's be on our way. If we head straight for the seventh layer, we can get there in two days.
Da Vinci:
We shouldn't be in any danger with THIS many people, but let's keep our guards up along the way!
Ocelotl:
ndem. Ki, kilmans—!
Habetrot:
And we're in trouble, just like that!? Are they intending to set the rainforest on fire!?
Nitocris:
Looks like we've entered the fifth layer, the Ocelomeh's territory...!
Nitocris:
They were firing flamethrowers before we even began approaching! Do they not feel any concern for the rainforest or the animals in it!?
Fujimaru 1:
Looks like negotiations are off the table!
Fujimaru 2:
Wait...the words just kind of
Mash:
You too, Master!?
Mash:
I too understood their language. Just bits and pieces—
Tepeu:
We may have all awoken uniformly, but there are those among the Ocelomeh who are exchanging information verbally.
Tepeu:
Such incredible adaptability, even without the blessings of Malla.
Kukulkan:
—
Habetrot:
This is no time to be dawdling! That one's the leader around these parts! He's the chieftain!
Habetrot:
It'll spell trouble if we don't get rid of him here. Let's junk that machine gun and make Koyanskaya beg for it back!
--BATTLE--
Fujimaru 1:
We managed to break through somehow...
Habetrot:
Yeah, nice going! Wish I could've joined the shootout too.
Habetrot:
But my Noble Phantasm is for giant enemies. So I need to save it, along with Mash's magical energy.
Fujimaru 2:
So there's a maize field here too?
Kukulkan:
But of course. Maize is said to be the “meat of god”. It's been modified so that it can grow anywhere in Mictlan.
Kukulkan:
For the deinos, this is their precious secondary source of energy after the sun.
Tepeu:
This is quite a harvest for us, friends.
Tepeu:
We finally head for the sixth layer tomorrow— We'll be entering the Third Underworld.
Tepeu:
While I'm no stranger to them, this will be your first time experiencing the galactic dunes.
Tepeu:
It would be best to get plenty of nourishment tonight and prepare to cross the dunes tomorrow.
Tepeu:
Oh, there's this sauce that Bakery gave me back on the Storm Border.
Kukulkan:
Are we applying that blackish water to the sacred maize...? It looks somewhat sinister... What exactly is it?
Tepeu:
It is called soy sauce. If we apply this to the maize and grill the surface—
Tepeu:
Surely you know what we'd get, no?
Fujimaru 1:
Roasted maize!
Kukulkan:
...? ...??
--ARROW--
Fujimaru 1:
The Lostbelt King, Kukulkan,
Fujimaru 2:
has become a machine built to eat roasted maize.
Nitocris:
You should stop at this point, Kukulkan. Eat too much and you'll suffer a stomach ache.
Nitocris:
(Though you've already eaten enough to feed ten people, so the concern may be wasted.)
Kukulkan:
No, I can keep going! Another one, Tepeu!
Kukulkan:
I've been living in ignorance of this, so there's 100,000 years of catching up to do!
Kukulkan:
You Pan-Human History folks have it too good. You're scary, and monstrous!
Kukulkan:
How is that you can be this creative? If maize can be made to taste this good, it'll all die out...
Kukulkan:
But I won't let that happen! For I am a god!
Kukulkan:
Before the maize grows too scarce, I shall secure as much as possible! With my hands, and my mouth!
Tepeu:
So this is culture shock? How terrifying. A new cause for extinction has been born.
Tepeu:
Allow me to look after Kukulkan, friends. Don't hesitate to chat after your meal.
Da Vinci:
There were practically no cooking techniques in deinos society, so it seems too modern for Kukulkan.
Da Vinci:
But I'm glad she took to it so well.
Da Vinci:
She's humanoid like us, and not like the deinos, so I thought she'd have a taste for it.
Nitocris:
...I know it may be belated, Da Vinci, but I have a question.
Nitocris:
Kukulkan is the god of this Lostbelt, isn't she? Then wouldn't it make sense to take a deinos form?
Fujimaru 1:
(That's a good point...)
Fujimaru 2:
(That's been rattling around in my head too.)
Da Vinci:
Yeah, it's a natural question.
Da Vinci:
Humans fantasize about beings greater than themselves, ranging from giants to people with heads of beasts.
Da Vinci:
It's a blend of “characteristics we lack” and “those similar to us in appearance”.
Da Vinci:
Considering this, it'd be strange for Kukulkan not to look like a deinos...a dinosaur.
Kukulkan:
Consume it! I shall consume the evil roasted maize!
Habetrot:
—Uh... (She's looking like a dinosaur right now.)
Mash:
Don't do it, Habetrot. I know what you want to say, but don't.
Da Vinci:
Okay, this is as good an opportunity as any. I wanted to wait for a little more intel, but we can speed things along.
Da Vinci:
Let's start the emergency briefing. Though it is a little heavy for an after-dinner conversation, isn't it?
Da Vinci:
But then, haven't I kept you waiting for long enough?
Da Vinci:
What is the origin of the American continent in relation to the magecraft world? And from there, how did the seventh Lostbelt come to be?
Da Vinci:
I ought to apologize as a representative of Chaldea for letting what should've been...
Da Vinci:
...our earliest topic for discussion get put off for so long, but—
Da Vinci:
You've been chipping away at it so far, so now the time is right!
Da Vinci:
I hope everyone present is ready, especially Fujimaru!
Da Vinci:
Thanks for waiting! Here co~~mes Da Vinci's mythology lecture!!
Da Vinci:
All right then, Fujimaru.
Da Vinci:
So you've heard anecdotes from Mash about the Chichen Itza of Pan-Human History, as well as how Mayan and Aztec mythologies connect.
Da Vinci:
Do you remember much of it?
Fujimaru 1:
The Mayans came first, then the Aztecs.
Fujimaru 2:
Some doctrine is shared, and some differs.
Da Vinci:
Way too broad, but that's enough to discuss the Lostbelt. You don't need to understand the Mayan-Aztec relationship in any greater detail.
Da Vinci:
With that in mind, let's take a trip down memory lane regarding our journey so far.
Da Vinci:
We stormed the seventh Lostbelt that formed in South America in order to face off with the Alien God.
Da Vinci:
Yet when we broke through the Storm Wall, it wasn't the South American continent waiting for us...
Da Vinci:
But one much larger—the Pangaean supercontinent.
Da Vinci:
After which, the ground split to reveal a mysterious light that sunk the Storm Border.
Da Vinci:
We crash-landed here in Mictlan, a world extended into the earth's depths.
Da Vinci:
As its name would suggest, the underground world has more pronounced Central American characteristics than South American.
Da Vinci:
It's probably because this Lostbelt's foundation... its basic ideology is based on the mythologies of the region from Pan-Human History.
Mash:
So instead of the South American Lostbelt, it would be more correct to call it the Latin American Lostbelt.
Da Vinci:
Yeah. But considering that the ground coordinates were in South America, let's keep calling it the South American Lostbelt.
Da Vinci:
Now for inference #1. We'll thoroughly probe the myths of the American continent.
Da Vinci:
The mythologies of the region identify closely with Earth's nature, but at the same time, lean towards a stellar viewpoint.
Da Vinci:
In fact, there are several murals and artifacts from the American continent depicting what appear to be “rockets aimed at the sky”.
Da Vinci:
And for what reason? There's one accepted theory in the world of magecraft.
Da Vinci:
That there was some presence at the dawn of Mayan civilization with practical knowledge of the cosmos.
Fujimaru 1:
Practical knowledge...?
Fujimaru 2:
So you mean, alien life...?
Da Vinci:
Uh-huh. “Something” that came from outer space, but not exactly the form of life one would expect.
Da Vinci:
66 million years before our here-and-now, the time of the fifth mass extinction of the Big 5...
Da Vinci:
A massive meteorite fell on the Yucatan Peninsula in the American continent.
Da Vinci:
Its impact set the Earth's surface ablaze, and the form of life that reigned supreme over the surface at that time—
Da Vinci:
The dinosaurs, were said to be rendered extinct.
Nitocris:
Even if the deinos...happen to be different, I've heard that the dinosaurs were a sturdy species.
Nitocris:
For them to have perished—it had to be a disaster great enough to change the ecosystem.
Da Vinci:
Yeah. The earthquakes caused by the impact reached at least 11 on the Richter scale, and tsunamis topped out at over 300 meters height.
Da Vinci:
...It's recently been said that another meteorite struck off western Africa at about the same time.
Da Vinci:
But it's an unshakeable fact that a huge meteorite fell on the Yucatan Peninsula in Central America. There's just too many signs of the event.
Da Vinci:
The remains of a crater 160 kilometers in diameter on the peninsula. The discovery of the rare metal iridium.
Da Vinci:
Most of all, the vast underground caverns created by the collision.
Da Vinci:
The Yucatan Peninsula is home to a number of springs called cenotes.
Da Vinci:
Groundwater gushing from the bottom of deep pits, becoming an indispensable water source for the people's livelihoods.
Da Vinci:
One of the reasons for the formation of cenotes is the shifts in the ground caused by the meteorite impact.
Da Vinci:
Cenote after cenote are connected underground, much like an ant's nest.
Da Vinci:
Does it make sense? The Yucatan Peninsula already had a vast built-in underworld for 66 million years.
Da Vinci:
The underworld of Xibalba from the Mayan mythos was a reality for them.
Da Vinci:
That carried over into the Aztec mythos, causing it to be reborn as the underworld of Mictlan.
Da Vinci:
Those weren't transmitted just by oral tradition or cultural records, but also a primordial fear remembered in their bodies—
Da Vinci:
The magecraft world's speculation is that the information may be etched into their genes.
Fujimaru 1:
Information etched in genes...?
Fujimaru 2:
And those are...different from normal human genes?
Da Vinci:
They were normal people like you and me. Only with non-human factors mixed in.
Da Vinci:
Quite a lot of resources were contained in the meteorite that fell on the Yucatan Peninsula.
Da Vinci:
Rare metals only produced in minute quantities on Earth, to be sure. And things that had never existed on the planet—
Da Vinci:
Extraterrestrial material. Possibly even organisms.
Da Vinci:
The meteorite that fell on the Yucatan Peninsula quite literally had alien life on board.
Fujimaru 1:
—You're serious?
Da Vinci:
Like a heart attack. Still, you'd agree that calling it alien life is pushing the envelope.
Fujimaru 2:
Hello darkness, my old friend.
Da Vinci:
Hmm, I won't discount your reaction. But absurdly enough, it's the only thing I can think of.
Da Vinci:
At any rate, intelligent life from another celestial body clinged onto the meteorite.
Da Vinci:
They parasitized, or possibly combined with life on Earth, rapidly revitalizing the devastated surface and promoting the new development of life.
Da Vinci:
A thoroughly unattainable task for creatures like ourselves, who add to our offspring via sexual reproduction.
Da Vinci:
They would have to be a life form that reproduces more quickly, in larger quantities, and more continuously to cover the whole surface.
Da Vinci:
Nature, in other words. Vegetation. These weren't aliens that hitched a ride on a meteorite.
Da Vinci:
Plant buds that attached to the meteorite—fungi capable of transmitting information.
Da Vinci:
They parasitized Earth's vegetation, assisted in developing new species, and were revered as “incarnations of nature” after the dawn of mankind.
Da Vinci:
That is the root of this land's “gods”. They were always nearby to lend a helping hand.
Da Vinci:
There may have been instances where they appeared as nature itself.
Da Vinci:
Times they had taken over animals as hosts. Times they had taken over humans as hosts.
Da Vinci:
In time, the people who originated the Mayan civilization were born. The humans who adapted to the fungi became priests, kings,
Da Vinci:
sometimes even gods, envisioning the birthplace of the fungi to the Mayan people...
Da Vinci:
It's believed in the world of magecraft that it could show the “state of the universe”.
Mash:
The “divine element” attached to the meteorite... A “visitor” from 66 million years ago...
Fujimaru 1:
...(Huh?)
Fujimaru 2:
...(Something doesn't feel right about that...)
Mash:
Da Vinci, would it be correct to relate that fungi to the mushrooms we know of now?
Da Vinci:
My bad. Recently, there's been a theory that all the mycelium on Earth have their own language...
Da Vinci:
...and are all talking amongst themselves through their underground network. But that can wait for another time.
Da Vinci:
Calling it fungi was a misnomer. For the record, they're more like a plant's roots.
Da Vinci:
A miniscule form of life that acts only on neural tissue. They might appear more like thread, anyway.
Da Vinci:
“They” managed to cling to the meteorite, and while adept at transmitting information, they were too simple to generate intelligence on their own.
Da Vinci:
This is a mean way to put it, but the relationship is like a virus with someone it's infected.
Da Vinci:
I think “they” secured their living space by staying close to the organisms that would become their hosts and developing their species.
Mash:
God's Holders, the tradition carriers...
Mash:
I understand that some families in the Mages Association store Mysteries from the Age of Gods as germs. Is that at all similar?
Da Vinci:
Yeah. Different points of origin, but I suppose the logic is the same to how God's Holders are contained by folklore.
Da Vinci:
Truly rarities among rarities. Since they are humans inflicted with their divine blood contagion, they're able to replicate Mysteries from the Age of Gods.
Da Vinci:
According to Aztec mythology...
Da Vinci:
There were plenty of times that Quetzalcoatl or Tezcatlipoca appeared not just as gods, but also as people.
Da Vinci:
This can be explained by regarding “Quetzalcoatl” as the Divine Filaments dwelling in the kings of that era.
Da Vinci:
“They” stayed close to the vegetation first, and prospered, creating South America's extensive jungles.
Da Vinci:
And cultivated the world while their roots circulated underground like nerves, until they found mankind, the prime species. By the end of the Age of Gods...
Da Vinci:
Their lifespan was nearing its end and they realized they'd never return to space, and so staked their hopes on the next generation: the human species dwelling on the surface.
Da Vinci:
That being the Mayan-Aztec civilization.
Da Vinci:
A mythological system with faith in the “rebirths of species” which, while aware of the five mass extinctions as part of Earth's memory,
Da Vinci:
didn't consider those evil, brimming with the will to overcome whatever demise may come calling.
Fujimaru 1:
—
Fujimaru 2:
(Accepting and overcoming extinction)
Tepeu:
—I overheard the conversation. Kukulkan is asleep just over there.
Tepeu:
I believe you wish to say this, Da Vinci...
Tepeu:
Human history diverged after “they” crash landed in Central America, upon which “they” entrusted their wish of “going back home” to either mankind or deinoskind.
Tepeu:
Mankind was chosen in Pan-Human History, and in this South American Lostbelt, we dinosaurs were chosen.
Tepeu:
In which case... the South American Lostbelt began and diverged with the mass extinction 66 million years ago?
Mash:
Th-That would make the history of the South American Lostbelt greater than all the others.
Mash:
Not just that, but the greater length of time they've been developing as mankind compared to Pan-Human History—
Da Vinci:
...Yeah. Well, I think that goes without saying...
Da Vinci:
(There are still too many uncertainties... but there's no doubting the meteorite that struck the Yucatan Peninsula is the starting point of the Lostbelt.)
Da Vinci:
(Still, I can't see what happens afterwards. Why isn't Kukulkan in deinos form?)
Da Vinci:
(Why would the Divine Filaments of the Lostbelt choose the deinos for their parasitism first, and not mankind?)
Da Vinci:
(At the time of the fifth extinction, dinosaurs also went extinct.)
Da Vinci:
(Just like in Pan-Human History, they would have to choose the mammals that would go on to dominate the surface.)
Da Vinci:
Excuse me. The gist of it should be correct with this inference.
Da Vinci:
If Holmes were here, there'd be more room for deduction, but this is as far as I can take it for now.
Tepeu:
So you would need new information for additional inference... Hmm.
Tepeu:
Then we should change our focus. The reason as to why the Divine Filaments chose the deinos is unclear.
Tepeu:
However, are there grounds for assuming that we deinos were chosen by “them”?
Da Vinci:
Uh-huh. That's crystal-clear. Inference #2 comes down to a review of facts.
Da Vinci:
Now, Fujimaru.
Da Vinci:
What stands out about the deinos based on the information acquired to date?
Fujimaru 1:
They're very strong.
Da Vinci:
True. Their dinosaur-like physical strength is a given, but they also have chameleon-esque camouflage, and thought-based communication.
Fujimaru 2:
They're a different species to dinosaurs.
Da Vinci:
True. Their dinosaur-like physical strength is a given, but they also have chameleon-esque camouflage, and thought-based communication.
？3：Their skin's features.
Da Vinci:
Holy crap, you actually got it! Way to go!
Da Vinci:
Well, here's the answer to the question.
Da Vinci:
Their dinosaur-like physical strength is a given, but they also have chameleon-esque camouflage, and thought-based communication.
Da Vinci:
The diversity of species, all herbivorous, able to nullify physical shocks with biowaves,
Da Vinci:
and their high intelligence, most of all. They couldn't have evolved these traits in Earth's environment.
Da Vinci:
I don't mean to say that they can't be smart. It's just that herbivores can't be so active.
Da Vinci:
The energy spent on intelligence and thought can't be met by plant-eating.
Da Vinci:
Which means the deinos are replenishing their energy by a means other than food.
Mash:
The Doctrine of the Sun—subsisting only on water and sunlight! So you're saying the deinos are...
Da Vinci:
Yes, they are photosynthesizing. This is how the Divine Filaments evolved them.
Da Vinci:
A plant-animal hybrid. That is dinosaurian mankind, the deinos, and the prime species of this Lostbelt.
Da Vinci:
They are far, far superior to us humanoid mankind, and have stood as the apex species for 66 million years.
Tepeu:
I stand in shock. Are we really so amazing?
Da Vinci:
Yeah, truly amazing. The deinos may all take it for granted,
Da Vinci:
but you are perfected intelligent life.
Da Vinci:
Each one of you are strong enough to not need to compete for the resources necessary for survival.
Da Vinci:
Your species is an example of Kirschtaria's ideal of a “mankind with no need for conflict”.
Mash:
—
Fujimaru 1:
The deinos make sense to me as an ideal mankind.
Mash:
Yes. What Kirschtaria set out to achieve wasn't a wild fantasy after all.
Mash:
His ideal was worth striving for. A peaceful populace like Tepeu and all the rest really was out there.
Mash:
I'm just—so very, very glad—
Da Vinci:
Nonetheless...
Da Vinci:
We've talked about how the meteorite in the Yucatan Peninsula is the genesis of the South American Lostbelt.
Da Vinci:
But it's still unclear as to how the seventh Lostbelt developed this world structure.
Da Vinci:
The only way to find the answer is to visit the observatory. But first things first...
Habetrot:
There's a gateway to pass called the Third Underworld!
Habetrot:
But this time we have Nitocris, Da Vinci, and that crazy dino-god snoozing there too!
Habetrot:
There's nothing for us to be afraid of! Let's bust through like they owe us money!
Narration:
By and large, Da Vinci's inferences check out.
Narration:
We are the ones who fell from the cosmos. The ones who drifted to this planet.
Narration:
The ones who, 66 million years ago, caused the fifth extinction on your Pan-Human History world.
Narration:
But this is an alternate story.
Narration:
A tiny deviation in trajectory brought us to the world about 250 million years sooner.
Narration:
—The beginning of a Mictlan far different from that of your world.
Narration:
The supercontinent was maintained by the roots for 234 million years. However—
Narration:
66 million years ago, this planet approached its third mass extinction.
Narration:
In the time of your Pan-Human History, the world ended, restarting as the Cenozoic Era.
Narration:
And we chose them. Not you, the ones who would arise later.
Narration:
The children of the Paleozoic, who strove to live on this planet, much like you who had yet to be born.
Fujimaru 1:
...I woke up in a flash...
Fujimaru 2:
...Everyone's asleep...
Kukulkan:
Oh? You're awake?
Kukulkan:
What a coincidence. I just got up as well.
Kukulkan:
I went and took Habetrot's turn at watch so I could admire the sky at night over Mictlan.
Kukulkan:
So please, go back to sleep. I'll be sure to keep a dauntless watch!
Fujimaru 1:
...
Kukulkan:
Unless you can't? Well, you can always have something to drink. Water means everything, doesn't it?
Kukulkan:
Ah. Is it the night sky that's on your mind? “How can we see these stars from underground?”
Kukulkan:
Sadly, the night sky of Mictlan isn't really space at all.
Kukulkan:
It only just appears that way.
Kukulkan:
What seems to be a star is just phosphorescence from Malla, mimicking the cosmos they used to watch.
Kukulkan:
The only thing that could be remotely considered a celestial body is the sun.
Kukulkan:
It's a miniscule thing, made to be an imitation. Ultimately a counterfeit.
Fujimaru 1:
I hope I'm wrong, but Kukulkan...
Kukulkan:
Yes?
Fujimaru 1:
Were you pretending to sleep a while ago?
Kukulkan:
Wow. ¡I've been exposed!
Kukulkan:
I thought I'd be out of my element, so I figured there was one way I could keep out of things.
Kukulkan:
If you brought me into that conversation, it would've ground things to a halt.
Kukulkan:
“What do you think, Kukulkan?” “What's going on with Mictlan?”
Kukulkan:
I'd really hate to be asked those kinds of questions.
Kukulkan:
In my position, I have no choice but to answer when consulted...and I can't exactly lie...so...
Kukulkan:
...I thought I'd pretend to be asleep and wait for the storm to pass...
Fujimaru 1:
...I see.
Fujimaru 2:
Then you have something to hide?
Kukulkan:
—(Grin)
Kukulkan:
Ah, but then, you held back something of your own from Da Vinci, didn't you, Fujimaru?
Kukulkan:
There was an opening in the middle of the conversation where you could've declared a little correction.
Kukulkan:
I wonder why it is you kept mum?
Kukulkan:
You must already know whose dream it was you shared in Chichen Itza.
Kukulkan:
Is it because you didn't want to interrupt Da Vinci? Or did you instinctively know I was feigning sleep...
Kukulkan:
...and that I'd have to kill you if you spoke the wrong thing?
Fujimaru 1:
Yeah, that's it.
Kukulkan:
Right! Look who won the jackpot!
Kukulkan:
If you had spoken up then, everyone might've been vaporized along with the maize field!
Fujimaru 2:
They'd never notice the discrepancy in the first place.
Kukulkan:
Hehe. Hearing that from you feels like you're saying, “I get the picture.”
Kukulkan:
Plus, I don't know your reasons for keeping quiet... but somehow, I'm glad you did. Thanks very much.
Kukulkan:
—Well, let's leave the jokes behind us. The dream you had, Fujimaru,
Kukulkan:
was just as you figured, a dream of Malla, of the Divine Filaments that took root in Mictlan.
Kukulkan:
I can't guess as to why you've sympathized with Mictlan, but it's not a bad thing at all.
Kukulkan:
So don't hesitate to share the details with everyone and speculate on this, that, or the other thing.
Kukulkan:
Still, this could result in—a particular mess caused by a particular person...
Kukulkan:
There's a huge chance their thoughtless misdeed will be exposed! Even then, they have to live with the consequences of their actions.
Fujimaru 1:
Be that as it may...
Fujimaru 2:
It's not as though I remember every detail in the dream...
Kukulkan:
Oh? So dreams are something you quickly forget upon waking? Is that how it goes for humans?
Kukulkan:
Gosh, it's the same for me, if you want to know. So I'm not the only one who gets forgetful!
Kukulkan:
W-W-Well, good night then! Just consider this part of your dream, and forget when you wake up, okay?
Kukulkan:
Never mind that, I'm still keeping watch like I should be! Not to worry!
Fujimaru 1:
...All right.
Fujimaru 2:
...Back to bed!
--ARROW--
Tepeu:
What kind of Underworld Border is the Third Underworld, you ask?
Tepeu:
Well, it's a rather odd place where it's constantly night.
Tepeu:
A fresh breeze, many oases... An eternal night with starry skies as far as the eye can see.
Tepeu:
Its only flaw is that the lack of sunlight means we deinos cannot linger there for long.
Tepeu:
But it is an extremely peaceful dune that overlooks the galaxy... It's the only desert in Mictlan.
Nitocris:
A desert, you say!? We're finally in my domain!
Nitocris:
After all, the desert at night is a sight to behold. I'll teach you how to read the stars along the way!
Nitocris:
(Flabbergasted)
Da Vinci & Mash & Habetrot:
(Flabbergasted)
Tepeu:
Hahaha. What exactly is this all about?
Fujimaru 1:
Tepeu!?
Fujimaru 2:
A galaxy? How is THIS a galaxy?
Tepeu:
It shames me to say this, but I'm throwing in the towel.
Tepeu:
Blinding grains of sand and an arid atmosphere. The temperature here is higher than that of the rainforest.
Tepeu:
Mash, what's the temperature right now? I see, 80 degrees Celsius. That's enough to dessicate a deinos in a matter of days.
Tepeu:
I want to go home, to say the least. However, rest assured...
Tepeu:
We have a specialist here with us, don't we? Please do something about this, Nitocris.
Nitocris:
I can't do a single thing about this! This doesn't even qualify as a desert anymore. It's just a hellish realm!
Nitocris:
Dust clouds that pierce like needles, heat we could boil water with, and there's clearly something wrong with the gravity here!
Nitocris:
The oases you've been talking about are all high up in the sky! We have no way of getting there!
Tepeu:
...But couldn't we just...let the wind carry us there?
Tepeu:
I heard from Mash that you are the incarnation of a sky god.
Tepeu:
You know the ways of the desert, and you can fly. You truly are a savior god in our current predicament.
Nitocris:
Um... Well, that is true. But levitating in these fierce winds is going to be...
Kukulkan:
It's going to be suicidal. I don't recommend flying recklessly.
Kukulkan:
Not only are the winds fierce, the sky turns into a zero-gravity vacuum past 400 meters.
Kukulkan:
The skies may be blue, but it's pretty much outer space.
Nitocris:
Yes! Well said, Kukulkan. I expected no less of Mictlan's god of wind!
Nitocris:
The firmament in this Underworld Border is no mere firmament! Outer space is not quite my element, so let's just keeping walking straight ahead!
Fujimaru 1:
Well, I figured as much.
Mash:
Yes. We did expect the Underworld Border to have been warped into a harsher environment from our prior experiences.
Mash:
Let's not push ourselves and go one step at a time.
Fujimaru 2:
Did you bring a buggy, Da Vinci?
Da Vinci:
Unfortunately, no... From the looks of things, I should've secretly built Bastenyan No.4...
Habetrot:
Hold on a second. We can't reach those oases right away, can we?
Habetrot:
Then we should head back for the time being. Us Servants are fine, but Fujimaru won't last an hour in here.
Habetrot:
Your Mystic Code's body temperature adjustment function was barely enough even back in the rainforest, wasn't it?
Habetrot:
Then this desert must be like a steam bath for you.
Habetrot:
You only have half a day's worth of water in your canteen too, right? What'll you do if you collapse halfway through?
Mash:
True...I agree with Habetrot's opinion. We should head back to the sea of trees for the time being, and rehydrate ourselves plenty—
Mash:
...I can't see the trees we came from. Is it perhaps... because of the dust obscuring our vision?
Da Vinci:
...I sure hope so. I'll send Tifone out for a fly to check things out.
Da Vinci:
Everyone huddle up and hold hands, or grab each other's clothes so we don't get separated in the dust.
Mash:
Tifone's back... How are things, Da Vinci?
Da Vinci:
...Unfortunately, it couldn't make it out of the desert.
Da Vinci:
Just when we left the trees to enter the Third Underworld, we're suddenly stranded in the middle of a desert.
Fujimaru 1:
Is this also one of those Underworld Pilgrimage trials...?
Fujimaru 2:
I'm fine, I'm ready for this.
Mash:
But the matter of hydration is that of life and death. If only we could mitigate the heat a little...
Da Vinci:
Yeah. I'm also against proceeding like this.
Da Vinci:
I let my guard down because the First and Second Underworlds had comfortable environments...
Da Vinci:
We can always generate our own water, but Fujimaru and Tepeu will get heatstroke in this temperature.
Kukulkan:
...I underestimated it too...I should've gone stall hopping a bit more...
Kukulkan:
If only we had some yellow cucumbers from Uukil-abnal, you could keep your body temperature regulated.
Tepeu:
It's not your fault, Kukulkan.
Tepeu:
Those are seldom used. Only the veteran stallkeepers would have any in stock.
Fujimaru 1:
Hm?
Fujimaru 2:
Hmmm?
Fujimaru 1:
Are you, by any chance, talking about these?
Tepeu:
Thankyoudon'tmindifIdo. (Charging in)
Kukulkan:
Tepeu! (Smack!)
Tepeu:
I apologize. It's just that my thoughts boiled over. Fujimaru, where exactly did you get those?
Fujimaru 1:
From a stall. I've got two, so here's one for you.
Fujimaru 2:
Just enough for both of us.
Tepeu:
Thankyoudon'tmindifIdo. (Bites)
Tepeu:
Ohhh... This freshness, that icy feeling running through my arteries...
Tepeu:
This would be suicidal under normal circumstances, but right now I couldn't feel better. Here you go, Fujimaru.
Fujimaru 1:
I'll help myself to it then.
Fujimaru 2:
In one bite it goes.
Mash:
Y-You're going to eat it whole without even cutting it!? C-C-Can a human body even withstand that!?
Fujimaru 1:
Like apples, grapes, oranges, and peaches all mixed up.
Fujimaru 2:
Ohh...the finest ice cream birthed by Mother Nature...
Habetrot:
Wh...at...?
Nitocris:
So this fruit has a cooling effect, then? It's like how cucumbers counter heat.
Nitocris:
It did look quite tasty... It's unfortunate that there were only two of them...
Kukulkan:
Thank goodness, with a yellow cucumber THAT potent, you won't be needing any water for a whole day.
Kukulkan:
I sure am grateful for the deinos with that well-stocked stall!
Kukulkan:
Of course, you get points for your careful prep work too, Fujimaru☆
Fujimaru 1:
...
Fujimaru 2:
Actually...
Mash:
—SHEBA's warning us of a hostile reaction!
Mash:
A heat source is approaching from beneath us! Stay alert, everyone!
Nitocris:
There is nothing to fear! If this is a desert-dwelling Demonic Beast, then I am in my element this time around!
Nitocris:
Pharaoh Nitocris shall be your vanguard! Da Vinci and the others, conserve your stamina in the rear!
Nitocris:
When the time is ripe, can you perform a spot summoning of Heroic Spirits, Fujimaru!?
Fujimaru 1:
Got it!
Fujimaru 2:
This is an Underworld Border, I can do the usual...!
Fujimaru 1:
...Huh...?
Fujimaru 2:
I can't perform...spot summons?
--BATTLE--
Nitocris:
Are you trying to get me killed!? Anyone else would have definitely died there!
Fujimaru 1:
I'm sorry...but...
Fujimaru 2:
The summoning petered out halfway through...
Nitocris:
You cannot summon!? But aren't you supposed to be able to summon as you please here in the underworld!?
Nitocris:
To have no reinforcements to show is not only blasphemous, it is incompetent! Are you not overestimating my abilities!?
Mash:
That's not it, Pharaoh Nitocris. I just confirmed it myself.
Mash:
We definitely set up the summoning ritual, but it appears to have been cancelled by something else.
Mash:
Most likely something specific to this Underworld Border.
Nitocris:
How terrible...
Nitocris:
A summoner who cannot summon is no different from a bird who cannot fly.
Nitocris:
As a fellow practitioner, I can understand how frustrating this must be.
Nitocris:
...My sincerest apologies, Fujimaru. I failed to grasp the situation, and unfairly scolded you for it.
Nitocris:
That said, I do have some advice for you.
Nitocris:
Please, do not consider your inexperience a weakness. No one in this world can accomplish everything.
Nitocris:
When you find yourself in a terrible situation, the more you lament how it happened, the worse you will feel.
Nitocris:
Take a deep breath, take a step in another direction, and try setting your mind on something else.
Fujimaru 1:
...Got it. Thanks, Nitocris.
Fujimaru 2:
And sorry for making you fight by yourself.
Nitocris:
Hmph. No problem at all. That sandworm was no challenge for me.
Nitocris:
It was somewhat surprising, but I am used to it now. Bring me ten—no, a hundred more to defeat!
Mash:
That's right. Nitocris was a pharaoh with mastery over the sphinx.
Mash:
So even in Mictlan, there's no change in her power.
Nitocris:
(Well, the sphinx was bestowed upon me by pharaoh Ozymandias, but I'll refrain from mentioning that.)
Da Vinci:
Still, the fact that Fujimaru's summoning is being nullified is a problem.
Da Vinci:
I'm not too worried about the deficit in attack strength since we've got powerhouses like Nitocris and Kukulkan here...
Da Vinci:
But it bothers me that we're in a situation where we can't call on other Heroic Spirits. What could be the logic behind such a rule...?
Da Vinci:
Habetrot?
Habetrot:
—
Tepeu:
Habetrot? What is it? Your mouth is gaping.
Habetrot:
—Hey. Look. Everyone, look over there!
Everyone:
...?
Fujimaru 1:
It's some kind of giant foot.
Fujimaru 2:
Too close, too close!
Da Vinci:
Yeah, I can see it too! That's definitely some kind of creature's foot!
Da Vinci:
If the toes are that big, it's got to be over sixty meters tall! That's as big as Protea!
Da Vinci:
Crap, we need to hide—and there's no place to do so!
Nitocris:
Gh...! Everyone, crouch together! I'll spread the divine cloth!
--ARROW--
Tepeu:
What is this—fabric? It appears to be fabric completely encompassing us!
Nitocris:
Keep your mouth shut...! This is divine protection bestowed by Lord Medjed.
Nitocris:
If we do not move, we will remain undiscovered. We can try to understand what is happening from here.
Fujimaru 1:
Right, at one time Nitocris had Medjed's—
Nitocris:
This is simply a magus' tool that I happened to have with me. What of it?
Fujimaru 2:
I can't believe it, Nitocris was Medjed all along
Nitocris:
What a blasphemous accusation! There is no such a thing as a person operating a Medjed costume.
Da Vinci:
(Sigh) Well...either way, we're saved. Thanks, Nitocris. This makes for a convenient camp.
Da Vinci:
This way, we can calmly take stock of what's going on outside. That thing from earlier...
Da Vinci:
...looks like it's still there. We'll hold fast here until it goes away.
Da Vinci:
But first, is everyone all right?
Tepeu:
Yes. I am still quite interested in this mysterious sealed area.
Mash:
No abnormalities to report.
Habetrot:
Nothin' wrong with me either. Just forgot to switch to spirit form with all this hubbub.
Fujimaru 1:
I'm fine too.
Kukulkan:
No problems here. This sure is a useful cloth, huh? Could we be in some other dimension now?
Fujimaru 2:
How about you, Kukulkan?
Kukulkan:
Of course, what did you expect! If anything, I'm tickled that you asked!
Da Vinci:
Right. Now let's keep our voices down. We're at the third Underworld Border, Xoxoauhqui.
Da Vinci:
From the looks of it, the whole place is a world of strong winds, desert, and zero-gravity.
Da Vinci:
It probably corresponds to Pancuetlacalóyan, the fifth level of Mictlan in Aztec mythology.
Mash:
...Pancuetlacalóyan. The vast desert of the underworld.
Mash:
“The eight oases along the way, where the wind blows so hard that people are cast aloft...”
Mash:
“Where the dead cling to trees, flying like flags so as not to be trapped in midair...”
Mash:
There are certainly many similarities.
Tepeu:
Hmm. Therefore, in order to break through this altered Underworld Border...
Tepeu:
...we must pass through these eight oases. Is that correct?
Habetrot:
They're floating through the sky. I can fly a little myself, but I've got no chance in these winds.
Habetrot:
Plus once you go up in the air, you're weightless, right?
Habetrot:
Once you get up there, you'll lose track of where you want to float to.
Tepeu:
...? Isn't gravity just an attractive force? Why would the lack of it make you lose track of anything?
Da Vinci:
One of the laws of creation is that lighter objects are drawn towards heavier ones.
Da Vinci:
There's no such thing as a state of true weightlessness, Tepeu.
Da Vinci:
The “floating” sensation of zero gravity is only possible if there is some kind of force acting as a counterbalance.
Da Vinci:
Even if you head into outer space, a lighter object will be attracted to those heavier than itself.
Da Vinci:
I looked up at the sky earlier, and from what I saw, if you go up there, then you can drop down on land where the oases are...
Da Vinci:
But Habetrot's method of flight is “a mitigation of the gravitational pull from the ground where she is”. She can't float without an initial foothold.
Tepeu:
I see. To fly to a oasis in the sky, she'd have to drop full force from above and likely be crushed in the landing.
Habetrot:
Rude! Also, I can trigger my floating when I get close enough to the ground! There's still a chance for a last-second save!
Tepeu:
Considering Habetrot's force of levitation minus the fall speed... No, you didn't hear me say anything.
Tepeu:
By the way, what is the heaviest object known to you anyway?
Da Vinci:
Earth, naturally. It's a humongous mass of about six zettatons, after all.
Da Vinci:
An airplane is pulled down to Earth's surface as it flies further away from it...that's why crashes hit so hard.
Kukulkan:
But here, if you get four hundred meters above ground, you can escape gravity's pull, right?
Kukulkan:
We said it was “dangerous” earlier, but isn't that one way to get to the oases?
Nitocris:
Assuming we could fly in those strong winds.
Nitocris:
It's impossible for both Habetrot and myself. We should march steadily from here and look for a way there.
Fujimaru 1:
With unidentified giant creatures roaming around?
Da Vinci:
...It'll be dangerous, but we have no choice. Luckily we've got Nitocris, Queen of the Desert, with us.
Fujimaru 2:
Or we wait for the winds to die down.
Habetrot:
That would be great, but...this place is modeled after the underworld in Pan-Human History, right?
Habetrot:
Then will those winds ever stop? Plus we'd have to worry about being stepped on all the time...
Mash:
Right. We can't stay here. But you shouldn't worry, Habetrot.
Mash:
We have Nitocris here! Our very own desert travel specialist!
Nitocris:
—Ah. (Suddenly has a bad feeling about this)
Nitocris:
Ahem. I'll say it a third time, as a pharaoh who speaks no lies: I cannot fly.
Nitocris:
Therefore, I am in the same boat as the rest of you. Shouldn't we calmly discuss this here?
Everyone:
... (Bracing to go back outside sooner rather than later)
Nitocris:
Can't we draw lots for who goes first? Isn't that how Chaldea does things, Coalitionist?
--ARROW--
Nitocris:
(Huff... Huff... Huff...!) As you can see, these are the sandworms of the desert...!
Nitocris:
I didn't quite expect them to be THIS big! But let's keep on going...!
Fujimaru 1:
Sorry, but I'm tapping out!
Fujimaru 2:
Come on, it's about time for a break!
Nitocris:
But...we're only a short distance away from being right underneath the floating oasis island... We need to get there before we run into that giant Demonic Beast...
Da Vinci:
You sure work hard, Nitocris. I get what you mean, but we ought to rest when we can too.
Da Vinci:
Come now, let's unfurl the cloth of the divine Medjed. We're finally in a safe area, so it'd be a waste to not make use of it.
Nitocris:
No! The divine Medjed's blessings should not be used so thoughtlessly!
Nitocris:
Unless we're in a pinch or on the cusp of a lucky break, it would be blasphem—
Mash:
Nitocris!? Please hang in there! I guess these back-to-back battles are a bit too much!
Nitocris:
...No. As long as we cannot depend on Fujimaru's summonings, I must fight.
Nitocris:
I am the first Servant to be summoned for the purpose of eliminating this Lostbelt.
Nitocris:
I was unable to protect the Border, I was bested by Tlaloc...and I couldn't participate in our plan at Mexico City.
Nitocris:
At this rate, there'd be no meaning in my being chosen.
Nitocris:
If I am to fall here, I would be too ashamed to face the other three Servants scattered throughout Mictlan after their summoning.
Habetrot:
...Well, it's not like I don't get you. But that's not your fault, Nitocris.
Habetrot:
The one who attacked the Storm Border is obviously to blame!
Habetrot:
If that pillar of light(?) hadn't felled the Storm Border, then Protea and Beni-Enma would've been able to fight alongside us!
Tepeu:
A pillar of light? That's news to me. In fact, I heard nothing yet about how the Border fell.
Tepeu:
What exactly happened, no, what sort of violence was used to destroy a ship that marvelous?
Da Vinci:
Oh...that's right, that's also a problem.
Da Vinci:
Daybit, Tezcatlipoca, the Alien God, and ORT aren't the only enemies Chaldea is facing.
Da Vinci:
A pillar of light that effectively split the Border in half as soon as it emerged from the depths.
Da Vinci:
We'll need to analyze and deal with that too.
Kukulkan:
I-Is that so? That's my first time hearing of it.
Kukulkan:
But you only saw that giant the one time on the surface, didn't you? If it didn't emerge again, then I reckon it won't be showing up anymore.
Fujimaru 1:
—
Fujimaru 2:
(Ah...)
Mash:
—Umm, Kukulkan, did you just say—
Nitocris:
We'll talk later! This rumbling means that massive creature's coming! Sandworms too!
Nitocris:
The divine Medjed's blessings are ineffective against the sandworms! Because they're creatures that detect prey based on rhythmic vibrations!
Da Vinci:
In other words, we've got to get rid of the sandworms before that giant gets here!
Da Vinci:
Fujimaru and Tepeu, stand back with Nitocris!
Da Vinci:
Mash, Kukulkan, and I will get rid of the worms, then we'll take shelter in Nitocris' cloth! Are we clear!?
Nitocris:
Oh... (They're right...exhausted as I am, I can't even fight the worms...)
Nitocris:
(Just like that fight against Tlaloc...if I'm just going to be a liability to them, then I'd rather...)
Kukulkan:
That's no good! Why are you so dispirited, Nitocris!?
Kukulkan:
I hear you were once the queen of a kingdom! Why are you feeling so disheartened after a mere loss or two—
Kukulkan:
Is that all Pan-Human History amounts to!? Let's start off by not lying!
Kukulkan:
Let's be true to our feelings and words! ¿After all, you still haven't defeated a hundred sandworms, have you, Nitocris?
Nitocris:
Yes—Yes! I don't need you to tell me that!
Nitocris:
Let's do this, Kukulkan! We'll defeat more than just the sandworms. Let's take that giant down too!
--BATTLE--
Nitocris & Kukulkan:
Eh?
Mash & Habetrot:
H-Huh?
Tepeu & Da Vinci:
Whoa.
Fujimaru 1:
We could...have beaten it...?
Fujimaru 2:
The wind...stopped?
Kukulkan:
Seems so. We only beat the leg, but...
Kukulkan:
Was that all there was? Or was it a mirage of the sandstorm?
Nitocris:
It responded too readily for that to be the case. It was definitely some kind of physical being...
Nitocris:
Mash. Fujimaru. Have you seen that leg before?
Fujimaru 1:
No, never.
Fujimaru 2:
(Summer... Swimsuits... No, I'm probably imagining things...)
Tepeu:
What a peculiar experience. An unidentified giant creature and a suddenly abating windstorm.
Tepeu:
It is good that both threats are gone, though the mystery remains. Now we can travel freely.
Tepeu:
Fujimaru may be eating yellow cucumber, but [♂ he /♀️ she] will still need water.
Tepeu:
I am not operating as sharply either. Let's hurry to an oasis.
Fujimaru 1:
Of course.
Fujimaru 2:
I've got some left in my canteen.
Kukulkan:
...? Wait a minute. Is there someone collapsed over there?
Kukulkan:
What is that? I've never seen something like it before. It's fluffy and smooth, but sparkly...
Kukulkan:
Oh, it's no threat. I can tell that much for sure.
Da Vinci:
Hm? Did some other deinos enter this Underworld Border?
Da Vinci:
A little closer—
Da Vinci:
It's not a deinos! It's a human!
Da Vinci:
There's no mask, so it can't be an Ocelotl! But he does look pretty weird!
???:
...That language...Pan-Human...History...right? Just like...grapes in the underworld...
???:
Do...do you have...water? I...have a really...good deal...for you...
Mash:
He looks like he's on the verge of death...! Master, may I share my water with him!?
Fujimaru 1:
Of course!
Fujimaru 2:
Pour it gently into his mouth!
Mysterious young man:
Ah, thank you very much. I'm restored now.
Mysterious young man:
I will not forget this favor. When the opportunity comes, I will repay you with this exact amount of water.
Mysterious young man:
However judging by all of your faces, it does not look like now is that time. A chance encounter, is it? It is the same for me.
Mysterious young man:
But you should be happy. Now that we have gotten to know each other, there are signs of world peace.
Mysterious young man:
Do not miss this chance. That is what I think. May I ask your names? I have no plans to misuse them.
Everyone:
Uh...r-right. Then we'll start with the leader...
Fujimaru 1:
(From me!?)
Fujimaru 2:
Uh, well...
Mysterious young man:
The ready-to-break-and-run Fujimaru, you say?
Mysterious young man:
The name sounds familiar to me. The descriptor is on the house.
Mysterious young man:
Mash the boar piglet. Reflective Tepeu. The precocious young Da Vinci. Snarling Habetrot.
Mysterious young man:
Luckless Nitocris. Incomprehensible Kukulkan.
Mysterious young man:
Five out of seven are combatants, then? Has the time to save the world finally come?
Mash:
Boar piglet...um, like the really cute ones?
Mash:
I'm very honored, but why a piglet? I'm not wearing any boar hide...
Mysterious young man:
That was my FIRST IMPRESSION. Don't read too much into it.
Mysterious young man:
By the way, where are you all going? Up to the fifth layer or down to the seventh?
Da Vinci:
Before that, why don't you tell us your own name, and why you were collapsed on the ground?
Da Vinci:
We'll answer your questions after that. (After all, this guy is way too shady!)
Mysterious young man:
I can't give you my name. It would just cause trouble for all of you. But I can tell you why I was on the ground.
Mysterious young man:
I was the caretaker charged with the cultivation of this underworld. There was a morning I awoke to a contented light telling me,
Mysterious young man:
“Turn this desert into an Edin full of flowers and sheep.”
Mysterious young man:
That's what a selfish goddess commanded me to do. Don't you think that's ridiculous and pitiful? You do.
Mysterious young man:
But I complied, since I am so competent. I filled the desert with flowers.
Mysterious young man:
Since there are no sheep in Mictlan, I used the sandworms in their place. I nourished them well, and they grew large and strong.
Nitocris:
So you're responsible for the giant worms all over the place!
Mysterious young man:
Have my advances in agriculture surprised you? They surprised me. I'm EQUAL parts surprised and surprised. Don't blame me.
Mysterious young man:
LIFE in the underworld SLOWLY carried on. But then—
Mysterious young man:
A suspicious bat-man arrived with the rustling of wings.
Mash & Nitocris:
...! Did you get his name!? Was it Camazotz!?
Mysterious young man:
I'm sorry, but no. I simply don't have room in my head for men's names.
Mysterious young man:
The bat had a manner that let out great and FRIENDLY KYAHAHA UFUFU laughs.
Mysterious young man:
Then he went on to speak to the capricious goddess, and turned her into a scary goddess.
Mysterious young man:
She even attacked the bat and he flew away, scowling at her fierceness.
Mysterious young man:
So scary. TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE.
Tepeu:
To think that Camazotz, the very symbol of fear in Mictlan, would himself be annoyed... (Gulp)
Mysterious young man:
And that is not all.
Mysterious young man:
The scary goddess sucked all the magical energy out of the earth that had painstakingly been filled with flowers, returning it to a desert.
Mysterious young man:
She then created the “Heaven's Thunder Temple”, and ruled this underworld from inside a storm.
Fujimaru 1:
...Heaven's Thunder Temple...
Fujimaru 2:
So she created the zero-gravity space above us?
Mysterious young man:
YES. Because you crushed the temple, the storm around here has vanished.
Mysterious young man:
Therefore, you were given the opportunity to meet me. This ends the explanation.
Mysterious young man:
However, it may have been too complex for you. Shall I summarize? There will be a surcharge.
Mash:
No, that's fine.
Mash:
The “scary goddess” is the Watcher of this underworld, and the Temple she made was the source of the sandstorms.
Mash:
Are you...a follower of this goddess?
Mash:
You must have great knowledge and magical energy to know how to turn a desert into a flower garden.
Mysterious young man:
A follower...what a nice expression. Followers get the carrot. All I got was the stick.
Fujimaru 1:
Does the underworld not have labor unions?
Mysterious young man:
OH. That concept, that counterattack. The chosen champion is cut from a different cloth after all.
Fujimaru 2:
Aren't you Du
Mysterious young man:
Do not finish that. Let's continue our talk.
Mysterious young man:
Now we return to the underworld CENSUS. What group are you with, and what is your reason for travel?
Da Vinci:
I'm not sure I really trust you...but it doesn't seem like we can make any progress otherwise.
Da Vinci:
We're with Chaldea. You're a Pan-Human History Heroic Spirit, right? Then you should know why we're here.
Da Vinci:
Right now, we're on our way down to the seventh layer with Master Fujimaru.
Da Vinci:
We suffered through the sandstorm, but now that it's over, we're heading for an oasis.
Mysterious young man:
Of course...
Mysterious young man:
You are mistaken. The idea that you will find an exit at the oasis is a false one.
Mysterious young man:
No one who enters this underworld can exit. And those who reach the oasis are even less free to do so.
Mysterious young man:
Your paths crossed mine before you made it to the oasis. To put it simply, this is fate.
Mysterious young man:
You are all important combatants. I cannot let you die in vain. Please come with me.
Fujimaru 1:
What do you mean by that?
Fujimaru 2:
Nobody can leave?
Mysterious young man:
NO. That is not what is important right now. What is is my own safety, and by extension, that of those who can ensure it.
Mysterious young man:
We are in full view of the oasis here. What's more, the destruction of the temple makes it clear that there are intruders.
Mysterious young man:
Let's retreat to a remote area. There's a cave I secretly hollowed out.
Mysterious young man:
This way, please. I can promise you an agreeable space.
Fujimaru 1:
!?
Mysterious young man:
Anything the matter?
Fujimaru 1:
Wait. I recognize your back.
Mysterious young man:
People see many backs throughout their lives.
Mysterious young man:
A childhood friend who moves to the big city. A significant other who moves out after a breakup. You see their backs as they leave in both cases. What nice stories.
Mysterious young man:
And human backs all look the same. Of course you have seen one before.
Fujimaru 1:
That's not what I meant, Dumuzid.
G：Dumuzid:
How did you know? I don't like being subjected to a background check. I have plenty of uncovered dirt to find. It gets stuck in the wool, you see.
???:
By dirt, you surely mean all the debts you won't pay. You've finally shown the true colors hidden under that fleece, Dumuzid.
Mash:
...! Magical energy reaction in the sky above us! The Saint Graph is over A-grade—it's a Divine Spirit Servant!
???:
Are these the ones to be damned for destroying my temple?
???:
You should be honored. The goddess of the underworld has come to personally crush you underfoot.
???:
Naturally, you will share their fate, sheep god. I'm quite thankful for your blatant disobedience, it's very unlike you.
???:
You expected the kind Ereshkigal to let off the hook? Shame for you. Ereshkigal, I am not.
???:
I am the cruel, merciless, and licentious goddess of the underworld, Ninkigal.
H：Ninkigal:
All who enter my garden are my property, without exception. You are now my work force!
--ARROW--
Fujimaru 1:
That's...(I knew it) Ereshkigal!
Fujimaru 2:
After all, she is the representative of the Sumerian underworld!
Ninkigal:
(Huh...they're not feeling very nervous, are they? Did they not hear me name myself perhaps? I see...)
Ninkigal:
...Hmph. Lowly humans and Heroic Spirits from Pan-Human History, huh? I believe this is our first meeting. I have no recollection of you.
Ninkigal:
I shall name myself once more, you invaders! I am the goddess of the underworld, Ninkigal!
Ninkigal:
I am the Sumerian goddess who has, owing to certain reasons, taken it upon herself to nurture the Third Underworld! You may fear and revere me!
Ninkigal:
There shall be no discrimination within my underworld! All guests shall be treated equally as slaves!
Ninkigal:
I shall spare your lives if you obey. However, disobedience will be met with annihilation, where you will serve as fertilizer for the soil.
Mash:
That's real intimidating! Her Saint Graph pattern matches the one from Chaldea too!
Mash:
Of the four Servants summoned on the Border, the last one was Ereshkigal!
Da Vinci:
Although she's been turned Alter, much like Kingprotea and Beni-Enma!
Da Vinci:
Fujimaru, try talking to Ereshkigal!
Da Vinci:
That appearance means she's unmistakably the Ereshkigal who fought in Babylonia!
Da Vinci:
Does she remember you? Does she know she was summoned by Chaldea?
Da Vinci:
Let's confirm those facts! If all goes well, we may be able to settle this with words!
Fujimaru 1:
Roger that! Heeeeey, it's been a while!
Fujimaru 2:
Alright! Thanks for your help back at the abyss!
Ninkigal:
W-Why are you waving at me like we're friends or something? I already told you I have no recollection of you!
Ninkigal:
Make sure you listen to what I have to say! Like I said, I won't give anyone special treatment!
Mash:
This transparent show of fellowship. It's our usual Ereshkigal!
Mash:
It reminds me of Uruk, Senpai!
Ninkigal:
I told you, I'm Ninkigal! As usual, you really don't get it when someone's acting malicious!
Fujimaru 1:
(I'd like to throw those words right back at her...)
Fujimaru 2:
(But Ereshkigal IS actually being hostile...)
Dumuzid:
Rest assured, everyone. She is simply just Ereshkigal Alter.
Dumuzid:
She may be referring to herself by her old name to match her new, evil self,
Dumuzid:
but she is still bound by a Command Spell to “be the ideal mistress of the underworld”. She's the pitiable goddess you all know.
Habetrot:
Does that mean Camazotz used a Command Spell to turn her into a watcher just like the previous two?
Habetrot:
Oh. This is bad though, Rasputin's gone! Isn't he the only one who can un-Alterize them!?
Ninkigal:
...Hmph. I don't know about this Rasputin, but no Servant can help you out here.
Ninkigal:
My oath remains the same, no matter what. The bat of Mictlan said as much.
Ninkigal:
“Be who you want to be.” And that is my current self. The perfect goddess, Ninkigal.
Ninkigal:
I envy not the heavens. I harbor no jealousy towards Ishtar either.
Ninkigal:
An invincible goddess who knows no defeat, ruling the underworld without so much as a single mistake.
Ninkigal:
Such was the Command Spell cast on me. This pride of mine shall never bend.
Mash:
So...you willingly turned yourself into an Alter form, Ereshkigal?
Ninkigal:
Yes, precisely.
Ninkigal:
I fell into Mictlan, saw the state of this underground world, and became convinced that this is my mission.
Ninkigal:
I can tell, since I witnessed the end of the Age of Gods alone back in the Sumerian underworld.
Ninkigal:
No one can do a thing about the omens of the apocalypse that fill this world.
Ninkigal:
In the end times, might makes right. Kindness and forgiveness mean nothing.
Ninkigal:
Cold-blooded, cruel, exploitative. Those are the makings of a true goddess, are they not? Which is why—
Ninkigal:
I turned the Third Underworld into a world where “you will serve the gods for eternity”♡
Ninkigal:
You will all revere me, you will toil each day to deliver jewels to me!
Ninkigal:
And I alone am the supreme deity! This place is off-limits for other Divine Spirits and Heroic Spirits!
Ninkigal:
If so, then this Underworld will remain absolutely peaceful and extravagant, even if the other layers are devastated beyond hope.
Dumuzid:
Ohh...how embarrassing for a Sumerian god to talk about monotheism.
Dumuzid:
As you can see, her rivalry with Ishtar got to the point where their thought processes are now identical.
Dumuzid:
So do you now understand what I wanted you to do?
Fujimaru 1:
(I still don't get why she got rid of the flowers.)
Fujimaru 2:
Clearly, a dissenting voice is needed here.
Kukulkan:
...Umm, I'm just an outsider, so it's not my place to interfere with your friendships, but...
Kukulkan:
You're saying that it's Camazotz's fault that this girl has been corrupted by evil?
Dumuzid:
She's utterly corrupted, but yes, you're right. Violence will yield to greater violence...
Dumuzid:
Let's all teach her that.
Ninkigal:
...I take it that you're the god born in Mictlan?
Ninkigal:
You have nothing to protect, much less devotees of your own.
Ninkigal:
Don't even think a false goddess like yourself can defeat me!
Ninkigal:
Fine then! Behold the Authority of a god that built a civilization, a place where faith and worship are born!
Ninkigal:
Here I come, Fujimaru! I'll show you how amazing and cool a goddess of the underworld can be—
Ninkigal:
Once more, you will learn with that body of yours!
--BATTLE--
Fujimaru 1:
Wha-Wha-Wha—
Fujimaru 2:
What the hell are these!?
Mash:
W-Watch out, Tepeu!
Mash:
I, Mash Kyrielight, am doing my best to tank a hit from just one of those legs!
Habetrot:
An absurdly large number of absurdly large bulls are showing up—Woah!
Da Vinci:
T-T-There's no escape, not that there's anything we could do about it! Were the Demon God Pillar legions in our data like this!?
Nitocris:
T-These are nothing compared to Lord Ozymandias' sphinxes—Kyaaa!
Ninkigal:
Hmph, didn't I tell you? I came all the way here to trample on you lot.
Ninkigal:
Behold my Boundary Gorge, the Heaven's Thunder Palace. Ishtar may have rode Gugalanna as a Divine Beast,
Ninkigal:
But I have no need of a Divine Beast that merely thrashes about. More like, it's not cost effective.
Ninkigal:
The only important parts are the legs which act as pillars for the temple itself. Plus—
Ninkigal:
If it's only legs, then you can see how I can deploy as many legs as I want for the cost of one Gugalanna!
Fujimaru 1:
A Gugalanna that moves using only its legs...! That's too cruel.
Fujimaru 2:
Is there not a shred of a goddess' benevolence in you!?
Dumuzid:
Overwhelming, this is far too overwhelming. I never imagined she'd assemble the Gugalannas from all across the Underworld.
Dumuzid:
We've been surrounded by walls of legs in no time at all. Perhaps living to fight another day would be wise.
Dumuzid:
DON'T GIVE UP. I have little choice but to pray for your good fortune. Presented by Dumuzid.
Fujimaru 1:
Dumuzid!!!
Fujimaru 2:
He flew off with one heck of a flight maneuver there...!
Ninkigal:
Tch, so he got away!
Ninkigal:
He pilfered the Underworld's magical energy storage AND he riled up rebels!
Ninkigal:
Fine then, Dumuzid's punishment will have to wait!
Ninkigal:
This is it for you, Fujimaru! You cannot escape the walls of Gugalanna!
Ninkigal:
I'll imprison you here for eternity and make you the personal jeweler of a goddess!
--ARROW--
Nitocris:
Ugh...that was a horrible experience... Is this...an oasis?
Tepeu:
Yes. It would appear we made it out alive. Though I did wonder what would happen to us when we got blown away.
Mash:
...So we were blown away by Gugalanna's leg, knocked out, and then imprisoned...
Da Vinci:
Yeah. I wonder if these are Ereshkigal's spear-cages?
Da Vinci:
If we were in perfect condition, we could break out. But in our current state, escape will prove difficult.
Habetrot:
She really did a number on us... I'm hurting all over and I can't even move freely...
Habetrot:
I wonder what's going to happen to us now... Will we be put to work as slaves...?
Ninkigal:
Of course you will. What else do you think an underworld is for?
Ninkigal:
You...You rascals will now serve me for all eternity as denizens of the underworld.
Ninkigal:
Breakfast, labor (mining), lunch, labor (mining), dinner, labor (magical energy extraction), bedtime.
Ninkigal:
I'll have you repeat that cycle until my magical energy stock is maxed. By the way, be aware that you won't be getting any holidays.
Habetrot:
Ugh. I'd much rather be dead.
Da Vinci:
So you actually captured us for manual labour.
Da Vinci:
Do you really want to adorn yourself that much? Not even Ishtar would go this far... (Or would she?)
Da Vinci:
Let's switch tracks then.
Da Vinci:
You swore to yourself that you would be the ideal goddess to rule over an underworld.
Da Vinci:
So do you REALLY need to stockpile that much magical energy to rule this underworld?
Ninkigal:
...
Ninkigal:
...Not really. I just wanted to work my slaves to the bone. Just like they did with those Egyptian pyramids.
Nitocris:
That's a false accusation!
Nitocris:
The pyramids were constructed lawfully, by workers treated with respect!
Nitocris:
The slaves were given plenty of rest, paid for their work, and were treated to beer as well as other worker's benefits!
Nitocris:
Without proper standards of labour, we couldn't possibly have achieved such a feat!
Nitocris:
I don't know what made you like this, but you're going about it the wrong way, Ninkigal!
Nitocris:
Is this the way of the gods of Sumer!?
Ninkigal:
E-Even Sumer's got its own labor standards! It's just that I was the only one doing all the labor in my underworld, and—
Ninkigal:
...No. Let's not talk about Sumer. After all, this is Mictlan's Third Underworld.
Ninkigal:
You're the one not understanding things here, Nitocris. How long do you intend on playing devil's advocate regarding your past?
Ninkigal:
I'm certain now after that battle we just had. You still have yet to realize the true reason behind your summoning.
Nitocris:
Wha—What do you mean–
Ninkigal:
As a fellow netherworld queen, you should be capable of exercising an Authority equal to mine in an Underworld Border.
Ninkigal:
Yet you have shown no indication of doing so, or even the nerve to try.
Ninkigal:
If you were summoned in your own land, in your own country, you should act the way you did in life, with the pride you held onto in life.
Ninkigal:
However, we are in a foreign land now. This is a battle with the Human Order itself at stake. It is the future that ought to be protected, not yourself from when you were once alive.
Nitocris:
Are you saying...I'm prioritizing myself? Just because I haven't turned Alter like you have?
Ninkigal:
The Alter form is merely a consequence. What's truly important is what you can do.
Ninkigal:
The dream I had in life was to turn my underworld into a flower field that extends as far as the eye can see.
Ninkigal:
Of course, that dream came true. After all, Mictlan is brimming with magical energy from the Age of Gods.
Ninkigal:
But that won't do. This is no Holy Grail War. My dreams are not my main priority.
Ninkigal:
In exchange for the flower field, in exchange for the right to return to Chaldea,
Ninkigal:
I have become the ultimate goddess in this underworld.
Ninkigal:
For that is my role—my pride as a goddess whom the people had faith in.
Nitocris:
—
Ninkigal:
Well, putting that aside, Mash, where is Fujimaru?
Ninkigal:
Is [♂ he /♀️ she] hiding behind your shield or something? Tell [♂ him /♀️ her] to come out, I'm not mad.
Mash:
No, Master isn't anywhere around. It would appear [♂ he /♀️ she] successfully escaped from the battle earlier!
Ninkigal:
Huh!? H-H-How did [♂ he /♀️ she] escape the temple!?
Kukulkan:
We somehow managed to break away. It's lucky that there was a cave nearby.
Kukulkan:
There were remnants of a bonfire here, so I relit it. I wonder who was living here?
Fujimaru 1:
This is probably Dumuzid's hideout.
Fujimaru 2:
He's "desert"ed us, anyway.
Fujimaru 1:
More importantly, thanks for the help.
Kukulkan:
No, you're the one who helped me out. That was some precise and logical advice!
Kukulkan:
“The third and fourth legs are stomping off tempo. That's our only chance to make it out of here!”
Kukulkan:
It's only because you shouted that at me that I was able to carry you and make that jump, Fujimaru!
Kukulkan:
But it WAS a thrilling experience, seeing that building-sized hoof come stomping down right next to us♡
Fujimaru 1:
I know, right? I'm sorry for making you hold back.
Kukulkan:
You're so sure I wasn't going overboard? ...Umm...surely that's...not the case, right?
Fujimaru 2:
I wonder if Mash and the others got away too...
Kukulkan:
I couldn't confirm their safety either...
Kukulkan:
Ninkigal may have been hostile, but she had no intention of killing us.
Kukulkan:
Even if she did capture them, they'd probably be held prisoner and forced to toil away.
Kukulkan:
...Nevertheless, I'm really not being useful at all...
Kukulkan:
I thought I could do more...but there are a bunch of things holding me back...
Kukulkan:
I have some nerve taking the free-spirited name of Kukulkan... It's an insult to Quetzalcoatl...
Kukulkan:
... ...
Fujimaru 1:
...(Kukulkan looks lonely...)
Fujimaru 2:
...(Alright, here I go!)
Fujimaru 1:
You do seem weaker than our first impression of you.
Fujimaru 1:
But you've been holding back quite a lot.
Fujimaru 2:
Specifically, you're hiding your Noble Phantasm.
Kukulkan:
Eh!? W-W-W-What are you talking about!? I'm always giving it my all!
Kukulkan:
It's not like I've been holding myself back or pushing myself or restraining myself or anything! ¡I've only been acting as I pleased!
Fujimaru 1:
Curiosity drew you in, but you're walled off,
Fujimaru 1:
like you can't come along with us. Am I wrong?
Kukulkan:
...Umm. ...Is it that obvious?
Fujimaru 1:
You're like an open book, Kukulkan.
Fujimaru 2:
This time it was just a random guess.
Kukulkan:
—
Fujimaru 1:
Which is why I'd like you to open up.
Fujimaru 2:
I promise that I won't be mad at what you can do.
Kukulkan:
B-But... isn't that being a bit too trusting of me?
Kukulkan:
I'm the god of this Lostbelt and you...you're the humans of Pan-Human History.
Kukulkan:
Isn't it more likely that I'm just pretending to get along with you, like I'm doing now, so that I can kill you?
Fujimaru 1:
There's no way that's true.
Fujimaru 2:
Huh? No way, please don't make me laugh.
Kukulkan:
...That's a splendid smile you've shown me... but how can you tell that I'm not a wicked god?
Fujimaru 1:
Because you're the same god as Quetzalcoatl. I know her.
Kukulkan:
—Tha—
Kukulkan:
Tha— Tha—
Kukulkan:
That much is true! Hehe, ehehe. Yahahahahahahahaha!
Kukulkan:
I get it now! I won't hide anything anymore! I shall show you my true form and save everyone!
Kukulkan:
But if I'm free to do as I please... I'd like to you to do that thing to me too...
Kukulkan:
Magical energy replenishment, I believe it's called? That convenient functional magical energy path that Servants have.
Kukulkan:
I'd like to unveil my trump card with a bang with that... Will you do it for me?
Fujimaru 1:
I'm no Master right now, but of course I will.
Fujimaru 2:
After all, it's proof of my trust.
Kukulkan:
Mmmmm~~!
Kukulkan:
Alright, now I'm all fired up! Leave it to me, Master! No matter how many Gugalannas there are, I'll obliterate them all with a single blow!
B：Dumuzid:
Are you done talking? It warms my heart every time I see an intercultural exchange.
B：Dumuzid:
Greetings, I am your counting sheep mechanism, Dumuzid. At your service from rise till bedtime.
Dumuzid:
A showdown between goddesses in the truest sense of the word, the MATCHUP has now been established.
Dumuzid:
Splendid work, Fujimaru. Would you mind if I published that smooth talk of yours to the whole world as my own work?
Fujimaru 1:
I'll pluck all that wool of yours out and toss you into hell.
Fujimaru 2:
I'll hand you over to Ishtar, got it?
Dumuzid:
That is unfortunate, but of course, I was merely joking. I shall seal this recording in the next present box.
Dumuzid:
More importantly, I fear for the captives. Let us go and save them post-haste.
Dumuzid:
If Kukulkan can defeat Ereshkigal, then that will solve this issue.
Dumuzid:
An ideal ruler is one who remains undefeated. Should she suffer a defeat, she'll cease to be that ideal.
Dumuzid:
The oath she swore to herself...the Command Spell will be rendered null and void. And when that happens... you understand what comes next, right?
Fujimaru 1:
Ereshkigal will be back to normal!
Fujimaru 2:
She'll no longer have to be the ideal her!
Dumuzid:
Precisely. Now get on my back, [♂ wise /♀️ radiant] Fujimaru.
Dumuzid:
We will defeat the Watcher of the Underworld without having to destroy the Third Underworld. For that is the key to our victory.
--ARROW--
Alternative Dialogue
This line shows if player is male.
Dumuzid:
SORROW. A ride with nothing remarkable about it. Well, I suppose this is fine every once in a while.
Alternative Dialogue
These two lines show if player is female. Dumuzid needs ENDLESS DEATH.
Dumuzid:
How wonderful. A maiden's storminess akin to a skipping rope tucked away behind a wholesome and refreshing front.
Dumuzid:
“If possible, I would like to save the world with you”, says Dumuzid about his newfound sense of purpose.
Dumuzid:
We've managed to pass through the zero-gravity domain without so much as a hitch. We'll be at the oasis soon, are you all ready? That's great.
Dumuzid:
Once I drop Fujimaru off, you must head for safe ground.
Dumuzid:
It is unfortunate that I will be unable to witness how this battle unfolds. THREE, TWO, ONE. GOOD LUCK.
Kukulkan:
Woah, are we just going to free fall like this!? Are you alright, Fujimaru!? Do you need any assistance?
Fujimaru 1:
I'm fine, I'll manage!
Fujimaru 2:
More importantly, please handle Ereshkigal!
Kukulkan:
That's a veteran Master at work! Then I'll take you up on that—
Kukulkan:
As a gesture of respect towards a goddess of Pan-Human History, I shall fight in my usual manner!
Fujimaru 1:
—Woah!?
Fujimaru 2:
Aren't you exposing yourself way too much!?
Kukulkan:
Oh, do you think so? This is a high-spec spacesuit though...
Kukulkan:
No, I shall prove my powers in that field!
Kukulkan:
Come, let's have ourselves a showdown, Ninkigal! I'll remove every last trace of unauthorized construction that benefits no one!
Fujimaru 1:
Landing fall, good. Forward roll, good! And now...
Fujimaru 1:
The game's on, invincible goddess!
Ninkigal:
So you fell from the sky and rolled around! You'll scare someone half to death, so don't do that again!
Ninkigal:
But what game is “on”? You're fighting against me? What can a magus who can't even summon Servants do—!?
Ninkigal:
You're betting it all on that goddess, then? She's a thousand times better than that runaway Dumuzid.
Ninkigal:
I accept your challenge out of respect for your valor! Come forth, O Boundary Gorge, the Heaven's Thunder Palace!
Ninkigal:
A summoning of six Divine Beasts, try besting them if you can!
--BATTLE--
Ninkigal:
What the heck is that!!!
Fujimaru 1:
(I've got my third Command Spell back—!)
Mash:
Huh!? This is no time to be stupefied!
Mash:
Kukulkan's Noble Phantasm has annihilated Gugalanna! But that attack just now was—
Da Vinci:
Yes, it's that giant's chop that felled the Storm Border! So it was an attack from Mictlan after all—
Da Vinci:
And the Lostbelt King Kukulkan was responsible for it!
Habetrot:
Yeah, she was! But you seem happy for some reason, Da Vinci!
Da Vinci:
Tee-hee. Sorry, I'm always happy when it turns out I was right.
Tepeu:
Oh dear, so the culprit who destroyed the Storm Border, put Captain Nemo in a precarious state,
Tepeu:
and plunged you into an unprecedented crisis was none other than Kukulkan?
Tepeu:
I sincerely apologize. Our god has once again thoughtlessly caused trouble for all of you.
Tepeu:
On behalf of all deinos, I offer you my apologies. And we deinos shall all reflect on this matter.
Tepeu:
The great Kukulkan ought to spend a century atoning for it down on the ninth layer.
Kukulkan:
Stop it, Tepeu! It seemed like a good idea at the time!
Kukulkan:
I am the one who guards Mictlan!
Kukulkan:
I thought I'd eliminate Chaldea while they were still on the surface, seeing as how they came here to prune this Lostbelt!
Habetrot:
She was 100% our enemy... I'm shocked any of us managed to survive...
Kukulkan:
W-Well, I thought at the time you were people that couldn't be reasoned with, like Daybit Sem Void.
Kukulkan:
Of course, things are different now. I understand that Chaldea means no harm.
Kukulkan:
...Having said that, it is true that I attacked the Border. It's not something an apology can fix.
Kukulkan:
Whether you fight me as an enemy, or demand restitution. I leave the decision to you...
Fujimaru 1:
Restitution... (Can you even pay for it, Kukulkan?)
Fujimaru 2:
Fighting as enemies... (I really don't want that...)
Da Vinci:
To be honest, I had already guessed that Kukulkan might have been that giant way back during the Mexico City incident.
Da Vinci:
Which is why I'm no longer boxing myself into two options like “friend or foe”, “reparations or good faith”.
Da Vinci:
In fact, she even saved us and Fujimaru just now.
Fujimaru 1:
Da Vinci...!
Da Vinci:
I actually have to defer to Commander Gordolf in this matter. As a matter of fact—
Da Vinci:
(The truth is that we can't defeat her in our current state.)
Da Vinci:
(If she's willing to be our ally, we've got no choice but to turn a blind eye to her other faults.)
Da Vinci:
Never mind. For the time being, we should be glad that one of the threats to us has turned friendly.
Da Vinci:
More importantly—
Fujimaru 1:
Oh, right.
Fujimaru 2:
Sorry to keep you waiting. Is now a good time?
Ereshkigal Alter:
...What's with that pitying look you're giving me? Cut it out, will you?
Ereshkigal Alter:
Actually, you can just go on ahead already. You've got business on the seventh layer and not with me, right?
Ereshkigal Alter:
The underworld rules I placed based on the premise of being the mightiest goddess vanished the instant I lost to Kukulkan.
Ereshkigal Alter:
This place is now merely a desert of an Underworld Border. I'd like to disappear like the pathetic loser that I am...
Fujimaru 1:
Why? You could come over to the Border.
Ereshkigal Alter:
...No, I can't.
Ereshkigal Alter:
Haven't the other Watchers told you? Once you've become a Watcher, you'll be unsummoned the moment you step out of the Underworld.
Fujimaru 2:
Your name's changed.
Ereshkigal Alter:
Yes, no thanks to you. I'm no longer the invincible goddess, Ninkigal!
Mash:
Speaking of which, even though your Command Spell has returned, isn't she still an Alter?
Mash:
What could this possibly mean... Could it be that too much time has passed,
Mash:
and both Ereshkigal's mind and body are irreversibly Altered... perhaps?
Ereshkigal Alter:
Nothing like that. But thanks for worrying about me, Mash.
Ereshkigal Alter:
Camazotz may have turned me Alter with a Command Spell, but it was not by force that he did so.
Ereshkigal Alter:
I accepted that bat's offer of my own volition.
Ereshkigal Alter:
All so I could strengthen my Saint Graph and be of better use to Chaldea.
Mash:
That's the Ereshkigal we know. So you did have good reasons to fight us earlier!
Ereshkigal Alter:
...
Fujimaru 1:
You did, didn't you?
Fujimaru 2:
Actually, it's about Ishtar, isn't it?
Ereshkigal Alter:
Yes, you're right! I just can't mention it right now is all!
Ereshkigal Alter:
When the time comes, I'll make you cry (tears of joy), so you better not forget this!
Mash:
...???
Ereshkigal Alter:
In any case, I wouldn't turn myself into an Alter if I didn't think it was necessary!
Ereshkigal Alter:
You still have no idea what lies ahead, do you?
Ereshkigal Alter:
Which is why I will remain here as a Watcher of the Underworld, just in case.
Ereshkigal Alter:
Did the first and second watchers not say anything similar? That they can't go with you?
Fujimaru 1:
...Yeah, they sure did.
Fujimaru 2:
In any case, I guess you can't go back to the Border...
Ereshkigal Alter:
...Yes. But don't worry.
Ereshkigal Alter:
Even if I am tainted by evil and turned into a delinquent, I am still the goddess of the underworld, Ereshkigal, a Servant of Chaldea.
Ereshkigal Alter:
No matter what threats you face, I will fight by your side to the bitter end.
Habetrot:
Kukulkan totally pummeled you though.
Habetrot:
Are you alright? Aren't you starting to fade away? Are you sure you don't want to come with us?
Ereshkigal Alter:
I'll be back to normal in no time! Just go on ahead already!
Ereshkigal Alter:
And you, Kukulkan, don't think I'll fall for your surprise attack a second time!
Ereshkigal Alter:
We ended up fighting mid-air since I got lured there, but I'm a goddess who fights with her feet firmly planted on the ground!
Ereshkigal Alter:
I won't lose next time! Don't think that you've won!
Kukulkan:
Of course, the score's one loss and one win so far! Next time, I'll beat you down and get that three-count without anyone running away!
Ereshkigal Alter:
Three-count? What are you suddenly going on about—Oh, I see. I suppose that's a thing too.
Ereshkigal Alter:
Fine, look forward to it then.
Ereshkigal Alter:
Should we fight again, I'll send you packing with a Noble Phantasm that surpasses Gugalanna and Meslamtaea!
Section 14: End Times Observatory Metztitlán
Da Vinci:
—So yeah, that's what happened during the battle in the Third Underworld. A lot happened, but we all managed to make it through unscathed.
Gordolf:
Y-Yes, very well done!
Gordolf:
Hmph. Mass producing the famous divine beast of Mesopotamian myth, Gugalanna...
Gordolf:
Well, what can I say? It must've been quite the challenge. I couldn't be happier about not being there.
Gordolf:
Also, about Kukulkan...
Gordolf:
So it's true that you were that radiant thing that sunk the Storm Border? That wasn't figurative, or anything?
Kukulkan:
I'm so sorry... I'm most certainly the one responsible... It happened in the spur of the moment....
Kukulkan:
But if a tiny little bird flew into your house, wouldn't you have gotten the urge to pet it a little too, Director? Like, pet it REAL hard!
Gordolf:
What an extreme display of playful aggression! Besides, I'm not a “tiny little bird” at all! I'm a proud phoenix!
Gordolf:
Oh, what does it matter! There are too many things I'd want to take up with you, but I'm not going to meddle with decisions taken on the field.
Gordolf:
Fujimaru! Kyrielight! You two make sure to keep watch on Kukulkan!
Gordolf:
If she starts acting suspicious, make sure to obscure her vision and put some distance between you and her! Got it!?
Fujimaru 1:
Got it. Spray some Asian Mist, right?
Kukulkan:
(Asian Mist! I've never heard that term before, but... it's got a GREAT ring to it!)
Fujimaru 2:
I don't think it'll come to that, but...understood!
Gordolf:
Very good. Then I expect you continue with the operation. The repairs are proceeding smoothly over on our side.
Gordolf:
We cannot communicate with you when you're in the Underworld Borders, but in the ordinary rainforest, the signal is excellent.
Gordolf:
Obviously, be sure to immediately contact us if there's an emergency, or if you have a question that needs answering.
Gordolf:
I'll excuse myself then. I expect good news when we next speak.
Habetrot:
That Gordolf sure is more of a worrywart than he appears. Could it be...he's actually quite competent and understanding?
Mash:
Yes. Gordolf Musik has all the skills needed for his position as the new director of Novum Chaldea.
Mash:
In addition to being highly proficient in his capacity as our commander when during operations.
Da Vinci:
Rightly so. We Servants have excellent individual abilities, but we're ultimately nothing more than specialists.
Da Vinci:
In order to function as an organization or squad, you need someone who's able to bring everyone together. Gordolf might not be tailor made for that role,
Da Vinci:
but he always resolves himself to take appropriate responsibility for each and every situation we find ourselves in.
Da Vinci:
A so-called behind-the-scenes leader, I suppose? He may one day become the backbone of our organization for real, though.
Tepeu:
So this is what it means to grow together as neighbors? The people of Pan-Human History are a truly diverse kind.
Tepeu:
There. We ought to probably make a small stop around here and rest.
Tepeu:
Nitocris, I will construct our camp for the night, so could you please keep a watch on our surroundings?
Nitocris:
...
Fujimaru 1:
Nitocris? Is something the matter?
Nitocris:
Oh! Nothing. Setting up camp, yes, I was just thinking the same thing! I'll let off some spirits and rid ourselves of any threats around here!
Mash:
Nitocris, wait! If you release your specters haphazardly like that—
Nitocris:
Huh!? Why can I hear a bunch of footsteps coming this way? Aren't deinos supposed to run away when they see the spirits of the dead?
Nitocris:
Or at the very least, the deinos who witnessed Camazotz's ghosts all practically tripped over themselves trying to get away...
Mash:
That only applies to normal deinos! The ones who inhabit the forests are basically mindless beasts!
Fujimaru 1:
Yep, they don't even have fear at all.
Fujimaru 2:
This is why Berserkers are the best.
Tepeu:
What a mess. Ah well, this IS Nitocris' first time travelling through the sea of trees.
Nitocris:
I suppose I will just have to rout them then! Coalitionist! You've got all your Command Spells back, right!?
Nitocris:
Then it is time to test a Pharaoh's mettle! Let's do our best together!
--BATTLE--
Mash:
Combat, safely concluded. Feral deinos, currently withdrawing.
Nitocris:
Why, would you look at that! Didn't that prove that your spot summons are working after all?
Nitocris:
All as planned! Quite an ideal outcome of the battle, don't you think, Fujimaru?
Fujimaru 1:
Y-E-S. The Esteemed Pharaoh is most correct.
Fujimaru 2:
Although I can't use the actual Command Spells themselves.
Da Vinci:
Yeah, the indication of a Master–your ability to summon, has had its functionality restored.
Da Vinci:
But the capacity to actually invoke Command Spells appears to still be missing.
Da Vinci:
Right now, Fujimaru can summon Servants, even if [♂ he /♀️ she] cannot strengthen them through the use of [♂ his /♀️ her] Command Spells.
Da Vinci:
[♂ His /♀️ Her] Master status is still not fully restored. Right now, [♂ he's /♀️ she's] maybe something more like a potential Master, or perhaps even just a summoner.
Da Vinci:
I tried to understand how exactly [♂ he /♀️ she] fell into such a state, but after looking through [♂ his /♀️ her] records of the first layer...
Da Vinci:
I found something like, “I made a deal with some unfamiliar person in some unknown place, and so returned to life.”
Da Vinci:
If that's true, it could mean that [♂ he /♀️ she]'ll remain in that state for the entire duration of [♂ his /♀️ her] stay here in Mictlan.
Da Vinci:
Alternatively...
Kukulkan:
Fujimaru has to subjugate the person [♂ he /♀️ she] made that deal with.
Kukulkan:
Since Camazotz is the one who has them, it stand to reason that he's that certain someone.
Flag Result
If player selected "Are you one of Tezcatlipoca's allies?", Fujimaru will correctly assess that Tezcatlipoca was who they made a deal with.
Fujimaru 1:
Camazotz wasn't who I made that deal with.
Fujimaru 2:
It was probably...Tezcatlipoca, the one we met in Mexico.
Tepeu:
Didn't Camazotz mention something like that? About making a deal with Tezcatlipoca.
Tepeu:
In which case, the “unfamiliar person” that Fujimaru made a deal with has to be Tezcatlipoca.
Kukulkan:
Oh, so it was that sunglass-wearing scumbag! That's even better. Now I've got yet another reason to give him a piece of my mind.
Flag Result
If player selected "But this isn't even an Underworld Border.", the truth of who Fujimaru made the deal with will still be left in the dark.
Fujimaru 1:
I doubt Camazotz was the person I made that deal with.
Tepeu:
So even though you can't remember either the place or whom you made the deal with, I take it you're convinced that it wasn't Camazotz?
Tepeu:
In that case, it could mean that Camazotz purchased your Command Spells from this person.
Fujimaru 2:
So Camazotz also made a deal?
Nitocris:
That rambunctious man-bat doesn't seem like the kind of person capable of making such a decision...
Nitocris:
Even so, he did in fact leave one Command Spell in the care of each Watcher of the Underworld, so that might actually be the case...
Branch End
Dialogue will resume as normal from here.
Nitocris:
Anyway...don't you think the mindless deinos from before were quite numerous?
Nitocris:
Could it be that...there's some kind of mindless deinos nest here on the seventh layer?
Tepeu:
There is not. The seventh layer is comfortable for them to live in. That's all there is to it.
Tepeu:
This is a harsh environment for the Ocelomeh and ordinary deinos. One wrong move leads to death.
Tepeu:
There's also the fact that the eighth layer is Camazotz's nest.
Tepeu:
That said, the eighth and ninth layers not only contain poisonous gas, they're also permeated with hazardous cosmic rays, something most life cannot endure.
Tepeu:
Truly, a world of death. It's not a place that the living can step foot in.
Da Vinci:
Oh, so that's why... We sent out a survey drone from the Border, but once it got to the eighth layer, it malfunctioned and shut down.
Da Vinci:
Which must mean that the Fantasy Tree is down in the bottom layer... Of course, where else would it be...
Habetrot:
There we go. Bonfire's just about done. Stop the chit-chat and let's get this camp in order, 'kay?
Habetrot:
We've got two tents with us. One for Mash and Da Vinci, and one for Fujimaru.
Habetrot:
You three are the ones with actual bodies. Gotta have someplace proper to sleep.
Tepeu:
It goes without saying, but I'll be resting here in my personal bed of grass. Ah, how I love the feel of the rock-solid ground.
Kukulkan:
Excuse me, don't I also have a physical body...? ¡It's so unfair that you Servants can just go into spirit form!
Additional Dialogue
The following lines display only if player is Male.
Nasu is a sinner.
Fujimaru 1:
How about you sleep in my tent then?
Mash:
Um! R-right...
Mash:
Kukulkan did reveal to us that she was the one who attacked the Storm Border.
Mash:
She's a trustworthy ally at this point. That we'd provide her with the left half of one of our tents is totally understandable. Yes, of course.
Kukulkan:
Uhhh, haha... No, it's fine. I'll just sleep on the ground like Tepeu.
Kukulkan:
I've only been around for less than a year, but even I understand that two people sleeping together in the same enclosed space is a bit...stimulating.
Kukulkan:
¡If we happened to lose control, that might spell the end for all Mictlan...!
Kukulkan:
Wait, I know! Mash and Da Vinci are in the same tent, right?
Kukulkan:
So, Fujimaru's must have an open spot, right? Tent-town, here I come!
Mash:
Ha-wah!? N-no, in that case, please, use my tent.
Mash:
I'll just take the sleeping bag, and sleep in front of the fire.
Fujimaru 1:
Forget it, I'll take the sleeping bag in that case.
Fujimaru 2:
How about Mash takes this tent, and I go over to the other one?
Kukulkan:
Hmmm? Wouldn't that be a bit lonely?
Kukulkan:
We've got these tents, so we might as well all use them! I want us to be pressed tightly together in that crowded little thing and have some intimate discussions!
Kukulkan:
I don't dislike all the stories about Chaldea and the Alien God, but I do want to hear some stories about Pan-Human History!
Mash:
O-oh, so that's what you wanted... That sounds like a great idea.
Mash:
I only know about ordinary life from second-hand sources, so this is Senpai's field of expertise!
Mash:
Please, tell us about your life back when you lived in urban Japan.
Da Vinci:
What's going on? Girl's talk? A tent party? I'm in, I'm in! Let's put our tents together!
Da Vinci:
And obviously Nitocris and Habetrot are in too! I shouldn't encourage people to stay up late, but let's talk all night long!
Tepeu:
—Incomprehensible.
--ARROW--
Fujimaru 1:
Somehow, we managed to make it up this tall plateau!
Fujimaru 2:
So this is the observatory of Mictlan!
Da Vinci:
It's a natural biosphere! This is less like an observatory, and more like a biome!
Da Vinci:
And not one that's like Mictlan! This is how the Cenozoic era of Pan-Human History looked like!
Kukulkan:
I would presume so. Malla's will has no power here.
Kukulkan:
This is where those dispatched from the Inner Sea of the Planet are born. The planet's sense of touch. Elementals, as Pan-Human History calls them.
Kukulkan:
As such, unlike Mictlan, which was created from the Divine Filaments, it is closer to your Pan-Human environment.
Fujimaru 1:
The Inner Sea of the Planet, so...Avalon?
Da Vinci:
Right. The Inner Sea of the Planet is the “place of the mind”, said to be sure to exist once the planet starts being treated like a single life form.
Da Vinci:
You remember Reality Marbles, right?
Da Vinci:
It is one of magecraft's greatest techniques: to manifest the magus' mindscape and, even if only temporarily, plaster it on top of reality.
Da Vinci:
You could think of the Inner Sea of the Planet as Earth's version of this. The Reality Marble of the planet itself, you could say.
Da Vinci:
That said, Earth is big, you know. It has more than one “mental characteristic”.
Da Vinci:
Such as “a mind closely adjoined with human society”, or even “a mind that takes issue with human society”.
Da Vinci:
Avalon is nothing more than one of such characteristics, a world closer to nature, which doesn't concern itself with human society.
Mash:
Elementals born in such a world are beings you could basically refer to as the alter-egos of the planet...right?
Mash:
Kukulkan called them the “planet's sense of touch” just a moment ago.
Mash:
They're born in the Inner Sea of the Planet, and then leave for the surface, before eventually returning to the Inner Sea.
Mash:
However, there are those who cannot return to it, or who perhaps simply never do.
Mash:
On Earth's surface, these came to be known as fairies or Elementals, and in some cases Divine Spirits...
Da Vinci:
Indeed. Though since fairies, Elementals, and Divine Spirits can come into being through other circumstances, you can't say all of them are like that.
Da Vinci:
That said, there is an Elemental who can only ever be born in the Inner Sea of the Planet.
Da Vinci:
It's known as the “Brain of the Planet”, and is a special type of Elemental. If the planet has a mind, it also stands to reason that it has a brain, right?
Da Vinci:
The one born from, and later set to inherit Earth's memories—the sights it cannot forget. The one constantly dreaming of the planet's surface.
Da Vinci:
The world of magecraft calls it the Archetype. The Elemental who waits ahead is this sort of incredible “Recorder”.
Nitocris:
...So you mean to say it knows the history of life from long before mankind was born...
Nitocris:
Nevertheless, I heard the Archetype was created in the likeness of the current prime species.
Nitocris:
This might be a Lostbelt, but even that is simply a “what-if” of Pan-Human History.
Nitocris:
Therefore, shouldn't the Archetype be in the same human form as we are?
Kukulkan:
Tepeu might be far better informed about that. Isn't that right, Tepeu? You worked here before as a researcher, didn't you?
Fujimaru 1:
Really?
Fujimaru 2:
(Come to think it...there was that time...)
Tepeu:
Well, yes. I'm Tepeu the Stargazer, after all. I've gone back and forth between the seventh layer and Chichen Itza many times.
Tepeu:
I've never heard her be referred to as “Archetype”. It is no doubt knowledge brought here by the Crypter.
Tepeu:
Kukulkan seems to have known about that from before then, however...
Kukulkan:
I'm sooorry! I couldn't convey it very well with just my senses. That's why this speech thing is so convenient sometimes.
Tepeu:
“Malla only watches over us. It never opines.” To think even the mighty Kukulkan would be bound by such rules.
Tepeu:
Though...the fact that Ixquic is different from other deinos is something which I've noticed as well.
Tepeu:
The Archetype of Mictlan is in all likelihood different from the one in Pan-Human History.
Tepeu:
Mictlan itself is already a place much like the Inner Sea of the Planet.
Tepeu:
A world without change, closed off both from the surface and the universe above. The Archetype born here must be very cramped.
Tepeu:
She cannot ever go outside of here. Never even once.
Mash:
?
Tepeu:
“Seeing is believing”, was it? Let's keep moving the boat. You'll understand once you meet her directly.
Tepeu:
Oh, and just as a warning: be sure to not take an aggressive posture out of sheer surprise.
Tepeu:
The Archetype is sensitive, and easily hurt. Once she starts feeling down, it takes three days before she's functional again.
Fujimaru 1:
There's nobody here...?
Fujimaru 2:
It's flooded here inside as well...
Tepeu:
Good day, Ixquic. I've come here with guests from Pan-Human History.
Tepeu:
They have things they wish to ask of you. Could you please stop being so shy and show yourself?
Tepeu:
They'll spot you in no time anyway. It's not as though you're really hidden.
Tepeu:
Apparently they have a saying for this in Pan-Human History: burying your head in the sand. Your tail is visible, you know.
???:
Nooo, it's not! You're just saying that to tease me like always, big brother Tepeu.
???:
I was just getting myself mentally prepared, that's all. I'll greet you all right now. As priestly and direct as I can!
F：???:
Greetings. Nice to meet you. All the way from Chichen Itza, I take it? Welcome.
F：???:
I am Ixquic. The one who shall see off the fate of Mictlan upon this lunar plateau.
Ixquic:
I live in a bit of a bubble, so I'm lacking in many areas. Nevertheless, I'm very pleased to meet you all.
Mash & Habetrot & Nitocris:
Sh-sh-sh—
Everyone:
She's huuuuuuge!
Da Vinci:
A diplodocus! She's a diplodocus!
Da Vinci:
It was said to be the largest species among the herbivorous dinosaurs, but it appears that here in Mictlan, it's even bigger!
Da Vinci:
More than 60 meters tall! Amaaaazing!
Ixquic:
Hehe, I'm honored by your kind words, Pan-Human Cherub. You have quite the wonderful voice, just as I'd expected.
Da Vinci:
Hm? Do you know about me? Did you hear about me from Kukulkan or something?
Ixquic:
No, I watched you from here. I can see all the way to the second layer when I'm here.
Ixquic:
That said, unlike Kukulkan, I cannot hear any sounds, so I don't know your names.
Ixquic:
Would you perhaps be so kind as to tell me?
Ixquic:
Thank you very much.
Ixquic:
Fujimaru, Mash, Habetrot, Da Vinci, and Nitocris.
Ixquic:
They have a different ring to them compared to the sounds we use in our ordinary lives here in Mictlan, but wonderful nonetheless. I'm so grateful to have acquired ears.
Mash:
Thank you very much. I think Ixquic is a wonderful name as well.
Mash:
Also...and forgive me for asking, but you called Tepeu your older brother a moment ago, did you not?
Mash:
What is the relationship between you two?
Ixquic:
Oh, my. Ehehe. Oh-my, oh-my.
Ixquic:
I wasn't imagining you'd ask me such a question, Mash. I'm sure we'll get along splendidly together.
Ixquic:
Oh, what is there to hide of our relationship? Tepeu is my...
Tepeu:
Acquaintance, and nothing more.
Tepeu:
I researched the stars at this observatory, so I suppose you could say we are colleagues.
Tepeu:
Ixquic calling me her older brother is something she decided on for herself, so pay it no mind.
Tepeu:
Besides, when it comes to age, Ixquic is six million years old. I'm only about one thousand at best.
Fujimaru 1:
That's quite the big thing to drop so offhandedly!
Fujimaru 2:
(I mean, I figured deinos were long-lived, but...)
Mash:
I understand. In that case, why did you decide to call Tepeu your elder brother then, Ixquic?
Ixquic:
It's because ever since we first met, he's always been so high-and-mighty.
Ixquic:
I'm a special deinos, and this observatory doesn't serve much purpose for the deinos in general.
Ixquic:
So none of them ever come here aside from big brother Tepeu, who shows up to the observatory without so much as a second thought...
Ixquic:
Always calling me a “useless bum who just takes up space”.
Tepeu:
I don't call her that, for the record.
Tepeu:
Let's stop wasting time on idle chatter. Please get on with it and live up to your role as this observatory's eyes for once.
Ixquic:
See? He does call me stuff like that!
Ixquic:
He thinks that just because he knows so much, he can always just berate me like this.
Nitocris:
(Is this...you know...?)
Kukulkan:
(Yes. One of those indifferent-looking older brothers who care a lot but can't bring themselves to admit it♡)
Tepeu:
Good grief. The years go by, but you still talk as childishly as ever.
Ixquic:
Well, of course. I'm a 1-year-old for all eternity. Don't you already know that, big brother Tepeu?
L：Tepeu:
Well...sure. Since you were born as the planet's sense of touch, your mind cannot mature any further.
L：Tepeu:
As is abundantly clear from how you call me your “big brother”. To you, all other life appears older, I suppose.
Tepeu:
Fujimaru, Da Vinci, feel free to ask Ixquic your questions.
Tepeu:
She can see everything that happens in Mictlan.
Tepeu:
Please reveal what Daybit Sem Void has been up to this last year.
Ixquic:
Daybit? Is that who you want to know about?
Fujimaru 1:
Yeah, it is, but...
Fujimaru 2:
Do you happen to know about him?
Ixquic:
Of course. When Daybit first showed up, he visited this place before anywhere else.
Ixquic:
“Tell me about the truth of Mictlan and its history.” “I don't have any time to waste on you people, so summarize it for me in five minutes.”
Ixquic:
I knew he was a guest from Pan-Human History, but it's not like I had any reason to refuse him, so I told him.
Ixquic:
That was exactly one of your Pan-Human years ago, I believe.
Tepeu:
The exact same time the Crypter first showed up.
Nitocris:
Please wait a moment. Do you mean to say that you knew about Pan-Human History and the Lostbelts before the Crypter arrived?
Nitocris:
In that case, how come you agreed to Daybit's request? Aren't people from Pan-Human History supposed to be your enemies; invaders, basically?
Ixquic:
How do I explain this...
Ixquic:
I'm the Archetype, so I understand that Mictlan is not the kind of environment Earth is normally supposed to have.
Ixquic:
I could also foresee that after being given knowledge by me, Daybit would organize the Ocelomeh and start hunting the deinos.
Ixquic:
That's quite tragic, but not enough of a reason for me to refuse Daybit's request.
Ixquic:
All people operate under their own outlook, their own convictions, and their own set of values.
Ixquic:
Nobody has the same ideas, so people coming to understand one another is practically unheard of. As such, I must treat everyone equally.
Ixquic:
You ought not take other people's time, ideals, and lives so lightly, because you're far away from them;
Ixquic:
because you haven't met them; because they're irrelevant to you; because they won't benefit you, don't you think?
Ixquic:
Such is the philosophy of life that the deinos have arrived at after such an incredibly long time down here in Mictlan.
Ixquic:
Be they weak or strong, we will not look down upon them, nor favor them either.
Ixquic:
Deinos do not discriminate between different life. I mean, think...
Ixquic:
A society where only special people receive special treatment is wrong, isn't it?
Mash:
—
L：Tepeu:
......(That sure seems to have left a deep impression on Mash...)
L：Tepeu:
She agreed to Daybit's request, which is also why she'll agree to yours; is what Ixquic is trying to say.
L：Tepeu:
Let's get to the topic at hand. What has Daybit been up to, and what are his intentions from hereon?
L：Tepeu:
Talking about anything else is pointless.
Ixquic:
Hm? You're strangely impatient, big brother Tepeu.
Ixquic:
“If you wish to know Daybit's objective, you must first know what questions he asked to Ixquic.”
Ixquic:
Normally you'd think something along those lines, big brother Tepeu.
Da Vinci:
True, that's of both critical importance and something I'm curious about. What's wrong, Tepeu? You're seeming a bit on edge.
Tepeu:
Is that so...? No, I suppose it's true. It's been so long since I was in the observatory that I got a little stirred up, perhaps.
Tepeu:
I'll leave it to Da Vinci to ask the questions. I shall go prepare the Popol ritual.
Fujimaru 1:
(It seems more like Tepeu finds this painful rather than irritating...)
Fujimaru 2:
(Ritual...?)
Da Vinci:
Hmm, well. Allow me to take over for Tepeu then as the one asking the questions.
Da Vinci:
You said that Daybit asked you to tell him the truth about Mictlan alongside its history, correct?
Da Vinci:
The origins of this Lostbelt isn't when the dinosaurs became the prime species...
Da Vinci:
It originated from the impact of the meteor which wiped out life on the surface of Earth. The fifth of the “Big Five” mass extinctions.
Da Vinci:
The extraterrestrial filament-based life attached to the meteor restored the incinerated terrain...
Da Vinci:
...chose the dinosaurs as their hosts, and then created the Mictlan we see around us.
Da Vinci:
Or at least, that's what we have surmised. Does it match up?
Ixquic:
Oh, wow. Da Vinci, cute and astonishing. To think you'd be able to surmise something that happened so very, very long ago!
Ixquic:
Yes, it matches up! With some minor corrections.
Ixquic:
The meteor they arrived on in Pan-Human History fell onto the Yucatan peninsula 66 million years ago at the end of the Cretaceous period.
Ixquic:
But the meteor they arrived on here in this Lostbelt fell down during the end of the Carboniferous period, about 300 million years ago.
Ixquic:
“They From Afar”, the castaways, came down from the cosmos above. The ones we refer to as Malla.
Ixquic:
At that time, they bound the then-singular continent together with a network of plant roots, and so stopped the dividing of the continent.
Ixquic:
As such, this Lostbelt's origin point lies 300 million years back. The age of the supercontinent Pangaea.
Da Vinci:
T-three hundred million years!? Which means it was before even the third mass-extinction event!
Da Vinci:
Oh, so that's why Fujimaru mentioned the Carboniferous Period before!
Da Vinci:
Still, that does explain a lot.
Da Vinci:
In Pan-Human History, during the transition between the Permian and the Triassic periods, over 95% of Paleozoic aquatic life went extinct.
Da Vinci:
And so, the dinosaurs who were well-adapted to the environment became dominant. After that, about 180 million years ago from now, Pangaea split into north and south.
Da Vinci:
With Eurasia forming in the north, and Gondwana in the south, the dinosaurs were dispersed all over the world.
Da Vinci:
However, as long as the continent had NOT broken apart, the dinosaur paradise would've surely prospered even further.
Da Vinci:
And as long as the dinosaurs stood at the apex, the mammals would never have such a fortuitous evolution.
Da Vinci:
That's the origin of Mictlan—
Da Vinci:
This is a world where the meteor onto which “They From Afar”—Malla—were attached to came at a different time!
Mash:
But in that case, what about the fourth extinction in the Triassic, and the fifth caused by the impact of the meteor onto the Yucatan peninsula during the Cretaceous?
Mash:
Did they simply not happen in this Lostbelt?
Ixquic:
I don't know about the fourth and fifth in Pan-Human History, but we did have a fourth mass-extinction here.
Ixquic:
It was the end of the Cretaceous period, 66 million years ago. What you in Pan-Human History know as the fifth mass-extinction event: the meteor which impacted the Yucatan peninsula.
Ixquic:
Once again, a meteor collided with our planet, incinerating the surface, and putting the dinosaurs at risk of extinction.
Ixquic:
It was Malla who saved them.
Ixquic:
Malla foresaw this meteor collision, and created a shelter underground.
Ixquic:
The energy used above, on the surface, was all collected in this subterranean world to create a new paradise.
Ixquic:
The planet's fuel, which would ordinarily be used to restore the surface of Earth, was all used to run Biosphere 3.
Ixquic:
That's what Mictlan is.
Ixquic:
From then, up to the present—a period of 66 million years—Mictlan has served as the world in which the deinos live.
Fujimaru 1:
—(At a loss for words)
Fujimaru 2:
The scale of things here is just too massive...
Habetrot:
Yep. I didn't get a single thing on my end. Guess I'll have to ask Mash to explain later in about three paragraphs tops.
Da Vinci:
I see... So that's why the surface remains in ruin even now.
Da Vinci:
The oceans fell to desolation, control over volcanic activity became impossible, and the skies became covered by dense thunder clouds.
Da Vinci:
The power ordinarily used for the natural cycle instead flowed into the subterranean world of Mictlan.
Da Vinci:
After almost 100 million years, with Malla having taken root on the surface, they acquired the authority to control it.
Da Vinci:
This is something which is impossible in Pan-Human History.
Da Vinci:
In Pan-Human History, the meteor that Malla was attached onto fell down during the fifth mass-extinction event, which was 66 million years ago.
Da Vinci:
The dinosaurs went extinct at the hands of this meteor, and the surface of Earth underwent yet another great ecological change.
Da Vinci:
This was the emergence of the mammals. Eventually, after 40 million years had passed, the ancestors of mankind came into being.
Da Vinci:
Malla became completely occupied just maintaining its own living space, and then—
Kukulkan:
They chose to coexist with the people of Mesoamerica by becoming a part of their mythologies.
Da Vinci:
From what I can gather so far, the deinos see Malla as their savior god, but things are a bit more complex from the Earth's point of view.
Da Vinci:
After all, its own house has been altered against its will.
Da Vinci:
In that sense, how do you feel about this, given that you're the Archetype? “You shameless thieves”, or something like that?
Ixquic:
Yeah! Those damn space invaders!
Ixquic:
But no, not really. Whatever happens, if life continues to thrive, the planet is pleased.
Ixquic:
Besides, if we're gonna talk about space invaders, there is one who is, in a very real sense.
Ixquic:
I talked about this before, about the impetus for why Mictlan had to be created. You know, it was Malla...
Ixquic:
...on the meteorite which in Pan-Human History caused the fifth mass-extinction event, and who created the world of mythology of the Yucatan peninsula.
Ixquic:
Conversely, in our Lostbelt, it caused the third mass-extinction event, and they embedded themselves deep into the underground of Mictlan.
Ixquic:
Much like Malla, that slight change in orbital trajectory brought an invader here 66 million years earlier than it should have.
Ixquic:
From the ends of the galaxy, flying in from the Oort cloud, came a planet-eating monster—
Ixquic:
ORT.
Fujimaru 1:
So this is where ORT comes into the picture.
Fujimaru 2:
Could someone create a timeline for me...?
Da Vinci:
So ORT arrived in Mictlan that early... But if that's the case, the deinos would have never flourished...
Da Vinci:
Oh, I get it. ORT died from the shock of the collision.
Da Vinci:
The reason why ORT is nowhere to be found in Mictlan is precisely because of that. It's already dead, so obviously nobody has seen it.
Ixquic:
Nope, it went went all crazy, actually. Mictlan was already destroyed once by ORT.
Da Vinci:
No waaaaay! I'm wrong agaaaaaain!!
Da Vinci:
Okay, but then how did the deinos survive? Out with it, Ixquic!
Ixquic:
Don't worry, you're very adorably clever, Da Vinci. That theory of yours was mostly correct.
Ixquic:
When ORT descended, it did die, but that thing didn't have the sort of death that life does.
Ixquic:
It fell down into Mictlan, and after being at a standstill for 60 million years...
Ixquic:
Just around the time that the deinos' philosophy of life had been realized, ORT resumed activity.
Ixquic:
To our world, this is the fourth mass-extinction event.
Ixquic:
It's around this time that the Earth birthed me.
Ixquic:
Thus, the life of Mictlan cooperated, and so successfully defeated ORT.
Ixquic:
And we all lived happily ever after...
Fujimaru 1:
ORT was defeated, but...
Fujimaru 2:
It doesn't "die", so it'll revive once more...
Da Vinci:
The fourth mass-extinction event has already happened...
Da Vinci:
Which means that the attack of ORT that Fujimaru saw back at Mexico City corresponds to the fifth mass-extinction event...
Nitocris:
I see, I finally understand now. Mash, could you summarize?
Mash:
Of course, leave it to me. Comparing it with Pan-Human History all the time would get confusing...
Mash:
So the timeline I'll be creating is ultimately one which only applies to this Lostbelt.
Narration:
- History of Mictlan -
Narration:
Approximately 300 million years ago: Lostbelt originates. Malla, attached to a meteor, falls onto Pangaea.
Narration:
Malla binds the continent together with its network of plants. The age of dinosaurs continues forever from here. This paradise lasts approximately 100 million years.
Narration:
66 million years ago: the 3rd mass-extinction event, the descent of a meteor (ORT) is detected by Malla.
Narration:
The subterranean world of Mictlan is created. The artificial sun is formed. Life on the surface is evacuated into the subterranean world.
Narration:
The meteor (ORT) penetrates through the surface, descending onto Mictlan, before lodging into the bottom layer. However, ORT ceases activity.
Narration:
20 million years ago: Mictlan is flourishing. The proconsuls (Apes, the ancestors of mankind) are born in Mictlan.
Narration:
6 million years ago: the 4th mass-extinction event, ORT resumes activity. Ixquic is born. ORT enters inactivity.
Narration:
1 year ago: Pan-Human culture leaks into Mictlan, the invasion of the Crypter's culture. The deinos respond.
Nitocris:
I understood perfectly now. Quite the feat, Mash.
Mash:
Oh, no, compared to Ixquic, this is nothing... I'm just Mini-Mini Mash...
Fujimaru 1:
By the way, what was with the red text?
Mash:
Oh, that was added by Ixquic. She said it was important.
Da Vinci:
Still, now we finally understand that ORT really exists, and also what kind of threat it is.
Da Vinci:
Of course Daybit would ask Ixquic about this. Now we're finally on even ground with him in terms of information.
Ixquic:
Uh, no? I didn't talk about this with Daybit.
Ixquic:
I tried to tell him about it, but he just said, “I've already conjectured as much, you don't need to elaborate.”
H：Da Vinci:
Wuh?
Fujimaru 1:
—For real?
Fujimaru 2:
Earth to Da Vinci!
H：Da Vinci:
Urgh...but then, what did Daybit ask you about? Was it about where ORT's carcass was?
Ixquic:
No. He asked, “Has the sun gone out at some point?”
Mash:
Huh? When you say “the sun”, you mean the sun of Mictlan, right? The artificially created one?
Mash:
Has it gone out...? What does that mean, exactly?
Fujimaru 1:
Right, it's about the Ocelomeh's belief in sacrifices! You know,
Fujimaru 2:
"The sun will go out, so it's resurrected using sacrifices"!
Da Vinci:
Oh. I thought for sure that was just a recreation of Aztec mythology as spread by Tezcatlipoca.
Da Vinci:
If it really has gone out, then that does explain why the faith held by the Ocelomeh is so strong.
Da Vinci:
Tepeu said something along those lines before, “The sun of Mictlan once entered into a period of dormancy.”
Da Vinci:
So Ixquic, what did you tell him?
Ixquic:
Naturally, I told him nothing but the truth.
Ixquic:
“When ORT became active 6 million years ago, the sun went out. With it, the other non-deinos civilization...”
Ixquic:
“The country of the humans, the Ka'an Kingdom, was wiped out.”
Da Vinci:
Huh!? That's news to me! So the Ka'an Kingdom wasn't a deinos country!?
Da Vinci:
So even aside from Mexico City, in the far past, there were other non-deinos civilizations!?
Ixquic:
That's right. Which is why I added red to the part back there about the proconsul beings born.
Ixquic:
The human kingdom flourished for 100,000 years here in Mictlan.
Ixquic:
Compared to the deinos, they were a weaker form of life, but their technological skills were very advanced.
Ixquic:
In the closing years of the kingdom, they even created airships not unlike the Storm Border that you people employ.
Ixquic:
That's why we were able to oppose ORT.
Ixquic:
The Ka'an warriors modified their bodies to become unkillable, and fought down to the very last soldier.
Ixquic:
And so, they managed to successfully force ORT down into the bottom layer.
Ixquic:
ORT sank into the sea of magma, and Mictlan's light was taken back. However, the Ka'an Kingdom was wiped out as a result.
Ixquic:
The ruined city they left behind was repurposed as Chichen Itza.
Ixquic:
Not that there are many deinos who know about this story. Perhaps the only one who does is big brother Tepeu, who managed to uncover it all by his lonesome.
Fujimaru 1:
The Ka'an warriors...
Fujimaru 2:
I see, so that's why...
Mash:
Though dead, they didn't fall apart... They'd strengthened their bodies to the point that they were able to endure for six million years...
Nitocris:
...So that's why those ghosts were so full of regrets and weariness...
Nitocris:
Ixquic, were there any survivors among the Ka'an? Did they all really die out?
Ixquic:
Not all. There is still one who remains alive.
Ixquic:
The last survivor, and the one who defeated ORT six million years ago: the King of the Ka'an.
Ixquic:
After undergoing such extensive body modifications, he couldn't even die, and succumbed to madness. Even now, this bat continues to soar across the underworld...
Ixquic:
The King of Braves, Camazotz. The mad king who still continues the search for his surely long-lost subjects.
Nitocris:
—
--ARROW--
--BATTLE--
Ixquic:
Before I show what Daybit has been up to, I need to prepare. Could everyone please wait outside for a bit?
Tepeu:
Oh, excuse me. If you're going outside, could you be so kind as to neutralize some of the mindless deinos for us?
Tepeu:
The smell of the maguey pulque I'll be using for the ritual will attract them here.
Mash:
The swarm of mindless deinos around the dome have been successfully chased away from the plateau back into the trees below.
Mash:
Tepeu said he'd inform us once the preparations were complete.
Da Vinci:
Welp. Guess I'll take a little rest under the shadow of some trees then. I want to sort out all of the new information from before in my head.
Habetrot:
I'll go back into my basic state. I've been out this whole time, so I've gotta save on some of this magical energy.
Kukulkan:
Seems everyone is getting a bit of rest in their own little way. We've got this lake here and all, so how do you feel about a swim?
Fujimaru 1:
(Ngh... Tempting, but think of the mission... Focus...)
Mash:
Yes... Sadly, I didn't bring my swimsuit spiritron dress here... The mistake of a lifetime...
Kukulkan:
I see. We'll have to save the water fun-time for some other occasion, then.
Kukulkan:
It'd be embarrassing if I went off and played all on my own...or I guess it might hurt my divine image.
Fujimaru 2:
You're okay in the water, Kukulkan?
Kukulkan:
Huh? Why wouldn't I be? Water, land, sky, space... I'm adapted to every kind of environment.
Mash:
How about you, Nitocris? Bathing and the Nile river should go hand-in-ha— Oh?
Kukulkan:
If you're asking about Nitocris, she went into the dome. She had something she wanted to ask Ixquic about, apparently.
Mash:
Oh, so that's where she went. Ixquic is very wise, so I'm sure Nitocris will get a good answer to her question.
Mash:
And speaking of Ixquic... About her and Tepeu...
Mash:
Is their relationship something like what we'd perhaps call a married couple, or lovers?
Kukulkan:
My, my~, quite the nosy one, aren't you, Mash? Not that I blame you for getting curious.
Mash:
N-No, I didn't mean to imply anything in particular! It just kind of seemed like that to me, is all!
Kukulkan:
Well, it'd be nice if it were like you said, but they've stayed friends the entire time.
Kukulkan:
Ixquic isn't actually a deinos. She just takes the shape of one.
Kukulkan:
She is not meant to become the partner of, or live together with mankind.
Kukulkan:
Her role is to watch over–no, monitor Mictlan from beginning to end.
Kukulkan:
No matter the circumstance, she cannot ever leave Metztitlán.
Kukulkan:
Tepeu used to be frustrated at this state of affairs in the past, and so searched for a way to set Ixquic free.
Kukulkan:
But he never succeeded.
Kukulkan:
Why did he seclude himself in the first layer?
Kukulkan:
I couldn't even begin to theorize as to why before, but now that I've taken human form, I think I understand.
Kukulkan:
Tepeu couldn't forgive himself for being a “contented deinos” despite being unable to save Ixquic.
Kukulkan:
So in punishment of his own helplessness, he began researching the “concept of death” at the far end of the world, where nobody would interact with him.
Fujimaru 1:
The "concept of death"? Why?
Kukulkan:
Oh, I'm not telling you EVERYTHING. All Girls Got Their Secrets - Coming to a grown-up near you♡
Mash:
Grown-up...? Um, Kukulkan... There's this one thing we've been arguing among ourselves about for a while now.
Mash:
Did you look like you do now even back when you were born?
Mash:
The mankind of Mictlan are the deinos, so wouldn't it be reasonable that you, its god, would also be in the form of a deinos?
Kukulkan:
¿¡Are you trying to say I don't know left from right or somethinggg!?
Kukulkan:
Juuust kidding. Don't worry!
Kukulkan:
I know feelings and common sense are important, but I still don't quite get them!
Kukulkan:
It's true that I'm a god who came into being here in Mictlan, sure.
Kukulkan:
However, it's only just recently that I took this singular, individual form.
Kukulkan:
Before that I was like a wind that only the deinos could perceive. I was nothing more than “the doctrine of the sun”.
Kukulkan:
A year ago–when the knowledge of Pan-Human History was granted to “us” in Mictlan, we became aware of the concept of gods...
Kukulkan:
As well as the fact that the word “Kukulkan” indicated one such god, and at that moment, I took this form.
Kukulkan:
To give form to that which had never been seen. To regale stories of that which previously had only been sensations.
Kukulkan:
To “us”, that was enough of a shock to break the boundaries of the world.
Kukulkan:
“God is something that can only be born among an intelligent humanoid mankind. We should should try to learn from such a form as well.”
Kukulkan:
And so before I knew it, I was spat out into Chichen Itza.
Kukulkan:
And naked, too!
Mash:
N-Naked?
Kukulkan:
Yeah...back then, I had nothing. No sense, no feelings. So I just went up and talked to the priests naked.
Kukulkan:
But it didn't take long before I realized that there was something bothering me... Then I thought, “Could it be that I'm doing something outrageous right now?”
Kukulkan:
When I did, I learned all about what was considered normal in Pan-Human History, and so, in the blink of an eye, I stole the clothes of the deinos in front of me!
Kukulkan:
Incidentally, that deinos was Tepeu.
Kukulkan:
He'd already been secluding himself in the first layer, but he was a deinos well attuned to hearing “us” back when we were still nothing more than wind.
Fujimaru 1:
Of course the old Kukulkan would do something like that...
Fujimaru 2:
Then you got hung up with all the new fashion in Mexico City...
Kukulkan:
I try my hardest to forget all of that ever happened, so please don't ask Tepeu about it.
Kukulkan:
Well, anyway, that's how I came to look like a human–an imitation of the Kukulkan of Pan-Human History.
Kukulkan:
Ixquic is the Archetype, and so she will never mature past the age of one...
Kukulkan:
I, on the other hand, am a god who was only just recently born, one year ago.
Kukulkan:
After that, I discovered that little sh–I mean, the boy Tezcatlipoca, close to Chichen Itza, astride on a deinos, playing king and servant with it.
Kukulkan:
And so, I had him become the king of Chichen Itza for me.
Kukulkan:
¡I, meanwhile, went to play around in Mexico City so I could experience the forefront of culture!
Mash:
I see, you were fascinated with city culture. I very much relate.
Mash:
I won't deny the possibility that if I'd been in the same position, I would've broken out of Chaldea's base to go visit Ushuaia, the nearest town.
Mash:
Uh, ahem, I mean, never mind...
Mash:
From what you've just told us, Kukulkan, your essence lies not so much in being the “god of the deinos”...
Mash:
But rather, that you were born from the creators of Mictlan, Malla, as their representative.
Mash:
Archetype: Mictlan, if you will. Correct?
Fujimaru 1:
Oh, if you count meteors as a type of celestial body...
Fujimaru 2:
Then there's a possibility they also have a brain!
Kukulkan:
That's right. Which is also why I get along so well with Ixquic.
Kukulkan:
Let's call her Archetype: Meta-Earth. We're kindred, since neither of us could actually become the real one.
Ixquic:
The Watchers of the Underworld—you want to know how Camazotz turned your Servants that way, is that right?
Nitocris:
Right. It's impossible that he'd be capable of creating Alters through the use of Command Spells alone.
Nitocris:
He must have some kind of secret, some kind of ritual... Something which allows him to change someone's being, and bind their life.
Nitocris:
Ixquic, you said that you observe everything that occurs in Mictlan, did you not?
Nitocris:
If so, you should be able to answer that question. What happened to our Servants?
Nitocris:
What does one have to do in order to become a Watcher of the Underworld?
Ixquic:
—Your resolve tells me that you imagine such a thing will prove necessary, Nitocris.
Ixquic:
Very well. Allow me to recount the things as I saw them transpire.
Ixquic:
How these Pan-Human Heroic Spirits stationed in the underworld borders became the Altered Gods of Mictlan, despite already having their own underworlds.
--ARROW--
Fujimaru 1:
(It's really smoky in here, but my eyes don't sting at all...)
Fujimaru 2:
(What's going on... I'm starting to feel a bit dizzy...)
Ixquic:
Sorry to have kept you waiting. The preparations are complete, and the Popol ritual can begin.
Ixquic:
I can see all the way from the second to eighth layer, and yet, Daybit proved to be an exception.
Ixquic:
This is only from the point of view of someone in an observatory, but the space he occupied was always dark and without light.
Ixquic:
It was as if he was there, yet not. As if he was there, yet imperceivable.
Ixquic:
As though his atomic density was exceedingly low. As though he were an immaterial hollow.
Da Vinci:
(An immaterial hollow? Like the mega-sized structures in space known as the supervoids?)
Da Vinci:
(When they're right in front of you, they seem normal. But when observed from afar, they appear as nothing more than darkness.)
Da Vinci:
(Has Daybit clad himself in such a filter?)
Ixquic:
Even as an observer, I am not able to see what he is doing.
Ixquic:
The only things capable of knowing his actions are he himself, as well as the time of Mictlan.
Ixquic:
Therefore, I want you all to take a look at this time.
Ixquic:
Through this incense, the Popol ritual will commence, linking your consciousness with that of Mictlan.
Ixquic:
I will set the time to be one year ago in Metztitlán. Close your eyes, and surrender yourselves to the stupor.
Ixquic:
Where did Daybit go after his chat with me, and what did he do—
Ixquic:
You shall attempt to experience firsthand, as best you can, the actions he took during this one year period.
Daybit:
The sun went out, yet 100,000 years later, it once more returned to Mictlan's skies...
Daybit:
Impressive that you'd resort to such extreme action, Malla.
Daybit:
There's no benefit to clinging to this subterranean world. This is not a question of logical thinking anymore.
Daybit:
Atonement towards the beings you yourself were responsible for eradicating in Pan-Human History, perhaps.
Daybit:
My thanks, Ixquic. Is there anything you need? If there is, I could help provide it.
Daybit:
No? Then this is the last we'll meet.
Daybit:
I've repaired the flood gates. Hire some smaller deinos. If not, this'll keep falling apart forever.
Camazotz:
Really, alone? You come alone, Crypter?
Camazotz:
And you think you will be able to pass!? Into MY Fourth Underworld? To the Cosmic Tree of Mictlan? With nobody to guide you?
Camazotz:
—Ehe. Haha, hahaha, hahahahaha!
Camazotz:
Now, that's more like it! That is how humans ought be! I like “alone”! I love it!
Camazotz:
Then there is nobody to protect! It's only about one's own strength, with no extras to watch out for!
Camazotz:
Nevertheless... Curse me if you must! Abhor Mictlan if you will! For as long as Camazotz stands, none may enter the ninth layer!
Daybit:
—, —Haahhh. —, hahhhhhh—.
Daybit:
Still wanna go at it, Camazotz? I could do this twice over again, if need be.
Camazotz:
No... Our battle ends here. Your blood is just... awful, awful, AWFUL!
Camazotz:
Only a champion may defeat a champion. I must acknowledge: you have earned the right to step foot in Calakmul.
Camazotz:
However, a toll must be paid, Crypter Daybit Sem Void.
Camazotz:
Speak to me of your legends. I wish to know of your mythologies.
Camazotz:
I am a being of Mictlan legend. The forgotten legend of how ORT was defeated six million years ago.
Camazotz:
It's no matter of whether the legends of Pan-Human History are superior to the legends of the Lostbelt.
Camazotz:
That's not what I ask. I simply wish to know...
Camazotz:
Whether or not I existed in your world as well.
Daybit:
So this is it... I made it somehow.
Daybit:
ORT is still vanquished, as suspected. But that's due to a lack of fuel, and nothing else.
Daybit:
If I seal this wound using a large enough quantity of quality Magic Circuits, it will resume activity before long.
Daybit:
That said...
Daybit:
At the end of the year, the cosmic rays emitted from the bottom layer stop, and so begins the Underworld Pilgrimage season.
Daybit:
The next time I can come here will be one year from now. I'll need to prepare until then.
Daybit:
...
Daybit:
I suppose I'll summon someone.
Daybit:
It may be a Lostbelt, but it's still Mictlan. It'll prove plenty as far as catalysts go.
Daybit:
Even if I don't count among mankind, I'll be able to summon a Servant through the power of the land.
Daybit:
One who'll heed the call of a man like me. One who stands above good and evil. And above all, one who deems conflict as virtuous.
Daybit:
—Thus, Tezcatlipoca the Almighty, lend me your strength.
Blue Tezcatlipoca:
Ugh, unbelievable. You were really so desperate to heed this dude's summoning that you went out of your way to create your own body to possess?
Blue Tezcatlipoca:
Is the guy really so damn interesting? I know you're me and all, but man, talk about low standards for your trials.
Blue Tezcatlipoca:
Well, whatever. If you're gonna side with him, I'll just throw in with the other guys.
Blue Tezcatlipoca:
Luck'll decide which of us comes out on top. See ya then, Black Tezcatlipoca.
Blue Tezcatlipoca:
Go right ahead and dominate Mictlan with your Pan-Human knowledge, see if I care.
Tezcatlipoca:
Hey, brother. Whaddya think about the Mexico I've arranged here?
Tezcatlipoca:
Actually got a different name for it, though. It's 2017, for god's sake. Since we need to refer to it, might as call it something more modern.
Daybit:
You say that, but this is quite the traditional Aztec city. Did you not create any modern buildings?
Tezcatlipoca:
Nah, that was the one thing she adamantly refused. I'm the elder sibling here, so I ought to do what my little sister asks me to.
Tezcatlipoca:
Also got the Ocelomeh together. But I'll need guns if we wanna get to the all-important deinos slaughter.
Tezcatlipoca:
Right now we've got some Koyanskaya lent me, but I'll arrange for mass production on my end soon. Gotta get everyone some brand new bling, y'know?
Daybit:
You live up to the Almighty name, all right. I can at least count on you to realize everything that's currently possible.
Daybit:
All that's missing is your rival. I apologize for not being able to chain-summon Quetzalcoatl.
Tezcatlipoca:
Lay it off with the shitty jokes. It'd be war all over again if Birdie were around.
Tezcatlipoca:
Though another one just as interesting showed up instead. The Kukulkan born and bred in Mictlan. She'll prove fun for a while.
Tezcatlipoca:
I've got the underwater channel route down to ORT constructed, Daybit.
Tezcatlipoca:
We'll use the deinos hearts as sacrifices to ORT. A year'll be enough. The wound will have healed plenty.
Tezcatlipoca:
Got the final candidate ready on my side as well. Planning to make him into me after the one year is up.
Daybit:
A one-year Tezcatlipoca? Understood. Train and educate him well.
Daybit:
Only someone with a resolute will and sturdy ideology can become a command for ORT.
Daybit:
To destroy this planet and cleanse it of all traces of mankind. That's what this upcoming year is for.
Tezcatlipoca:
What about the other Crypters?
Tezcatlipoca:
Seems you got something else in mind compared to that so-called Alien God.
Daybit:
It doesn't matter. If Wodime is victorious, we'll just disappear alongside this Lostbelt.
Daybit:
That's not an issue. I'll just make sure to do my duty.
Daybit:
If you've got a problem with that, Tezcatlipoca, then speak up. We can still change course, if you'd like.
Tezcatlipoca:
Why would I? Your plan is the shit. I always wanted to see this planet end, at least once.
Tezcatlipoca:
—Our war. Our apocalypse. Our banquet. It all starts now, man of Sem.
--ARROW--
Mash & Nitocris & Tepeu:
—
Da Vinci:
I'll have to confirm if what we saw just now was the same for everyone.
Da Vinci:
That Daybit succeeded at the Underworld Pilgrimage single-handedly. That ORT's corpse lies at the bottom layer of Mictlan.
Da Vinci:
That the deinos hearts were being used to reactivate ORT. And that now, a year later...
Da Vinci:
Daybit will once again head for the bottom layer and attempt to reactivate ORT.
Fujimaru 1:
I saw it well and clear...
Fujimaru 2:
He intends to destroy Mictlan, and even Earth itself...
Tepeu:
The toxic gases that permeate throughout the eighth and bottom layers clear up for a few days once every year.
Tepeu:
In those few short days, Daybit successfully carried out his Underworld Pilgrimage. And now, that period is approaching yet again.
Tepeu:
If we don't stop his second Underworld Pilgrimage, it means that Mictlan will go under.
Tepeu:
And then Pan-Human History will disappear alongside the planet.
Mash:
B-but why would he do that!? Destroying even Earth itself is practically tantamount to suicide!
Fujimaru 1:
That's true...
Fujimaru 2:
This ritual didn't let us find out why...
Da Vinci:
Yeah, I agree that it's an issue we cannot afford to ignore.
Da Vinci:
We now know what he's been up to and what he's after, and therefore, what we need to do to stop him. That's progress.
Da Vinci:
Nevertheless, the question of why he wants to destroy Earth is something we have to find an answer to.
Nitocris:
Even so, stopping Daybit should be our top priority right now.
Nitocris:
Kukulkan, Ixquic. When will the toxic gases on the eighth layer and below clear up?
Nitocris:
Kukulkan...?
Kukulkan:
......
Kukulkan:
Oh, yes? What is it? Sorry, I was a bit caught up in my thoughts.
Ixquic:
There's no precise way of telling when the toxic gases will clear up. All we know is that it's “in a few days”.
Nitocris:
No problem. Knowing that much is sufficient. Daybit only has a single Command Spell remaining.
Nitocris:
He used up one in the battle against Camazotz, and another to activate Tezcatlipoca's Noble Phantasm in Mexico City.
Nitocris:
In all likelihood, he intends to use the last one to revive ORT. If he reaches the bottom layer, we'll have been defeated.
Nitocris:
However, the underworld is still closed.
Nitocris:
If we explain the situation to the deinos, they'll surely lend us a hand.
Nitocris:
Together with the deinos, we can storm Mexico City, capture Daybit, and so prevent ORT's revival.
Mash:
Yes. As long as we manage to convince the Dinosaur King, definitely. This isn't just about Pan-Human History anymore.
Mash:
Because this is a battle to protect the Human Order, with Earth's survival on the line!
Ixquic:
Protecting the Human Order... Stopping Daybit...
Ixquic:
You're all so very brave. I didn't imagine you were capable of fighting against someone who took Camazotz to a draw.
Ixquic:
Nevertheless, if it costs you your lives, it'll all be for naught.
Ixquic:
Do not push yourself too hard. How about you going and taking a look at how Chichen Itza is doing?
Ixquic:
Daybit may perhaps not succeed, and ORT may perhaps not awaken. Who knows?
Ixquic:
Even if the world was to disappear, it wouldn't be your responsibility. So why not take it a little easier?
Mash:
N-no, we can't afford to do that. I mean, this is a battle to protect the wor—
Ixquic:
Hm? That the world would go under is nothing out of the ordinary, is it?
Ixquic:
We do not engage in conflict. We do not resist. We only obey.
Ixquic:
It's thanks to that, that we've been able to spend our days in peace for the last six million years.
Ixquic:
If the world goes under, then that's just its lifespan running its course.
Ixquic:
Right, big brother Tepeu?
Ixquic:
Protecting the world merely because you don't want to die? Engaging in battle for such an egotistical reason is just...wrong, right?
Tepeu:
...
Ixquic:
Even if all life was to be wiped out because the world was destroyed, that's simply nature running its course, and nothing to be sad about.
Ixquic:
All life is equal. There is no individual among it more special than the other. Death is impartial to all. It never treats one lifeform better than the other.
Ixquic:
So—whatever happens, and whoever it may be, there is no need for such tremendous sadness.
Ixquic:
Wanting to protect something, or someone...
Ixquic:
It's not enough reason of a reason to go to battle. That is not the way of life. It's wrong.
Mash:
—
Fujimaru 1:
...
Fujimaru 2:
(She's not wrong, but...)
Ixquic:
O-oh, sorry. I was trying to make you all feel better...
Ixquic:
But it seems to have backfired... I'm sorry.
Ixquic:
Oh, but it's true that you don't have to think so much about it.
Ixquic:
Even if Daybit doesn't awaken ORT, Mictlan's end is nigh.
A：Everyone:
Huh?
Fujimaru 1:
What did you just say, Ixquic?
Ixquic:
Uh, big brother Tepeu, did you not tell them?
Ixquic:
Mictlan's sun will soon reach its limit.
Ixquic:
Once ten more cycles have passed, the sun will explode and we'll all go extinct.
Ixquic:
Mictlan is a world whose destruction has long since been predetermined, you see. All deinos know this, actually.
Kukulkan:
...
Literary Fragment (III)
Priest Vucub:
Show yourself, Ocelotl. I know you're hiding here.
Priest Vucub:
We deinos have sensory abilities incomparable to you filthy monkeys. Myself alone could wipe out all six of you over there in the blink of an eye.
Izcalli:
You came alone... as promised. Very well, I'll respect your wishes, Head Priest Vucub.
Izcalli:
Warriors, stand down. We shall now hold a discussion between kings.
Priest Vucub:
—
Izcalli:
What? Is it too soon to call you a king? Or do you perhaps not yet have such resolve?
Priest Vucub:
N-No, that's not it. I am a king. Yes... I am the one worthy of ruling over the deinos.
Priest Vucub:
Kukulkan cannot be trusted. The same goes for the king she has chosen.
Priest Vucub:
The deinos are Mictlan's most preeminent species. The ideal mankind, created by Malla.
Priest Vucub:
You Ocelomeh, on the other hand, are nothing more than sub-humans, receiving not the slightest protection from Malla.
Priest Vucub:
Under ordinary circumstances, we wouldn't even be having this discussion... Nevertheless—
Priest Vucub:
If your goal is to extend Mictlan's lifespan, then I shall knowingly resort to even such folly.
Priest Vucub:
Izcalli, King of the Ocelomeh–if you claim that you can truly save the sun...
Priest Vucub:
Then I will give you the Solar Itinerancy, I will give you Chichen Itza, and I will even give the Pan-Human ship. What do you say?
Izcalli:
Hmph. That should be “please take care of it”, not “I will give you it”, shouldn't it?
Izcalli:
Regardless, that goes without saying. Mictlan has no need for two capitals.
Izcalli:
I'll leave a few deinos alive. However, Chichen Itza will be razed to the ground.
Izcalli:
It is a remnant of the Ka'an Kingdom. Those “sub-humans”, as you called them, used their intellect to construct it so they could survive in Mictlan.
Izcalli:
It's not right that it should be used by your race, who possess everything yet require nothing.
Priest Vucub:
...
Priest Vucub:
So be it. I will issue a false order to the fighters over at the great plains. I leave the rest in your hands.
Priest Vucub:
Breach the castle walls, and assault the altar grounds. But what about the ship? Can you carry it?
Izcalli:
Ah, that–we don't need it. It'll be turned to scrap right where it lies.
Izcalli:
With Pan-Human History as our enemy, the goddess Tlaloc is bound to appear.
Izcalli:
It seems the Master of Chaldea is absent. A shame. I'd wanted to shatter [♂ his /♀️ her] hopes to pieces right before [♂ his /♀️ her] very eyes.
--ARROW--
Rasputin:
Staying at Tepeu's hermitage was an excellent idea.
Rasputin:
Here there is no chance of anybody seeing you, and departing for the surface is a trivial matter.
Rasputin:
Even if Mictlan were to be destroyed, it won't pose any danger as long as we leave the Lostbelt.
Rasputin:
We need to make sure that the future of ORT destroying the planet is not realized...
Rasputin:
However, we'll leave the surely desperate effort of stopping ORT up to myself and “him”. Afterwards, you can merge with ORT.
Rasputin:
As the Alien God, you ought to remain here and recover, while watching over the playing field from on high.
U-Olga Marie:
Your counsel isn't needed for every single thing, Rasputin. I had intended as much from the start.
U-Olga Marie:
My memories still aren't completely restored, but I've grasped what I am.
U-Olga Marie:
The only enemies capable of opposing me in this Lostbelt are Kukulkan, ORT, and...
Rasputin:
Camazotz, most likely. He is a ■■■■■ born in this Lostbelt.
Rasputin:
We had best leave him to Chaldea. [♂ He /♀️ She] will surely be able to defeat the god of death once and for all.
Rasputin:
Though of course, only after much bereavement. It appears Koyanskaya got the short end of the stick.
U-Olga Marie:
By the way... I didn't notice this before, but this place... It feels strangely uncomfortable.
U-Olga Marie:
It has a similar feel to it as the Underworld Borders do... What did Tepeu research here?
Rasputin:
True, I suppose I never told you about it.
Rasputin:
In the world of magecraft, there are certain things known as Mystic Eyes.
Rasputin:
Mystic Eyes can see the flow of magical energy, time, luck, and a variety of other things.
Rasputin:
But even among them, the most extraordinary ones are the “Mystic Eyes of Death Perception”.
Rasputin:
It is a numinous fundamentality by which something's life and existence, no matter what it may be, can be visually perceived, and made definite.
Rasputin:
Here in this Lostbelt, the one who possesses them is Tepeu. Though the power held by his Mystic Eyes themselves is very faint.
U-Olga Marie:
Hmph, I see. Doesn't really matter then. Regardless of the kind of Mystery a deinos may have, it's all pearls before swine.
U-Olga Marie:
For someone of a species that lacks the will to fight, eyes like that will only ever bring him misery.
U-Olga Marie:
Anyway—
U-Olga Marie:
Wait. What's going on? Why am I getting this kind of reading from the third layer?
Rasputin:
Did you detect something? Your loss of composure is quite unexpected coming from the Alien God, after all.
U-Olga Marie:
It's the Ocelomeh... A large army of Ocelomeh are moving into the third layer...
U-Olga Marie:
Could it be...they're intending to lay siege to Chichen Itza!?
Rasputin:
I see... Since Kukulkan is currently accompanying Fujimaru...
Rasputin:
Chichen Itza doesn't have much left to defend it. Tezcatlipoca must have seen it as a golden opportunity.
Rasputin:
The hospitality you received at Chichen Itza has in some ways indebted you to them, but that only applies to how you were when you had amnesia.
Rasputin:
The battle between the deinos and the Ocelomeh has nothing to do with ours.
Rasputin:
Right now, you are the Alien God. I'm sure you understand that better than anyone else does.
Rasputin:
For the sake of the pending Human Order Compilation, I implore you not to make any rash decisions.
Section 15: Flower War
Fujimaru 1:
Mictlan's sun...will soon reach its limits.
Mash:
Even without the threat of Daybit and ORT looming over them, Mictlan will still be destroyed...
Tepeu:
My apologies... I intentionally withheld the information about the sun from you.
Tepeu:
Not only because it doesn't have anything to do with Pan-Human mankind...
Tepeu:
But also because I'd loathe for you to view the way of life we deinos have with such a preconception.
Da Vinci:
You have nothing to apologize for, Tepeu. Your consideration for our feelings helped lessen our anxiety, I'm sure.
Da Vinci:
In fact, it's enough to make me almost feel hopelessly outmatched by you deinos.
Da Vinci:
You really do possess extraordinary intelligence and morality.
Da Vinci:
In an environment where the sun is about to explode, you might be the only type of mankind that doesn't start some kind of riot.
Habetrot:
(I kinda don't like that, honestly...)
Habetrot:
(If you're already at the point where you know there ain't no way you're getting saved, then there should at least be some final thing you'd wanna do...)
Nitocris:
...
Kukulkan:
...
Da Vinci:
Regardless, we cannot afford to stay in Metztitlán any longer. We've managed to identify what Daybit is after, and how he plans to achieve it.
Da Vinci:
For now, we should return to Chichen Itza, and request aid from the Dinosaur King.
Da Vinci:
We'll either capture Daybit while he's still in Mexico City, or we'll set a trap when he crosses the third underworld on his Underworld Pilgrimage.
Da Vinci:
Either way, we'll need the support of the deinos.
Mash:
I agree. Also, we'll be able to meet Olga Marie again if we return to Chichen Itza.
Mash:
If she had business to take care of on the first layer, then she must be back by this point!
Fujimaru 1:
Mash, that's...
Fujimaru 2:
She's...already...
Kadoc:
Can you hear me, Kyrielight, Fujimaru!? I know you're on the fifth layer! Respond if you're unharmed!
Mash:
...! The Metztitlán Survey Corps are safe and sound. We are currently travelling toward Chichen Itza.
Mash:
Is there an emergency? I cannot detect any hostile readings in this area, but...
Kadoc:
Not there, here! The Ocelotl Army is besieging Chichen Itza!
Kadoc:
They've somehow managed to slip past the fighter deinos patrolling the great plains, and are now attacking us directly!
Kadoc:
Battle is imminent! Return to the Border at once! We won't be able to defend the ship on our own!
A：Gordolf:
Whaaaat!? What do you mean by that nonsense, you buffoons!? How are you supposed to do anything other than carrying things back and forth!?
A：Gordolf:
What!? You intend to protect the Border from the outsi–wait, stop! The Border's hull will be able to hold for a while at least!
A：Gordolf:
You're not at all suited for battle! Wait for Fujimaru to arrive!
A：Gordolf:
Number 7! Stop them! Aren't you supposed to be brothers!? Make them see reason–Wait, not you too!
Kadoc:
That's all! I'm dropping the line! We'll be able to hold out for a day! Please return before then!
Mash:
Master!
Fujimaru 1:
I know!
Fujimaru 2:
Full speed ahead! We're going to Chichen Itza!
Izcalli:
Tch, it takes thirty men to bring down a single deinos. I didn't think we'd endure such casualties with this cutting-edge equipment.
Izcalli:
No matter, we've gained control over the entrance. 4th through 8th squadrons, subjugate the south of the city.
Izcalli:
9th through 17th squadrons, stand ready to repel the fighters returning from the great plains.
Izcalli:
Slaughter every last deinos you see! Bring more and more hearts to great Tezcatlipoca!
Izcalli:
It is all for the sake of OUR sun! For the sake of turning Mexico City into the eternal capital!
Ocelomeh:
—!
Tezcatlipoca:
Now those're good orders, Izcalli. I only tagged along because of my loving, fatherly side, but it seems that wasn't needed.
Izcalli:
Hardly. Your divine presence on the battlefield does increase the morale of our warriors.
Izcalli:
Their happiness, their fear, and even their suffering in death are all in dedication of the great Tezcatlipoca.
Izcalli:
We will slaughter them, even the women and children. We will slaughter all, both those who submit and those who don't.
Izcalli:
This is our final battle to exterminate the deinos. Such is the sacred flower war, the Xochiyaoyotl.
Tezcatlipoca:
Hah! The Xochiyaoyotl? Now we're talkin'! Slaughtering and taking slaves! That's the Aztec way of life!
Tezcatlipoca:
Who'd you hear it from, Tlaloc? Either way, full score. Your teacher's proud of you.
Tezcatlipoca:
Or—did that word just pop up in your head without you understanding it? Without you knowing what kind of fate it has bestowed upon you?
Izcalli:
—Great Tezcatlipoca?
Tezcatlipoca:
Don't worry 'bout it. Just somethin' I'm looking forward to personally. Keep fulfilling your duties.
Tezcatlipoca:
Let me take care of the lizards on the main street, would ya? I'd intended to devote myself to the business life into the last, but—
Tezcatlipoca:
The way the Ocelomeh are getting ripped apart is getting me worked up. Consider it payment for all that've died in vain here.
Tezcatlipoca:
I'll show you what a real jaguar warrior, a real Ocelotl, is made of.
--ARROW--
Emotional Deinos:
Oh? Wooow! Why are the Ocelomeh dying on their own? Did we awaken to some hitherto unknown powers?
Koyanskaya:
Colorful imagination, but you'll do just fine not awakening to anything.
Koyanskaya:
Though it's only been a few days, you've nonetheless allowed me to carry out business. NFF Services does not so readily abandon its loyal customers.
Koyanskaya:
Please escape the city while you still can. I will handle the Ocelomeh coming down the main street.
Emotional Deinos:
Oh, wow! It's the crooked Servant who pocketed 30% of the materials we'd arranged for the repair of the Border!
Emotional Deinos:
You have my thanks for the rescue, but wouldn't this be in conflict with the corruption you appear to usually favor?
Emotional Deinos:
Fujimaru told me, “If the bunny does something unprofitable, she'll die. So even if she does something questionable, please look the other way.”
Emotional Deinos:
So are you going to be okay?
Koyanskaya:
Oh my♡[♂ His /♀️ Her] growing understanding of how I am shows no signs of stopping♡
Koyanskaya:
Thanks to that, I'm free to abandon Chaldea whenever I wish. Of course, that includes all of you, as well.
Emotional Deinos:
You're scary. Very scary. Anyway, we should leave the city, right?
Koyanskaya:
Yes. To whatever degree possible, I'd like if you could find whichever other deinos are still unharmed and help them escape as well.
Emotional Deinos:
Yeah, alright. If we see any deinos who can still be saved, that'd be the best course of action.
Emotional Deinos:
Thank you, friend of Chaldea. You take care as well.
Koyanskaya:
Even with their comrades shot to death before their very eyes, they never lose their composure. And yet, they still find the gratitude to express for being saved.
Koyanskaya:
It is quite tragic, is it not? The Ocelomeh would never stand a chance against the deinos if they actually fought...
Koyanskaya:
But the deinos simply don't consider all of this plundering as something to be upset about...
C：Ocelotl:
, ! Deinos, no escape! Kill! Kill!
Koyanskaya:
And you people.
Koyanskaya:
This is a battle for survival. I'm not going to say who among your two sides are “good”, but I cannot back the both of you.
Koyanskaya:
Let's just say we have no business relations this time, and leave it at that. You'll have to excuse me, but please allow me to see to your termination.
--BATTLE--
Koyanskaya:
What are these special features they've added to my tanks...? One ought to not underestimate the technological advancements of the Ocelomeh.
Koyanskaya:
Nevertheless, this is still within expected parameters. The enemy numbers 20 platoons, in which case I can handle 40% of them all by myself—
???:
You said you're not gonna be backing both sides? What happened? Did you seriously retire from the business, Beast?
???:
For us bad guys, the longer and messier the war, the better.
???:
NFF Services are volunteers in service of mankind's desires–warmongerers who provide as many weapons as are in demand.
???:
In other words, the same kind of dealer of death as I am. Ain't that right, Tochtli?
???:
Think you'll become a good businesswoman by helping people out? Give it up. That's exactly how you lead yourself down the path of a tragic death.
Koyanskaya:
Black—Tezcatlipoca...
Tezcatlipoca:
—All right then.
Tezcatlipoca:
This war's between the deinos and the Ocelomeh. Beasts who've nothing to do with it belong on the dinner table, flayed and ready to serve.
--ARROW--
Wak Chan:
(Huff! Huff! Huffffff!) Damn, damn, DAMN!
Narration:
This is the first time I've felt like this. My chest is painfully tight. My breath is heated. My head is spinning.
Narration:
No matter how many I beat, the Ocelomeh keep coming. I kill, and kill, and kill. Yet they keep coming, undeterred.
Narration:
I'm sick of it. I'm sick of all of it. Of all this pointless slaughter.
Narration:
I ain't dying here. I ain't wearing out. I ain't givin' in. The Ocelomeh's weapons aren't enough to hurt me.
Narration:
The outcome should be obvious. I'm gonna win, and they're gonna lose.
Narration:
No matter how many other deinos they kill, that won't change. So...there shouldn't be any reason for me to feel this way.
Wak Chan:
There shouldn't be! And yet, I feel like shit!
Narration:
I've been afraid of the Ocelomeh for some time now.
Narration:
Not because of their bravery in challenging those they can't win against, or their persistence in hunting down deinos even if it costs them their lives.
Narration:
Not even because of how their weapons keep gradually becoming stronger and stronger, or how their total numbers keep increasing.
Narration:
I just...found it scary to go up against them.
Narration:
I was afraid of being hated, of not being understood.
Narration:
I was afraid of the thought that, maybe, they had something which we lacked.
Wak Chan:
Where've the other fighters gone to!? I ain't gonna be able to protect anything other than myself on my own, man!
Narration:
I tear the hordes of Ocelomeh to pieces. What a disgusting sensation. I've always found the ripping of flesh to be disgusting.
Narration:
Apparently I'm the only one like this. The other deinos aren't as cowardly as me.
Narration:
“Differing species cannot understand each other.” “The deinos are the only prime species in Mictlan.”
Narration:
In the far, far, distant past, this is apparently what Malla decided.
Narration:
The voices of Malla can no longer be heard. We don't even know if the priests can hear them anymore.
Narration:
We were the strongest, the smartest, and the longest-lived. That's how we kept on going. Nobody ever felt unhappy.
Narration:
But, like, wasn't that just because we didn't know what unhappiness itself was?
Wak Chan:
—Dammit! I'm losing focus! Hurry, hurry, hurry!
Narration:
Right. I was on my way to the shrine. Deinos close to death always take shelter over there.
Narration:
Non-fighter deinos don't know what battle is. They have no interest in it whatsoever.
Narration:
Which means that they won't fight back if they're assaulted by an Ocelotl, even if their bodies still reflexively strike back with their claws when attacked.
Narration:
The outcome is a dead Ocelotl. With that, the battle is over.
Narration:
However, deinos close to death are different. Their decrepit bodies don't react in the same way.
Narration:
They'll be incessantly attacked, slowly turned into mince before dying, all the while with but one thought in their heads: “Why?”
Wak Chan:
And I can't let that happen, no way. No freakin' way I could, right!?
Narration:
I run, felling Ocelomeh in my path as I do. The shrine is surrounded by the Ocelomeh.
Narration:
It must be too late for the people inside. I know that. I do. I know that what I'm doing is pointless.
Narration:
Yet my legs won't stop. Even if I'm too late, this is something I can't just turn a blind eye to.
Narration:
—And then, I...
U-Olga Marie:
Begone, insurgents! You'll never have the honor of being granted suffrage by me!
Narration:
And then, I see someone who was furious for what had happened to us, even though she was a different being altogether.
Mother Deinos:
Thank you... Thank you!
Mother Deinos:
My darlings are still pups. They've not yet opened their eyes. They've not yet known of the world.
Mother Deinos:
It's only thanks to you that they won't have to breathe their last while seeing only darkness, and knowing only pain.
U-Olga Marie:
...I see. Good for you. It's not like I was trying to save you or anything, though. No need to thank me.
U-Olga Marie:
Besides... I still hate lizards.
U-Olga Marie:
I just couldn't stand these people who were trying to slaughter innocent civilians.
U-Olga Marie:
Nothing more than a whim. It won't happen again.
U-Olga Marie:
I command you to escape into the trees instead of staying here. I'd be annoyed to see the color of your screams any more than I already have.
Wak Chan:
—???
Narration:
Sorry, got a lot of of questions here, but who even cares anymore? What's really on my mind might go without saying, but...
Wak Chan:
My (hopefully) future wife is so...COOOOL!
--ARROW--
Fujimaru 1:
There it is! Chichen Itza!
Fujimaru 2:
(The smell of gunpowder has reached this far...)
Kukulkan:
...
Nitocris:
The castle walls are being bombarded! I can't see any of the Ocelomeh around the city!
Nitocris:
They must have all entered the city already!
Mash:
Enemy readings within Chichen Itza, detected! Numbers of Ocelomeh at 1,200...no, decreasing! 1,080!
Da Vinci:
If they're decreasing, that must mean the deinos at least aren't taking it without hitting back.
Da Vinci:
We have to protect the Border, and see to it that the ruler of the deinos, the Dinosaur King, is safe.
Da Vinci:
What should we do, Fujimaru!?
Fujimaru 1:
We'll split up!
Fujimaru 2:
Nitocris and Da Vinci will go to the Border!
Da Vinci:
Affirmative! Me and Nitocris will head for the Border! You, Mash, and Kukulkan should head for the altar!
Da Vinci:
Habetrot! Take care of them!
Da Vinci:
If the situation calls for it, don't hesitate to deploy the Black Barrel, even if it happens to be in the middle of the city!
Da Vinci:
You're good to use it against the enemy if you judge it won't cause any civilian casualties!
Habetrot:
So use it if we're up against some super dangerous guy! Got it!
Mash:
I'm rushing into the city! Master, prepare for battle!
--BATTLE--
Mash:
The Ocelomeh deployed on the main street have been neutralized! Let's keep heading towards the altar, Master!
Habetrot:
Hah, seems I wasn't even needed. You're really on fire today, Mash.
Habetrot:
Probably means it'd be best if Kukulkan went to the Border–Hm?
Fujimaru 1:
Get down, Mash!
Mash:
...!
Koyanskaya:
...
Mash:
Koyanskaya!?
???:
Huh, so you came this way? Gonna prioritize saving lives over your ship? So that's the kind of [♂ man /♀️ woman] you are?
Tezcatlipoca:
All right. I'll be takin' what you find more important then. People who clamor for life oughta offer up their own. That's how it works in my world.
Fujimaru 1:
That's—
Fujimaru 2:
Tezcat...lipoca
--ARROW--
Nemo Marine:
Enemy Servant attack, direct hit on port side! Shield output decreased by another 5%!
Nemo Marine:
We won't last another half-hour like thiiiis! And just when we'd been able to repair the Border so wellllll!
Nemo:
Enough whining! We'll reduce electricity consumption by concentrating the shields at the estimated points of attack!
Nemo Marine:
Oh, right, we can do that! Though if our estimations are off, the hull will tear off in a single hit!
Nemo:
If they're off, you and every other Marine will just have to go repair it! I take it you understand?
Nemo Marine:
Yes... if we're off, we'll have to go to our deaths, is what you're sayiiiing... Roger! We'll do the calculations like our lives are depending on it!
Nemo:
Excellent. Professor, are the preparations for the Anti-Divine Spirit Warhead proceeding!?
Nemo Professor:
Yep, just a bit mo~re. Me and Sion are currently in the process of manufacturing it as fast as we ca~n.
Sion:
We're reproducing Quetzalcoatl's Authority using Chaldea's Saint Graphs, and coating it onto the torpedo.
Sion:
In Aztec myth, Tlaloc was once killed by Quetzalcoatl.
Sion:
Therefore, no matter how sturdy she may be, it'll definitely pierce her spiritual core.
Nemo:
Understood, then it's up to us to create an opening to use it. Sion, concentrate fully on finishing it up.
Nemo:
Kadoc! I need that Servant to be lured towards the starboard bow of our ship!
Nemo:
Cornering prey is where your anti-beast magecraft excels! I need your advice!
Kadoc:
Hmm, so you want to slam her with a torpedo? The trajectory is...about here, got it.
Kadoc:
Please open the hangar hatch without making any noise. I'll go outside and provoke Tlaloc.
Gordolf:
Y-You'll do WHAT!? You do know that Divine Spirit is out there causing havoc with a damned lightning whip?
Gordolf:
You'll be turned to ashes the instant you're outside! Can't you just provoke her with a speaker from inside here!?
Kadoc:
If only that'd work, sure. Our opponent's still a god. You really think she'd listen to what a human's got to say?
Kadoc:
I've got a bunch of anti-lightning charms on me, at least. I'll be fine even if I get hit once or twice.
Kadoc:
Still, I would need a Servant capable of at least holding out in battle against Tlaloc regardless.
Kadoc:
I'm fully aware that it's basically an impossible ask, but... Nemo, can you do it?
Nemo:
Of course. As long as we're in the vicinity of the Storm Border, I won't have as many difficulties as when I was in Mexico City.
Nemo:
Gordolf, you command the torpedo fire. Meunière, you man the trigger. If you miss, there'll be hell to pay, got it?
Gordolf & Meunière:
G-Got it! Yessir, Captain!
Nemo:
Sortie time, Kadoc.
Nemo:
Let's make sure that the deinos' bravery was not for naught.
Nemo:
We'll have to hold out until Da Vinci and the others... Wait. Marine, open communications.
Nemo:
It's a transmission from Da Vinci!
Da Vinci:
Sorry for taking so long, but the beautiful genius Da Vinci and Pharaoh Nitocris have now arrived!
Da Vinci:
I currently have eyes on the Border and Tlaloc from cover.
Da Vinci:
Is there a plan on your end? If not, I have some ideas. Well?
Gordolf:
Heh, no need. We've already established a plan for taking out Tlaloc.
Gordolf:
However, to do so, we need more Servants. Technical Advisor! Nitocris!
Gordolf:
In one minute, Nemo and Kadoc will sortie from our end. In order to ensure their safety when that happens, I need you both to attack Tlaloc.
Gordolf:
Then, Nemo and Technical Advisor, Nitocris and Acting Master Kadoc...
Gordolf:
You'll force Tlaloc into effective weapons range! The safety of the Border, and me, hinges on this battle!
Tlaloc:
—Feisty, aren't they? There's something being deployed on top of the hull.
Tlaloc:
No chance in hell they're using materials designed to last, though. This is why I can't stand modern technology—
Nitocris:
Stop right there, Tlaloc! I demand you lower your vulgar whip! It's blasphemous!
Tlaloc:
—Wait. Did you just say “vulgar”? MY whip is vulgar? How, exactly?
Tlaloc:
Are you telling me you don't comprehend the beauty of its elaborate design, its fluid motions, and its alluring snake-like flexibility?
Tlaloc:
Really, and YOU'RE a queen? Talk about not having an eye for art.
Nitocris:
What did you just say!?
Da Vinci:
(She can't exactly claim that she only said that to draw Tlaloc's attention now, can she?)
Tlaloc:
Okay, so what? Did you come here because you WANTED to get killed?
Tlaloc:
We've been in this situation before, haven't we? You fought to protect the iron ship, nearly dying in the process?
Tlaloc:
Is this thing even that important? Looks like nothing more than a piece of junk to me.
Tlaloc:
What were those massive tombs from your country? The pyramids, weren't they? Those are far more to my liking.
Tlaloc:
In that sense, at least, I'll give Egyptian civilization a high grade, you know, respect. Though the Mayans also had something similar...
Nitocris:
I had an inkling before, but it is as I suspected... You think highly of Pan-Human History, don't you?
Nitocris:
And yet, you oppose Chaldea, in spite of being a Pan-Human Heroic Spirit tasked with the defense of the Human Order.
Tlaloc:
—The defense of the Human Order...? Are you implying that it's natural for Heroic Spirits to do that?
Nitocris:
I am. Before arriving here, I witnessed a terrible bloodbath.
Nitocris:
The cadavers of far too many innocent deinos, slaughtered without ever fighting back. They don't know about war. They won't fight.
Nitocris:
If the objective that you Ocelomeh have lies in Chichen Itza, the deinos would've surely handed it over without conflict.
Nitocris:
You must know this. And yet, you've allowed such a massacre to ensue, dragging the good names of all Pan-Human Heroic Spirits through the mud in the process.
Nitocris:
Tlaloc, you're different from Tezcatlipoca. You are not a god who desires blood of your own free will.
Nitocris:
There is no point to this battle. If you've been commanded as such by Tezcatlipoca, we can punish him together.
Nitocris:
There shouldn't be reason for you to fight to protect this Lostbelt–no, to protect Mictlan.
Nitocris:
It's still not too late. Join us and—
Tlaloc:
Appalling, isn't it? You, the woman who drowned her treacherous vassals to death, is talking all big about this Human Order nonsense?
Nitocris:
W-Well—That's...
Tlaloc:
I was curious, so I asked the Crypter about you.
Tlaloc:
You gave up on your country after your brothers were killed. You disregarded the law, tricked the priests administrating the state, and murdered them.
Tlaloc:
Finally—unable to bear such sin, you took your own life like the spineless coward you are.
Tlaloc:
—Anyway, if you're wondering where I'm going with this, basically...
Tlaloc:
The two of us are the same. Rather than the Human Order or whatever, we'd rather indulge in our own interests.
Tlaloc:
That city continues to thrive, even as a fantasy, located in the lands of the Lostbelt.
Tlaloc:
The Ocelomeh are immensely barbaric, simple-minded, and immature—
Tlaloc:
But as long as they live in my city, they're my people. To shed blood for the sake of one's people is only proper for a god, don't you think?
Tlaloc:
That is why I kill. And why I will destroy you together with your ugly ship for trying to erase this Lostbelt.
Tlaloc:
I was told not to destroy it in case he'd be needing it, but this thing is just a waste of materials, an eyesore, destined for the dump.
Tlaloc:
The “impartiality” of my brother—Tezcatlipoca, is something I just find really, really, LAME!
Da Vinci:
(Nicely done, Nitocris! Tlaloc has completely shifted her focus towards us!)
Da Vinci:
(We don't have to defeat her, just hold out until the Border's preparations are complete!)
Nitocris:
To shed blood...for the sake of one's people?
--BATTLE--
Tlaloc:
—Oh look, what a surprise. Just what is wrong with you people, huh?
Tlaloc:
Nothing's changed from last time.
Tlaloc:
Given how much you mouthed off, I'd been expecting you to show off some mind-blowing new weapon, or something.
Kadoc:
(Sure, consider those expectations met. I don't know about mind-blowing, but heart-piercing? Now that we can guarantee!)
Kadoc:
Now! She's in range, Commander!
Gordolf:
Good! We're done loading on our end as well! Hit it, Meunière! Boil her up!
Meunière:
What the heck's boiling gonna do!? I think you meant “roast her”, Commander!
Tlaloc:
...!? (It can open over there!?)
Kadoc:
Direct hit! It blew her all the way to the sea of trees!
Nemo:
Control room! Confirm enemy Servant's condition! Her spiritual core still remains? How great is the damage to her Saint Graph?
Da Vinci:
A Spiritron Torpedo suitable even in Imaginary Number Space... It's even been custom-made for Anti-Divine Spirit applications, and it's a direct hit at that.
Da Vinci:
Even if some part of her spiritual core remains, I'm fairly certain she's no longer in fighting condition. If all goes smoothly, we'll be able to capture—
Nemo Marine:
Stupid Captain and Da Vinci, you jinxeeeers! Target is still unharmed! I repeat! Target is still unharmed!
Nemo Marine:
She's gotten up and is coming back! There's something off with her Saint Graph readiiiings! (Sad)
Nemo Marine:
What's going on!? There are several overlapping Saint Graaaaphs!?
???:
Hahhh.... Hahhh... Now that one...did actually...hurt.
???:
Still... for a weapon named after an electric ray... it didn't taste like I'd expected. It's not fishy at all.
Da Vinci:
Not only is she unharmed, but her magical energy output is increasing even more!?
Kadoc:
Damn! Even an Anti-Divine Spirit Warhead was ineffective!? What kind of invulnerability is this!?
Kadoc:
And how crazy must've Kukulkan's attack been to knock her out in a single strike!?
Nitocris:
No, that's not it. She's not a Divine Spirit at all.
Tlaloc:
But as long as they live in my city, they're my people. To shed blood for the sake of one's people is only proper for a god, don't you think?
Nitocris:
You're wrong... Gods do not cause bloodshed for the sake of man.
Nitocris:
She's not a Divine Spirit. She's something else. Something which in some cases even exceeds them—
Nitocris:
(If we don't do something, the Border will be destroyed... As we are right now, we don't have enough time to oppose her—)
Nitocris:
(But there's still another option... TRISMEGISTUS II chose four Servants.)
Nitocris:
(Each of us in some way affiliated with the underworld. Each of us to make the underworlds in this Mictlan...into a reality.)
Nitocris:
(That choice is one I may take as well: to become a Watcher of the Underworld... using the ritual I was taught by Ixquic.)
Nitocris:
(A most wicked act, but if I turn into an Alter, I might be able to change this situation—!)
Nitocris:
—Da Vinci, Nemo, Kadoc! Evacuate into the Border!
Nitocris:
I will deal with her! If that means I have to bring an end to my role here, then so be—
???:
Khh. AHHH–AAHHHHHHHHH!
Nitocris:
I know this most blasphemous of all voices!
???:
...!? D-Damn it! Why are you going after me!?
???:
Guh, stop, let me go, you filthy thing! Sullying my roads with that muddy body of yo—Waaaaah!?
Nemo Marine:
Tlaloc's readings have been lost! Apparently she's not just been chopped to pieces, but made into mincemeeaatt!!
Darkness Incarnate:
, 
—!!!!
Kadoc:
Seriously? It killed Tlaloc!? Or did it let her escape!?
Kadoc:
Whatever it is, this monster honestly seems even worse than she was! What even is this thing!?
Nitocris:
What it is should be plainly evident! What is the meaning of this, Camazotz!?
Nitocris:
Was saving us another one of your usual mean-spirited pranks!?
Camazotz:
—Really? You really think I was trying to save you?
Camazotz:
You who are not stupid should not be spouting stupidities! It confuses me!
Camazotz:
Why would I!? Ruler of the Underworld! Ever have to save you people!?
Camazotz:
No choice then. Speculation abounds. Imagination abounds.
Camazotz:
Use your head. I obviously have some other motive. Go on, I'm sure you can come up with countless reasons for why I did something so inexplicable.
Nitocris:
I-I'm sure I could, but...you mean to say you WERE aiming to save us?
Nitocris:
You didn't just see a good opportunity to attack Tlaloc, or something like that?
Camazotz:
—
Camazotz:
Wrong. Dead wrong. How impudent to even consider it! I simply dropped something off to where it belongs.
Camazotz:
That woman was trying to unveil her true form. Had that occurred, all of you would have surely become sacrifices for her to decorate her altars with.
Camazotz:
A dull outcome. Especially when there's finally some human blood, and even some Heroic Spirit blood here!
Camazotz:
Don't you think you and Camazotz have built up quite the rapport up until now?
Camazotz:
Our friendship goes back far enough already, so why waste it? Special guests surely don't come often!
Camazotz:
Indeed–you are going to die anyway, so dedicate those deaths to me! That's my reason! Quite clever, if I say so myself!
Camazotz:
Haha... Hahaha. Hahahahahaha! I love it! Given your plan, I might as well hop on!
Camazotz:
The time for the Underworld Pilgrimage will soon begin, paving the path towards the eighth layer!
Camazotz:
Come then, to the furthest depths of Mictlan! To the bosom of the witherforged Cosmic Tree!
Camazotz:
I swear by my name, Camazotz! The eighth layer will welcome you all!
--ARROW--
Mash:
Tezcatlipoca... Is that that person we met in Mexico City!?
Mash:
But his appearance... his Saint Graph—
Fujimaru 1:
Is different, but that's Tezcatlipoca.
Fujimaru 2:
There are several Tezcatlipocas...I think.
Mash:
Oh! Now that you mention it, in the creation myth of the Aztecs, there is said to have been four seats for Tezcatlipoca to occupy, one for each cardinal direction—
Mash:
Red, blue, black, and white. Four gods in total.
Mash:
The first one to be born was the Red Tezcatlipoca, the Maize God of Death and Rebirth. However...
Mash:
Black Tezcatlipoca, the second to be born, was a god representing the night, battle, and a previous sun—
Mash:
That's the one we know, the one who demands sacrifices, Tezcatlipoca, the god of darkness.
Mash:
Which means, the Tezcatlipoca in front of us is...
Tezcatlipoca:
Yep, right on the money. See, I'm a bit of a capricious guy. So each time I get the itch, I'll change both my principles and my attributes.
Tezcatlipoca:
That said, never to goddamn white. That's Quetzalcoatl.
Tezcatlipoca:
I'll kill that bitch myself. It's a real pain that people talk about us like we're the same being.
Habetrot:
Yeah, about that Quetzalcoatl–I mean, Kukulkan! She just went and disappeared all of a sudden!
Habetrot:
Why's that!? Did she run away!? She seemed so pumped up about beating the snot outta this guy too!
Fujimaru 1:
Kukulkan is gone...!?
Fujimaru 2:
(It's true, she's really not here...!)
Tezcatlipoca:
Of course she'd take off. This battle is between two different Mictlan tribes. She's not gonna get involved.
Tezcatlipoca:
The battle in Mexico City on the other hand, was between two outsiders: all of you, and me.
Tezcatlipoca:
That's why she intervened. In the underworld, she wanted to keep you outsiders safe, and so also helped you out again.
Tezcatlipoca:
See, it's a matter of pride for Mictlan, or rather, Malla, if their guests happened to get hurt.
Tezcatlipoca:
That's just how she is. Way more cold-blooded, cruel, and inhuman than lil ol' me.
Tezcatlipoca:
Think about it, has the sun ever aided someone in war in Pan-Human History?
Tezcatlipoca:
Has it ever taken the side of one nation over the other? Course not. The same goes for here in Mictlan.
Tezcatlipoca:
She's a system meant for nothing more than seeing the fate of Mictlan to the end. One which will only bestow its blessings upon those who remain afterward.
Tezcatlipoca:
Me, I ain't got no enemies at all. I am the god of all who strive to survive: a trial.
Tezcatlipoca:
That woman on the other hand...she'll ultimately end up as Pan-Human History's enemy. Your enemy.
Tezcatlipoca:
You knew that much, at least, right? It's the measure between a human and something else altogether.
Kukulkan:
B-But... isn't that being a bit too trusting of me?
Kukulkan:
I'm the god of this Lostbelt and you...you're the humans of Pan-Human History.
Kukulkan:
Isn't it more likely that I'm just pretending to get along with you, like I'm doing now, so that I can kill you?
Fujimaru 1:
That's...
Fujimaru 2:
Not...
Tezcatlipoca:
Well, whatever. You humans are free to believe in whichever god you want. We gods actually find that one of the more interesting parts.
Tezcatlipoca:
However—
Tezcatlipoca:
With the calavera no longer on you, I've lost all interest in letting you leave alive. The trial's over, magus.
Tezcatlipoca:
You encountered the Black Tezcatlipoca on the battlefield. Thus, you died.
Mash:
The magical energy in the enemy Divine Spirit's right leg is increasing! Master, summon up the strongest forces you can muster!
--BATTLE--
U-Olga Marie:
Lucky you, Fujimaru! I just so happened to be out on a little mid-air stroll and happened to spot you, that's all!
Fujimaru 1:
U-Olga Marie!
Fujimaru 2:
Of course! You've saved us! That makes this the second time!
Tezcatlipoca:
You again? First Mexico City, and now this? You make no sense.
U-Olga Marie:
Oh? Wasn't there something about a rematch?
U-Olga Marie:
I can't remember how you did it, but...you're the one who managed to kill me once, aren't you?
U-Olga Marie:
So showering you with some plasma whenever I spot you seems justified to me, at least. Retaliating after someone kills you is a natural right.
U-Olga Marie:
Seriously, that's all there is to it. It's not like I've got some other reason or anything.
Mash:
Director Olga Marie—!
Tezcatlipoca:
I thought something was up, but...
Tezcatlipoca:
I guess I might as well ask. Do you understand that you're Chaldea's enemy?
Tezcatlipoca:
There's nothing in it for you to save the humans. I mean, c'mon, you're the one who bleached Pan-Human History.
Tezcatlipoca:
Why're you extendin' a hand to the survivors of the people you wiped out? How does the framework of your mind even work? Even I'm a little disgusted.
U-Olga Marie:
Sh-Shut up! Stop with the false accusations!
U-Olga Marie:
Besides, I have amnesia! All I remember about myself is my name and my purpose!
Tezcatlipoca:
Untrue. You should've remembered everything once you saw my face back in Mexico City.
Tezcatlipoca:
Not just your true name and powers, but where you stand as well. And that Chaldea are your most tenacious enemies.
U-Olga Marie:
That's—That's not...improbable, but– it might just all be some kind of mistake—
Tezcatlipoca:
For real? If you're claiming to be a god, don't go lying to yourself about who you are.
Tezcatlipoca:
Shit, I don't think I've ever felt this pissed off! I can't keep this fuckin' warrior mask on any longer!
Tezcatlipoca:
And you [♂ assholes /♀️ bitches] too! You knew about this woman's true colors, and you kept your mouth shut!
Tezcatlipoca:
For how long do you intend to use her, spreading all those petty lies? Or did you think it was an act of kindness?
U-Olga Marie:
— Did you two...know about it?
U-Olga Marie:
That I'm...the Alien God. You knew...from the start?
Fujimaru 1:
—
Fujimaru 2:
...
U-Olga Marie:
...
Tezcatlipoca:
If you hide the truth from an enemy who's lost their memories, you could probably build up a mutual trust between you two.
Tezcatlipoca:
But only for as long as it takes before that facade comes crumbling down. And the bigger the house of cards, the more painful the collapse'll be.
Tezcatlipoca:
If you'd chosen to not build anything at all, there'd be nothing to watch crumble.
Tezcatlipoca:
Same goes for civilizations. The more they prosper, the harder it is to deal with the aftermath.
Mash:
Is this... a siren? I can hear it coming from the altar...
Tezcatlipoca:
It seems the course of the sun has shifted. Meaning, Izcalli's killed the king.
Tezcatlipoca:
The Xochiyaoyotl is at an end. Now only ORT's awakening remains.
Tezcatlipoca:
It's down to you and Daybit–I'll enjoy finding out which one of you arrives there first.
Fujimaru 1:
He's gone...
Fujimaru 2:
We...made it out alive, but...
Mash:
Tezcatlipoca's readings, in addition to U-Olga Marie's readings...are lost.
Mash:
Senpai... Have we perhaps...done something very regrettable?
--ARROW--
Dinosaur King:
Damn, that was fast. You killed your way up here. Pretty surprising.
Dinosaur King:
How'd ya break through the defensive line over on the great plains? You use poison gas on the fighters, or what?
Izcalli:
True... Given that deinos can shrug off physical impacts with their biowaves, it'd be more effective to strike at their respiratory systems.
Izcalli:
Gas is effective at killing deinos. It's even known for a fact that no deinos can traverse the toxic gases of the eighth layer.
Izcalli:
However, do you really think I would resort to such weaponry? Sullying the sea of trees means sullying my warrior's honor as well.
Izcalli:
Such dishonorable behavior is emblematic of you Pan-Human sorts. The Ocelomeh will attain victory in battle straight up, with iron and lead in hand.
Dinosaur King:
Yeah, sure. I think those guns screw up the forest plenty, but alright. Plus, aren't you also using napalm? Keep the forest fires to a minimum, would ya?
Izcalli:
Enough chatter. Answer, where's the King of Chichen Itza?
Izcalli:
Take me to where the Dinosaur King is. If you can do that, I will spare your life.
Dinosaur King:
Ha—hahahaha! Oh, of course. I mean, what'd I expect? What else would ya think?
Dinosaur King:
I mean, you'd be crazy to take me for anythin' but some kid from Pan-Human History! Obviously you'd never get it at first glance!
Dinosaur King:
But damn, the guy sure doesn't put much trust in you, Izcalli! Or maybe he thought you'd understand without him tellin' you?
Dinosaur King:
Talk about being unable to judge people for who they are! Seems Black Tezcatlipoca gave ya too much credit!
Izcalli:
What's so funny...and just who are you saying is unable to judge people for who they are?
Dinosaur King:
C'mon, dude! It's me! Me! I'm the Dinosaur King!
Dinosaur King:
Might as well teach you my name too! I'm Tezcatlipoca. Blue Tezcatlipoca.
Dinosaur King:
The one who created you from maize, the flesh of god, and the same god as the Tezcatlipoca on your side!
Izcalli:
—What?
Ocelomeh:
...? , —!
Ocelomeh:
, Tezcatlipoca! , Tezcatlipoca!
Izcalli:
Hey, why are you groveling!? Ready your guns! We're in enemy territory!
Dinosaur King:
Pathetic. Even the Ocelomeh're quicker on the uptake than ya. See, that's why he doesn't place his trust in you, kid.
Dinosaur King:
That's what he gets for designing you with high intellect. Your nose's ability to sniff things out has gone to shit, jaguar warrior.
Dinosaur King:
Or maybe I should call you by your other name?
Dinosaur King:
The name you were born with. One that only you and Tezcatlipoca know.
Izcalli:
Impossible... Impossible! So...you're telling me you really are Tezcatlipoca!?
Izcalli:
No, but even then... that's impossible! What madness would cause Tezcatlipoca, our god, to take the side of the deinos!?
Dinosaur King:
You outta your mind? You're the one who didn't study hard enough. What're you flippin' out at me for?
Dinosaur King:
A god of war revered by so many tribes and so many warriors wouldn't just take a single side, dumbass!
Dinosaur King:
We will grant a chance both to the Ocelomeh and the deinos, both to the Pan-Human History and the Lostbelt.
Dinosaur King:
And on that premise, everyone can kill each other equally. That's the kinda god Tezcatlipoca is.
Dinosaur King:
For god's sake... You've stuck so close to Black and you didn't even realize something so simple?
Dinosaur King:
Even among the lot of us, he's, you know, the drizzling shits, I guess?
Dinosaur King:
“If war's what we're doing, I will grant weapons to all with impartiality, be they parent or child, bride or groom.”
Dinosaur King:
He'd say such a thing, and with great pride too. I mean, can you even GET much more heartless than that?
Dinosaur King:
Anyway, that's the kinda god who's specifically chosen you. A “one-year Tezcatlipoca”, was it?
Dinosaur King:
In the Aztec civilization of Pan-Human History, the people and the king would make offerings to Tezcatlipoca by picking out a boy for him to incarnate into.
Dinosaur King:
You know, the whole thing about handing down the word of god to some youth blessed with strength, wisdom, and beauty, to make him into Tezcatlipoca's vessel.
Dinosaur King:
Over the year, they're forced to mature into the strongest, most beautiful person there is.
Dinosaur King:
At the same time, they're offered better food and pleasures than what's offered to the aristocrats, or even the king himself.
Dinosaur King:
If the vessel can manage this in their single year, they'll be acknowledged as Tezcatlipoca made manifest.
Izcalli:
—Correct. And the Flower War, to slay the king of the deinos, is the final step in this process.
Izcalli:
Once that deed has been accomplished, I will become equal to mighty Tezcatlipoca.
Izcalli:
Which is why he accompanied me in battle, and provided me with assistance.
Dinosaur King:
And Tlaloc? What'd she say? Did she bless you too?
Izcalli:
—
Dinosaur King:
Here, I got some words of god for you, but only this once. I'm not even gonna ask you which god it is you oughta believe in.
Dinosaur King:
And I'm also not gonna ask you to change your opinion. All I'm gonna do is tell you what should be obvious.
Dinosaur King:
“Believe in the god whose words you believe in.” At least if your two gods are spittin' two different things, anyway.
Izcalli:
—Shut up. Shut up. Shut up. SHUT UP!
Izcalli:
I was ordered by my god to kill the Dinosaur King! A god is absolute! I cannot disobey... but—
Izcalli:
At the same time, I also cannot kill a god! That should never be allowed!
Izcalli:
And yet, that is what he has ordered me to do!? It's all in conflict!
Dinosaur King:
Call it a test. Not one of his trials, either. He's seein' whether or not you can become his vessel.
Dinosaur King:
Can you kill the world, kill a god, if it means achieving your purpose? Right now, that's the only thing which matters.
Dinosaur King:
I won't resist. Do whatever you want. I'll allow you to kill even me, Tezcatlipoca.
Dinosaur King:
C'mon, hurry! Don't waste time! The longer you dawdle, the closer Chaldea gets!
Dinosaur King:
Show me what the one-year Tezcatlipoca is made of!
Izcalli:
Grgh... Then I shall ask! Whose side are you on, Tezcatlipoca?
Dinosaur King:
Which side? You mean between the deinos and the Ocelomeh?
Izcalli:
No! I'm asking if you're a Pan-Human god, or a Lostbelt god!
Izcalli:
If you're a Pan-Human god, you're the enemy, and you die. If you're a Lostbelt god, you're an ally, and you live.
Izcalli:
This is what matters. With that, I may kill even another Tezcatlipoca, just like he has ordered me!
Izcalli:
It must be allowed then!
Izcalli:
Now, give me your answer, Blue Tezcatlipoca! Even as obvious as that answer may be!
Izcalli:
Considering that you've allied yourself with Chaldea, you must be a Pan-Human god!
Dinosaur King:
You insane!?
Dinosaur King:
Fuck outta here. I'm a Lostbelt god. I'm the Tezcatlipoca on the Lostbelt's side!
Dinosaur King:
You really think I give a shit about what era those dumbasses from Pan-Human History come from?
Dinosaur King:
Face reality, Izcalli. The Pan-Human god is the one on your side!
Dinosaur King:
If he weren't, no way he'd be bringin' in all these guns! If he weren't, no way he'd have built that fuckin' Mexico City!
Dinosaur King:
Get this through your head! Black Tezcatlipoca... never had the SLIGHTEST intention of protectin' this Lostbelt!
I：Izcalli:
—Ahh... AahhAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!
I：Izcalli:
Hahhh—Hahhh—Hahhh—
Izcalli:
...This will do. ...This will do just fine.
Izcalli:
The Dinosaur King...has been eliminated.
Izcalli:
Once you've collected the Solar Itinerancy, blow the siren of victory to tell the other warriors to withdraw.
Izcalli:
And remember, don't tell anyone about what— Never mind.
Izcalli:
No need to tell you to keep quiet. You can't follow a human conversation anyway.
--ARROW--
Narration:
- Seventh Lostbelt survey log, Day ○○ -
Narration:
The Ocelomeh assault of Chichen Itza came to an end on the same day it started.
Narration:
As soon as the siren had sounded, the Ocelomeh began to withdraw back to Mexico City.
Narration:
What we found on the altar was a bloodstained throne, and the traces of the stolen Solar Itinerancy.
Narration:
With its seizure, the sun's stoppage point moved from Chichen Itza to Mexico City.
Narration:
Even now, after 20 hours have passed, the sun's light still does not reach Chichen Itza, and so night continues.
Narration:
The battle was an Ocelomeh victory, but from a casualty perspective, it was a pyrrhic one at best.
Narration:
The amount of soldiers required to kill a single deinos was more than 30.
Narration:
20 platoons... where each one contains 100 soldiers, in total about 2,000 of the finest Ocelomeh.
Narration:
By the time they withdrew, this number had dwindled down to all of 16.
Narration:
In addition, when we began burying the Ocelomeh corpses, their race became apparent.
Narration:
Apemen. Medium-sized primates with traits similar to those of humans.
Narration:
Though born in Mictlan, they never came under Malla's protection. They are the newest, and also the weakest species here.
Narration:
The circumstances behind their birth, combined with their paltry capabilities, meant that the deinos only ever saw them as animals about on par with insects.
Narration:
We believe Tezcatlipoca granted them knowledge, weapons, and jaguar masks, educating them to become the new mankind.
Narration:
62 deinos survived, including Head Priest Vucub.
Priest Vucub:
That's right, I let the Ocelomeh in! When you were all too afraid to do anything because of the Dinosaur King!
Priest Vucub:
Did Kukulkan protect us? She did not!
Priest Vucub:
Could the Dinosaur King protect you with that frail body of his? He could not!
Priest Vucub:
Those two have no right to lead Mictlan! And the same goes for all of you!
Priest Vucub:
Look! Look at all the monkey corpses amassed here!
Priest Vucub:
Do you understand for what purpose they'd go to such an extreme!?
Priest Vucub:
The Ocelomeh wish to prolong the life of this world. In order to energize the sun, they challenged the deinos!
Priest Vucub:
They, who we had treated as inferior lifeforms, and didn't even consider our competitors...
Priest Vucub:
They are the ones who fight for the sake of saving Mictlan from its fifth extinction! To stop Pan-Human History from pruning us!
Priest Vucub:
I have not committed any wrongdoing!
Priest Vucub:
Both a king without the will to fight, and the lot of you cowardly deinos, are all dispensable!
Narration:
Head Priest Vucub was charged for his crimes, and imprisoned in chains.
Narration:
But the deinos did not hold any malice towards even this Head Priest, who had betrayed both their king, and their country,
Group of Deinos:
“I didn't realize Head Priest Vucub was so dissatisfied.”
Group of Deinos:
“Still, he considered the Ocelomeh that dangerous, and yet he assisted them? He must have had his reasons.”
Group of Deinos:
“In Mictlan, flying in and of itself is blasphemy toward the sun. I suppose it's no wonder he grew so mentally ill.”
Group of Deinos:
“It's a shame, but we just don't understand how the pterosaurs think.”
Group of Deinos:
“But what a surprise that the Ocelomeh were animals who lived within the jungles.”
Group of Deinos:
“They weren't actually Pan-Human creatures after all, but native to Mictlan.”
Group of Deinos:
“I know how they were before. They couldn't survive outside of groups, and possessed no intelligence.”
Group of Deinos:
“Even taking Tezcatlipoca's intervention into account, the amount they managed to develop in such a short amount of time was extraordinary.”
Group of Deinos:
“They have a survival instinct we deinos do not. They have an objective we deinos do not.”
Group of Deinos:
“We deinos have the right survival strategy... but—”
Group of Deinos:
“Despite that, it seems we can't understand what they're thinking.”
Narration:
Indeed... the deinos are a species who, despite being in possession of an intellect, have not developed at all over these 66 million years.
Narration:
There are many mythologies where the sun is worshipped, but that's because it's something which transcends the imagination.
Narration:
Intelligent beings find meaning in all things.
Narration:
Intelligence is the power to try and close the gap with the awe-inspiring.
Narration:
Because beings without intelligence don't possess this power, they can only ever evolve to adapt to their surroundings.
Narration:
Intelligent beings, on the other hand, will, without fail, achieve progress in different ways than just adaptive evolution.
Narration:
And yet, the deinos were exempt from this principle from the very beginning...
Narration:
Though they possess high intelligence, their comparatively great capacity for empathy made them unable to discover the “extraordinary”.
Narration:
They have no need for inventions, aspirations, or stories. They don't even have the need to give rise to civilization for the sake of survival.
Narration:
These intelligent beings simply lived their days blissfully in an ideal environment, as created by Malla.
Narration:
But the destruction of that environment is soon at hand.
Narration:
I now finally understand why Malla didn't create their paradise above ground.
Narration:
Malla intended to die out together with the demise of their sun.
Narration:
Their will was to end this lost history here in the subterranean world, without anyone ever knowing.
Narration:
No matter how complete its civilization may have been...
Narration:
This Lostbelt could never have become a threat-— or rival to mankind.
Narration:
It is a pruned “what-if”. One of life's many possibilities.
Narration:
I'd like to believe that our recording of how their ending plays out will suffice as the only parting gift we can offer.
Narration:
Signed, Gran Cavallo.
Kukulkan:
—
Kukulkan:
Indication of anomaly detected within deinos thought patterns. Evaluated as degeneration. However, unrelated to extinction.
Kukulkan:
Fantasy Tree in ninth layer, activity resumed. Due to regrowth of bark, decrease in leakage of cosmic rays.
Kukulkan:
Protection of Fantasy Tree assigned to highest priority. Forbidding all entrance into the ninth layer.
Kukulkan:
I see... I didn't mishear. That was the voice of the collective I heard down in Metztitlán.
Kukulkan:
And it's telling me to slaughter all of our guests from Pan-Human History without exception, isn't it...
Kukulkan:
Aww... Malla almost never changes course, so I'd wanted to think it was some kind of mistake...
Kukulkan:
But, oh well, not much to do about it! Guess I'll go kill them real quick then!
Kukulkan:
It's just like squishing a few bugs, anyway! Besides, I always was a heartless god, wasn't I?
Section 16: Epilogue
Fujimaru 1:
...
Fujimaru 2:
(Everyone is at a loss for words...)
Nemo:
...
Nemo:
Everyone. You can stand there feeling bad about things if you want, but we're in the middle of an operation here.
Nemo:
It may seem heartless, but we don't have the time to mourn the dead right now.
Nemo:
Isn't that right, Commander Gordolf?
Nemo:
Could you review our situation and piece together a plan of action?
Gordolf:
...Mm. You're right. We'll mourn after we've finished everything.
Gordolf:
Chichen Itza was attacked by the Ocelomeh, and has fallen.
Gordolf:
The Dinosaur King is dead. The Solar Itinerancy, which controls the position of the sun, has been moved to Mexico City.
Gordolf:
Over sixty deinos survived. The Ocelomeh left the city in a state of almost complete destruction.
Gordolf:
...and those Ocelomeh...
Gordolf:
They were not the humans of this Lostbelt, nor were they soldiers of Pan-Human History prepared by Tezcatlipoca.
Gordolf:
They were the apes of Mictlan...ones that turned out to be extremely close to humans.
Gordolf:
The war between the deinos and the Ocelomeh was not a battle between Pan-Human History and Lostbelt.
Gordolf:
It was the struggle for survival in the natural world... the law of the jungle in Mictlan.
Gordolf:
The Ocelomeh are definitely savage, but they weren't inherently hostile to Pan-Human History.
Gordolf:
...Well, that's not entirely true. Izcalli was certainly our enemy.
Gordolf:
But...
Fujimaru 1:
...
Fujimaru 2:
(Izcalli was...probably...)
Gordolf:
Forget that bloodthirsty maniac. Our problem is here.
Gordolf:
We've also suffered many losses from this battle.
Gordolf:
Koyanskaya set out to defend Chichen Itza, but was defeated by Tezcatlipoca.
Gordolf:
Fujimaru saved her, and she's now in the sick bay with her tail between her legs.
Koyanskaya:
I have my own magical energy supply! I don't need a Master! If the conditions are right, I'm completely unbeatable!
Gordolf:
Heh. She's delusional.
Gordolf:
But there's no adrenaline-junkie magus in Chaldea willing to provide magical energy to such a dangerous Servant.
Gordolf:
Understand? I hope none of you are planning otherwise.
Gordolf:
What's more, we've completely lost track of the Deinonychus brothers who went out to repel the Ocelomeh surrounding the Border.
Gordolf:
When they set out, Brother #7 left a message for both Fujimaru and Kyrielight.
Gordolf:
“Don't worry, we'll turn it around during overtime!” —That's all.
Fujimaru 1:
...
Gordolf:
What's more, U-Olga Marie showed up at the battle between Fujimaru and Tezcatlipoca...
Gordolf:
She has recovered her memories as the Alien God and retreated from Chichen Itza.
Gordolf:
...I feared this might happen, but I can now say this conclusively.
Gordolf:
Any further cooperation with her seems unlikely.
Gordolf:
At the moment, our enemies in this Lostbelt are Daybit and Tezcatlipoca,
Gordolf:
but the Grand Order's greatest enemy is still the Alien God. I want you to keep that in mind.
Fujimaru 1:
But...
Mash:
That's right. U-Olga Marie was the same Olga Marie we both knew!
Mash:
Even if she got her memories back, if we could just talk to her—
Gordolf:
That is NOT Olga anymore! No matter how much it resembles Olga Marie Animusphere...
Gordolf:
No, even if she's something that's mostly Olga Marie Animusphere...
Gordolf:
That is the Alien God! Something carrying a stellar-grade Saint Graph!
Gordolf:
Do you have any idea how much energy the sun produces in one second!? Roughly the same amount as mankind has used in its entirety!
Gordolf:
That is something incredibly dangerous that must not be allowed to explode...! You need to use both your heads for this!
Gordolf:
The same goes for you, Kadoc.
Gordolf:
Keep an eye on Fujimaru and Kyrielight.
Da Vinci:
...He's right. U-Olga Marie is something we have to deal with.
Da Vinci:
But there's another problem. What do we do about Kukulkan?
Da Vinci:
She's Mictlan's Archetype...a representative of the extraterrestrials who created this Lostbelt.
Da Vinci:
How did Tezcatlipoca put it? “She'll eventually turn against you”, I feel the same way.
Da Vinci:
So far, we haven't shown any hostile intentions or attacked Mictlan.
Da Vinci:
But that's about to change. We have to cut down the Fantasy Tree.
Da Vinci:
And there's the Crypter trying to awaken ORT in order to destroy the world.
Da Vinci:
Both parties are a danger to Mictlan. Meaning...
Sion:
From Kukulkan's point of view, anything not native to Mictlan is an enemy.
Sion:
And that's what led to her bombarding the Storm Border.
Sion:
We...no, Fujimaru had reached an accord with the deinos,
Sion:
so Kukulkan was our ally, but now it's no longer necessary for us to defend them.
Sion:
So next, Mictlan's consensus will be that we have to go.
Da Vinci:
(Yeah. From Mictlan's point of view, killing Daybit and Tezcatlipoca was always first priority.)
Da Vinci:
(We came next. But...is Kukulkan really Malla's representative?)
Da Vinci:
(Is she acting in accordance with Malla's will, or has she deviated from it?)
Gordolf:
I see. Then let's consider Kukulkan as our enemy.
Gordolf:
If we move skillfully, we can get them to wear each other out and gain from it.
Gordolf:
That summarizes our situation. Based on this information, the command staff can now formulate a strategy.
Gordolf:
Fujimaru, Mash Kyrielight, and Kadoc Zemlupus will be given a two-hour break.
Gordolf:
Feel free to go get some fresh air or take a nap.
Gordolf:
We reconvene after those two hours. Don't be late.
Mash:
Of course it's still dark...
Mash:
If we were in Chichen Itza, it would still be evening...
Kadoc:
So we ended up going outside, huh...
Kadoc:
Kyrielight, Fujimaru, what are you going to do?
Fujimaru 1:
Going to see how the deinos are.
Fujimaru 2:
...and look for anyone I know.
Wak Chan:
H-Hey. Is the “talking” part over?
Mash:
Wak Chan! It's so good to see you safe and sound!
Mash:
Um...do you know what happened to the Deinonychus brothers or to Tepeu?
Wak Chan:
I didn't see the brothers, but Tepeu said he was headin' back home.
Wak Chan:
There are more deinos gathered in the shrine. The Deinonychus brothers could be in there.
Fujimaru 1:
Thank you, Wak Chan!
Fujimaru 2:
Let's get over there, Mash!
Kadoc:
(You idiots, what if they're in the middle of mourning!?) Wait, we're outsiders! If we go in there—
Kadoc:
Damn it, there they go... Guess I have to go ruin things with them...
Wak Chan:
Wait up, buddy. I've got something I gotta ask ya.
Wak Chan:
...Where'd Olga go? Better yet, what's goin' on between her and you guys?
Wak Chan:
I didn't get anything from Tepeu about it. Is it somethin' I should keep my nose out of?
Kadoc:
...All right, I'll tell you.
Kadoc:
I heard that you kept the Border safe when we were abducted. Consider this repayment.
Kadoc:
This'll be a good opportunity for you to bring yourself around, Wak Chan. That woman you're head over heels for—
Mash:
I can't find the Deinonychus brothers...
Mash:
It looks like every deinos in town is here...and that they're having a conference.
Calm Deinos:
Oh, if it isn't Fujimaru and Mash. Have you come to speak about Pan-Human History again?
Calm Deinos:
That would be wonderful. Come to the center of the circle. This time, please tell us about Central America.
Fujimaru 1:
...Sorry. I'm not really in the mood to talk right now...
Disappointed Deinos:
Is that so? That does happen sometimes. It can be very difficult to describe events with words alone.
Disappointed Deinos:
A slight mistake in either expression or depiction, and the whole imagery is ruined.
Fujimaru 2:
...Why is nobody upset about this?
Deinos tilting their head:
...? Did something happen that we should be angry about? Ah, that's right, Vucub was imprisoned.
Deinos tilting their head:
We didn't want to do that to one of our own, but we referred to what Pan-Human History used to do.
Mash:
...Um, what are the deinos going to do now?
Mash:
You know the sun is going to explode, right? What's more, all your friends and your city will be destroyed...
Mash:
And your city's destruction was because of Daybit... no, because of the knowledge of Pan-Human History.
Mash:
Holding us responsible would be entirely justified. So why—
Assembled Deinos:
Hey! What are you doing, Chitam!? You making Mash cry!? That's not cool!
Assembled Deinos:
Did you show her your messed-up equation?
Panicked Deinos:
No, that's not it...I'm sorry.
Panicked Deinos:
I didn't mean to bring the both of you so down... I see...
Smiling Deinos:
The brain patterns the two of you are experiencing right now most likely corresponds to “guilt.”
Smiling Deinos:
This is not the first time you have worried about this. You asked if we harbored any hostility towards Pan-Human History.
Smiling Deinos:
We were delighted when you asked us that.
Smiling Deinos:
It was proof that you always paid special attention to the state of things in a Lostbelt even while fighting them, and have never forgotten them.
Assembled Deinos:
Yes, that's right. But it was hard on you, wasn't it?
Assembled Deinos:
You linger on those painful memories, despite doing it six times over, right?
Assembled Deinos:
It would have been easier to forget them each time. But you don't, and it's thanks to that that stories exist in Pan-Human History.
Fujimaru 1:
Stories exist—because we don't want to forget things?
Calm Deinos:
Yes. That's the biggest difference between us and Pan-Human History.
Calm Deinos:
We have no history. No stories. That's why we can accept extinction as a daily routine.
Calm Deinos:
Because we don't record it as a bad thing.
Laughing Deinos:
We really are carefree! I can say that now that I know how a Lostbelt works!
Mash:
Um...everyone, could you...
Mash:
It might be somewhat rude to ask this, but...
Mash:
Is it not that Tepeu was particularly special in his comprehension, but all the deinos...
Calm Deinos:
Have the same brain structure and level of intelligence? Yes, that's the case.
Calm Deinos:
There aren't any “geniuses” or “special individuals” among the deinos, or any individual differences either.
Calm Deinos:
What makes Tepeu different from us isn't how he thinks, but how his perception of things is affected by his physical makeup.
Calm Deinos:
All the deinos understood when we heard you say that Mictlan was a Lostbelt—a fantasy.
Calm Deinos:
What's more, we were enthralled by your tales. At the same time, it felt desolate.
Laughing Deinos:
I thought they were great! I want to try swimming in Atlantis!
Laughing Deinos:
And that's why we need you guys to go to the next one! For a world where there's aquatic life!
Childhood friend-like Deinos:
Kʼukʼ Moʼ probably couldn't handle being a plesiosaur, since he's too hot-headed. Can't you wait for an evolution with a long neck?
Calm Deinos:
Well then, it's time to go.
Fujimaru 1:
Where are you going?
Fujimaru 2:
You mean...
Mash:
—You're not going back to Chichen Itza, but into the sea of trees—?
Serenely smiling Deinos:
Yes. With both the Solar Itinerancy and the Dinosaur King gone, there's no reason for us to stay in Chichen Itza.
Serenely smiling Deinos:
For the sake of Pan-Human History, I wish you all the best.
Serenely smiling Deinos:
Please don't worry about us. No matter what, our race will die out here.
Fujimaru 1:
...They're all gone...
Fujimaru 2:
The city was so full of life, and now it's...
D：Mash:
...Yes.
D：Mash:
They were worried about us instead of lamenting their own fate...
D：Mash:
They don't hate others, resent their environment, or hoard what happiness they have—
D：Mash:
It's such a wonderful thing. And yet—why does it make me feel so sad?
Fujimaru 1:
...I know how you feel.
Fujimaru 2:
...(Even if their extinction is inevitable...)
Fujimaru:
(—There has to be something we can do about it.)
--ARROW--
Gordolf:
Mm, right on time!
Gordolf:
We will now commence the briefing for our final mission in the South American Lostbelt!
Gordolf:
Nemo Professor! Sion! What is the status of the repairs on the Storm Border?
Sion:
Aside from the engine room, we've finished the repairs on the interior. We're currently preparing to restart the Triton Engine.
Nemo Professor:
The countdown has begu~n. We've also started on the hull damage caused by Kukulka~n.
Nemo Professor:
We've begun reapplying the anti-spirit and anti-curse coati~ng.
Nemo Professor:
It'll be about another ten hours until it's battle-ready~.
Nemo:
We'll also need to use the engine restart to generate spiritron torpedoes and charge the main battery.
Nemo:
We expect it will take twenty hours for the ship to be combat-ready.
Gordolf:
Oh, splendid. When we were almost split in half, I was shivering with fear, thinking, “How will we recover from this!?”
Gordolf:
But to think we'd be able to pull off a complete restoration! Thank goodness for Mictlan's resources!
Da Vinci:
I've got something to report too.
Da Vinci:
The concentration of toxic gases filling Mictlan's eighth level are dropping rapidly.
Da Vinci:
According to TRISMEGISTUS II, the eighth and ninth layers will return to normal atmospheric composition in about ten hours.
Da Vinci:
It's finally time to start our Underworld Pilgrimage.
Da Vinci:
But Nemo's right, the Border can't move right now.
Da Vinci:
If we fly off with no barriers, then Kukulkan really will chop us in half next time.
Gordolf:
Still, that lousy Crypter, Daybit is probably making his own preparations.
Gordolf:
If he gets to the bottom before the Border is back up and running, he can wake up ORT!
Gordolf:
Therefore! We have no choice but to send the field team out in advance! As we always do!
Gordolf:
Master Fujimaru. And Specialist Servant, Mash Kyrielight!
Gordolf:
Along with Nitocris, Koyanskaya, and the I-don't-really-want-you-to-go technical advisor!
Gordolf:
You have two options!
Gordolf:
Plan A! Operation: Assault Daybit!
Gordolf:
Trap Daybit on the sixth to eighth layers, then assault and neutralize him!
Gordolf:
We don't need to go all the way to the bottom to take care of the immediate threat. The objective is to prevent ORT's awakening!
Gordolf:
Plan B! Operation: Cut Down the Fantasy Tree!
Gordolf:
We get to the deepest level before Daybit does, find the Fantasy Tree, and destroy it!
Gordolf:
If ORT is a denizen of this Lostbelt, then as long as that vanishes, it will go away too!
Gordolf:
TRISMEGISTUS II calculates both of these plans as having a 50% chance of succeeding.
Gordolf:
...so there. Now I'll ask you just for reference's sake, Master Fujimaru.
Gordolf:
Which plan do you think sounds better? I want brutal honesty from you.
Fujimaru 1:
...Operation Assault Daybit?
Fujimaru 2:
...Operation Cut Down the Fantasy Tree?
Kadoc:
Not either. Both. We do them both at the same time.
Fujimaru 1:
Both of them!?
Fujimaru 2:
Kadoc, you don't mean...
Kadoc:
There's no need to wring your hands over choosing just one. We'll split into two groups to attack Daybit and perform the Underworld Pilgrimage.
Kadoc:
Even if we can't defeat Daybit, we can still slow him down.
Kadoc:
Meanwhile the underworld team can use that time to reach the bottom, cut down the Fantasy Tree, and excise this Lostbelt.
Kadoc:
That's the plan with the greatest chance of success.
Kadoc:
Naturally, I'll be attacking Daybit. Have the Shadow Border and Koyanskya on that team too.
Kadoc:
We'll need our best driver for that. We can engage Daybit in that third underworld.
Kadoc:
Even better if that driver has high-level magic circuits, in both quantity and quality.
Gordolf:
Oh-ho. Although I've never completed the Paris-Dakar, I can still be considered an off-road expert.
Gordolf:
Who in the world could be both a better driver and have better magic circuits than me?
Fujimaru 1:
I see.
Fujimaru 2:
I see.
Kadoc:
Right? You don't need to worry about a thing.
Kadoc:
You guys go take the Underworld Pilgrimage.
Kadoc:
I haven't cleared the third underworld, so I can't join that group anyway.
Nemo:
All right. We originally planned to send out the Shadow Border anyway.
Nemo:
The advance team will use it to travel to the sixth layer...the third underworld.
Nemo:
There, the pilgrimage team will disembark and head for the deepest layer.
Nemo:
The Daybit assault party will remain in the third underworld, lay their traps, and operate out of the Shadow Border.
Nemo:
However, it's not safe for the pilgrimage team to travel on foot. We'll need the cooperation of the deinos to get there.
Nemo:
Apparently they've abandoned Chichen Itza, but there may be some who stayed behind.
Nemo:
I'll have some Marines search Chichen Itza for porters.
Nemo:
...We also need to discuss what to do with Tepeu.
Nemo:
He was a well-intentioned collaborator, but from here on, this is a battle between Chaldea and Crypter. That's a Pan-Human History matter.
Nemo:
It would be cruel to drag him into it. What is your decision, Fujimaru?
Fujimaru 1:
I'll go talk to him.
Fujimaru 2:
It'd be dishonest to go without saying goodbye.
Nemo:
I see. Then I'll leave that to you. Tepeu may act mature, but he's boundlessly curious.
Nemo:
If we ask him for help, he'd jump at the chance. On the other hand, if we don't, he'd probably resent us for the rest of his life.
Da Vinci:
That's right. Tepeu may be shy, but he's got guts! Go give that shut-in a good kick!
Gordolf:
Ah yes, that weirdly friendly deinos! I don't really understand him, so you go take care of it!
Gordolf:
We'll make preparations for our simultaneous operations!
Gordolf:
This will be your last visit to Chichen Itza! We don't have much time, so make sure you enjoy it!
--ARROW--
Ocelomeh:
—! —!
Ocelomeh:
Ourthe sun! Sing, isus!
Ocelomeh:
Miictlan! Mictlan!
D：Ocelotl Guards:
—? ...
Izcalli:
Never mind. Go join them. This is enough for my report to divine Tezcatlipoca.
Izcalli:
(...From outside the city...women and children living in the jungles have come in droves.)
Izcalli:
(They come to celebrate Mexico City's victory— or not. I understand.)
Izcalli:
(Their children went off to war. They waited, hoping they would come back alive.)
Izcalli:
(...The love and care of a family. The very essence of humanity. No, it's more pure than that.)
Izcalli:
...Only a handful returned alive. I must be an incompetent king to those who lost their mates.
Izcalli:
(That Ocelotl...he was groomed as a royal guard for six months.)
Izcalli:
(...Hmph. He's resentful that he wasn't taken into battle because he's still young.)
Narration:
Familial love. Familial bonds.
Narration:
A love nurtured from birth that requires no words to express.
Narration:
I've never known something like that. When I first opened my eyes, this was what I knew.
Narration:
The human form of Pan-Human History, manufactured in Mictlan. The soul of a man raised to be the king of the Ocelomeh.
Narration:
That is who I am. I have no family or friends.
Narration:
All I have are base impulses.
Narration:
“Disappointment in those who did not follow me”. “Despair in what I had been given”.
Narration:
And “reactions to everything around me”.
Narration:
My god told me to not forget these impulses. A human becomes a god by possessing a soul without a single point of hesitation.
Narration:
Great Tezcatlipoca. A god of Pan-Human History who found the Ocelomeh,
Narration:
created Mexico City in a single night, and created me from the soil of Mictlan to serve as its king.
Narration:
I act as Tezcatlipoca for one year, and by becoming worthy of his name, I become a god incarnate.
Narration:
It was a year without doubt. A wonderful, glorious year.
Narration:
Our war to extinguish mankind and to deny Pan-Human History was righteous.
Narration:
And now Chichen Itza has been destroyed, and the sun has been brought to Mexico City.
Narration:
Hegemony over Mictlan was theirs. It doesn't matter to me.
Narration:
Now comes a world where they will be called “humanity”. They will not be Ocelomeh.
Narration:
My one-year trial as Tezcatlipoca has been cleared.
Narration:
Now I can finally remove my mask, and abandon the name of my childhood.
Narration:
The moment I've always dreamed of. When I am granted the power to strike back against everything.
Narration:
So why—why—have my thoughts become so muddled?
Narration:
Like an obsidian mirror that reflects only smoke.
Tezcatlipoca:
And so the sun moves from the Mayans to the Aztecs. At least it's following Pan-Human History's script.
Tezcatlipoca:
Well well, the conquering hero returns. Good work, Izcalli. Is the me back over that way dead?
Izcalli:
Yes. Riddled with bullets. Torn limb from limb and his head shredded.
Izcalli:
The flesh has been diced down and turned into fertilizer for Mictlan.
Tezcatlipoca:
I see. Well done. Only Tezcatlipoca can kill Tezcatlipoca, after all.
Tezcatlipoca:
Both you and the me over there may have immortal bodies, but the weapon of a fellow Tezcatlipoca is quite effective.
Tezcatlipoca:
The conditions were fair on both sides. The other me probably wouldn't have complained anyway if he died after a good fight.
Tezcatlipoca:
Hm? What is it? Something not sitting right with you?
Tezcatlipoca:
Oh yeah, that the Dinosaur King was Tezcatlipoca too! That's right, I never told you!
Tezcatlipoca:
Hey, I had faith in you. I knew you'd be the one to come out on top.
Tezcatlipoca:
Gods are impartial. You wanted to “destroy” more than you wanted to “win”.
Tezcatlipoca:
If Pan-Human History is something unnecessary, than so's the Lostbelt.
Tezcatlipoca:
You get it? You don't leave anything behind when you exterminate them. Starting over from scratch is a huge task.
Izcalli:
Yes. You honor me with this divine proclamation, great Tezcatlipoca.
Tezcatlipoca:
All righty, time to get moving.
Tezcatlipoca:
It's the season of the Underworld Pilgrimage. I hope you're ready, Izcalli. You're about to get everything you ever wanted.
Izcalli:
Underworld Pilgrimage—to the bottom of Mictlan?
Tezcatlipoca:
Yeah. Chiconahualoyan, the ninth level. To the real holy city on the Lake of the Moon, not this slapdash one.
Tezcatlipoca:
To where it all began, Aztlan. Where you were born.
Izcalli:
You mean...I wasn't born in Mexico City?
Tezcatlipoca:
Yeah. If it wasn't for that city, I wouldn't have been able to summon you.
Tezcatlipoca:
That's right, you personally trained some of the Ocelomeh. Do you want to bring them too?
Izcalli:
—No. This is their long-awaited victory.
Izcalli:
Even Ocelomeh need time to get drunk on its taste.
Tezcatlipoca:
For sure. You should enjoy what you can, even if it'll all soon be gone.
Tezcatlipoca:
Now for the finishing touches. Daybit's waiting for us outside. Let's go pay our respects at ORT's coffin.
Rasputin:
So war comes even to peaceful Mictlan?
Rasputin:
All those who bear the name of mankind cannot escape their accumulated sins, no matter where they may be.
Rasputin:
Gathering wealth, sins, and forgiveness. Our Alien God must be very despondent.
U-Olga Marie:
...Hmph. I know all about mankind's love of war from the video records.
U-Olga Marie:
Chichen Itza is uninhabited now, but it was never built by the deinos to begin with.
U-Olga Marie:
They never accumulated anything. Never have, never will.
Rasputin:
Most certainly. How insightful of you.
Rasputin:
But the mankind of Pan-Human History is different.
Rasputin:
Crypter and Chaldea. Both sides will most probably head for the deepest level.
Rasputin:
One aims to revive ORT. The other to erase it, along with the rest of the Lostbelt.
Rasputin:
Now—what do we do?
U-Olga Marie:
It should be obvious. The reason we chose this Lostbelt as our temporary base was to get our hands on a stronger Saint Graph.
U-Olga Marie:
ORT belongs to me. I won't give it up to an ant-like, powerless—
U-Olga Marie:
—incompetent breed like mankind.
U-Olga Marie:
I've concluded that the Earthlings are wicked. I have no issues with their elimination.
U-Olga Marie:
I'm going to the deepest level. You stay here and keep an eye on Chaldea.
U-Olga Marie:
If I fuse with ORT, they'll no doubt flee with their ship.
U-Olga Marie:
When they do—you know what to do, right? Chasing after them each and every time is a pain. I've already had to do it twice.
Rasputin:
Of course. I've already made the preparations.
Rasputin:
Their lives will end when the Storm Border leaves Mictlan.
--ARROW--
Fujimaru 1:
—And so that's why...
Fujimaru 2:
It'll be dangerous, but would you be our guide?
Tepeu:
Of course I will take the Pilgrimage with you. I'm so very glad you asked me to do so.
Tepeu:
Thank you very much, Fujimaru.
Fujimaru 1:
We should be thanking you.
Fujimaru 2:
Why thank us...?
Tepeu:
The deinos have all left Chichen Itza, have they not?
Tepeu:
Whether Mictlan is destroyed by the exploding sun, or if the world is destroyed by ORT...
Tepeu:
The deinos accept it without complaint. You could call it nobility or rationality.
Tepeu:
But I thought that it might seem rather cold to you after fighting against such disasters for so long.
Tepeu:
Therefore, I was resigned to the fact that you would not approach me for this.
Tepeu:
After all, the deinos are the humanity of Mictlan. We are fundamentally different beings from all of you.
Fujimaru 1:
That's not the case. We may differ,
Fujimaru 2:
but we can still communicate with each other.
Tepeu:
Please wait at the Border while I prepare for the journey. We can meet at the gate.
Tepeu:
I have never gone beyond the seventh layer. I very much look forward to this next adventure together.
Tepeu:
Ah yes, one more thing. I have a small favor to ask...
Fujimaru 1:
...There really is nobody left here, huh...
B：???:
Sure looks that way. Maybe the sun really will never come back here.
B：???:
Well, maybe it'll just blow up instead? And here I thought I didn't inherit Quetzalcoatl's “god of pestilence” side.
Kukulkan:
By the way, aren't you being a little careless walking around alone at night?
Kukulkan:
You're the Master of Chaldea. From Mictlan's perspective, you're an unusual problem, but not one difficult to get rid of.
Kukulkan:
I'm tired of this already, so how would you feel if I just killed you right here?
Fujimaru 1:
It would be a pretty anticlimactic.
Fujimaru 2:
You're not very good at turning heel.
Kukulkan:
Huh... That's some dispassionate response...
Kukulkan:
And I was coming up with all sorts of lines and rehearsing them on the way down here...
Fujimaru 1:
Why didn't you protect Chichen Itza?
Fujimaru 2:
Was Tezcatlipoca telling the truth?
Kukulkan:
...? Oh yeah, he did say something, huh? “Kukulkan doesn't protect the deinos,” or whatever?
Kukulkan:
That's true. The sun both nurtures and burns the world, after all.
Kukulkan:
When I was with you guys, did I ever go out of my way to protect the deinos?
Kukulkan:
Nope! I didn't!
Kukulkan:
I had a whole lot of fun watching from the sky when Camazotz showed up and when this whole battle happened!
Fujimaru 1:
...
Fujimaru 2:
Is this really that much fun for you?
Kukulkan:
It is. That's a rude thing to ask. Say it again and I'll crush you.
Kukulkan:
I mean the sun's going to explode anyway, so it doesn't matter how many deaths there are.
Kukulkan:
The cycle of extinction comes to Mictlan, just like in Pan-Human History.
Kukulkan:
There's no need to get angry or sad, or to run away and deny it.
Kukulkan:
After all, even though the deinos and Ocelomeh will die off, humanoid mankind will still be born into the world, right?
Kukulkan:
No matter how it ends, life finds a way. Pan-Human History—you—are proof of this.
Kukulkan:
So—
Kukulkan:
Why don't you all just go home now? Your ship's almost all fixed.
Kukulkan:
There's no reason for you to die off along with Mictlan, right?
Fujimaru 1:
We're not leaving yet.
Fujimaru 2:
We're going to the bottom layer.
Kukulkan:
I see. Guess that's that, then.
Kukulkan:
I am Mictlan's arbitrator.
Kukulkan:
Deinos or Ocelomeh. It is my duty to ensure that one goes extinct, and to choose by which means that happens.
Kukulkan:
For that reason, the Lostbelt must survive.
Kukulkan:
The Crypter, who aims to revive ORT. Chaldea, who aims to cut down the Fantasy Tree. Both of you are my enemies.
Kukulkan:
—I'll see you in Calakmul. That's where we'll part ways.
Section 17: Fourth Underworld: Yayauhqui
Mash:
We've now passed by the seventh layer's Metztitlán Observatory, and will shortly enter the eighth layer.
Mash:
We made it to the Third Underworld on the sixth layer via a six hour drive in the Shadow Border. We were ready to go the rest of the way on foot, but...
Wak Chan:
The job I got from the Dinosaur King is still on! I'm much faster than all of ya when it comes to moving through the jungle!
Wak Chan:
Even with all three of Fujimaru, Mash, and Nitocris on my back, it ain't no big deal!
Nitocris:
What a wonderful gait you have, fighter Wak Chan. Despite running at such incredible speed, your back isn't shaking at all!
Nitocris:
It's almost as if your legs and torso are attached to different beings. When it comes to riding, you surpass even the sphinx!
Fujimaru 1:
This is amazing! How does it work!?
Wak Chan:
Oh, just absorbing the impact of kicking into ground with only my legs, y'know? If it travelled all the way into my guts, my organs would start aching!
Fujimaru 2:
Thank you, Wak Chan!
Wak Chan:
Save your thanks for when we've safely arrived at our destination! Real scary for me too once past this point, y'know!
Tepeu:
We're lucky Wak Chan remained in Chichen Itza.
Tepeu:
There were some worries surrounding the means of travel in Chaldea's operation, but that seems to have resolved itself for now.
Tepeu:
Incidentally, how do you feel up there, Da Vinci? I doubt I boast the same stability as Wak Chan, at least.
Tepeu:
In exchange, however, I have the perk of being able to slightly float, and even glide through the air.
Da Vinci:
It's awesome, of course! To think the feathers on your arms could also serve as wings!
Tepeu:
They're mostly for balancing my running posture, but well, yes.
Tepeu:
If I employ the magecraft I learned from Nemo Professor, I might be able to take off like Dumuzid, even.
Tepeu:
Fujimaru. Mash. Nitocris. Da Vinci. Myself and Wak Chan. And Habetrot in her basic state, of course.
Tepeu:
We've put an emphasis on speed to get us seven to the bottom layer. Now, is there anything you wish to know about the eighth layer, the final Underworld Border?
Fujimaru 1:
If I understand correctly, it's not usually possible to enter it, but...
Fujimaru 2:
Do you happen to know something about it, Tepeu?
Tepeu:
Only what has been passed down orally among the priests of Chichen Itza.
Tepeu:
A sunless, underground mountain range, the Black Border, Yayauhqui.
Tepeu:
At first glance, it looks like a steep mountain, but it's actually hollow inside. A mountain range within another mountain range, if you will.
Tepeu:
In short, it's a cavern. The underground mountain range is a world of darkness which the sun does not reach.
Tepeu:
And it is also the lair of the Bat of Terror, Camazotz. One could refer to him as the fourth Watcher of the Underworld, I suppose.
Wak Chan:
Hold the maize, we're fightin' that bloodsucking bat!? Dammit, where's the great Kukulkan when you need her!?
Tepeu:
Wak Chan. Kukulkan does not fight beings from Mictlan. I thought you knew that.
Tepeu:
In fact, one could say that Chaldea is currently one of Kukulkan's targets.
Tepeu:
When we come across Kukulkan, please don't just carelessly greet her. She'll bisect you along with the three on your back.
Wak Chan:
Ugh, damn, really? Though yeah, it's true Kukulkan's got that kinda side to her too.
Wak Chan:
Once she's determined something's out to disturb the peace of Mictlan, she'll waste zero time in beating 'em up! Like the mindless deinos and stuff!
Wak Chan:
Well, we'll cross that bridge once we actually meet her!
Wak Chan:
Think I'll be able to dodge her pretty well for the first couple attacks, but after that, you guys'll have to do something about her yourselves.
Fujimaru 1:
Are you okay with fighting Kukulkan?
Fujimaru 2:
Isn't she the god of the deinos?
Wak Chan:
Ain't no rule says ya can't disobey a god, y'know? A god's a living being, same as mankind.
Wak Chan:
Guess how it works for us getting along or not is up to whether we got the same objective or not.
Wak Chan:
Kukulkan wants to protect Mictlan. You guys wanna save your own world.
Wak Chan:
If ya ask me, I think both of 'em are equally righteous. So I might as well lend a hand to the side which I can actually help!
Wak Chan:
Though, if Kukulkan was all like, “Hey, help me out”, you'd have to excuse me for needing to think about my position a bit!
Wak Chan:
Not like that's ever gonna happen, though! No shackles and no interference is our Kukulkan's motto, after all!
Da Vinci:
I see... The teachings of Kukulkan aren't that of a father who rules over his children, but of a mother who protects them.
Da Vinci:
I knew that the Lostbelt king would ultimately become our enemy...
Da Vinci:
But having learned how benevolent she is, it does make me a bit sad.
Tepeu & Wak Chan=spot:
“Benevolent?” You're sure you don't mean “belligerent”?
Sion:
We do need to be cautious of Kukulkan, but I'd like to stay alert regarding the unaccounted-for U-Olga Marie as well.
Sion:
Because there is a high possibility that, together with Rasputin, she's started making moves towards acquiring ORT.
Nitocris:
Our final obstacle will be Kukulkan AND the Alien God, basically.
Da Vinci:
Yeah. Though at the moment, our biggest concerns are the Kadoc Assault Squad's results, as well as the Fourth Underworld.
Da Vinci:
We'll give all our attention towards making it through the Fourth Underworld. I'll leave supporting Kadoc Squad up to you, Sion.
Ereshkigal Alter:
Unfortunately, I cannot help you directly.
Ereshkigal Alter:
First of all, you all have yet to overcome the Third Underworld. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't let you act this freely,
Ereshkigal Alter:
but out of consideration for Fujimaru and the others, I've allowed you to act without hindrance.
Ereshkigal Alter:
Second of all, the Crypter Daybit has already passed the Third Underworld. I cannot meddle with him.
Ereshkigal Alter:
Thirdly, I have to find where Dumuzid has ran off to. You never know what he'll get up to if you leave him to his own devices.
Kadoc:
So, you're basically telling us to defeat Daybit and Tezcatlipoca, who's likely to be with him, by ourselves?
Ereshkigal Alter:
You got it. That said, I'm not that heartless of a goddess.
Ereshkigal Alter:
I will immediately report the route used by the Crypter when they arrive so that you have the best possible chances of a successful ambush.
Ereshkigal Alter:
Your opponent may be a Crypter, but he's still human. Tezcatlipoca also does not have a Saint Graph as his vessel, but the body of a human.
Ereshkigal Alter:
If you've prepared for every eventuality, I'm sure you'll have a fair chance at winning. You have an important part to play, do you not? Best of luck.
Kadoc:
It's been an hour since then... I'm sure Fujimaru and the others have entered the seventh layer by now.
Kadoc:
Fortunately, we were able to arrive here ahead of Daybit. All we needed was a heavy-duty vehicle with a top-rate driver.
Kadoc:
Blasting through the sea of trees at top-speed... I almost didn't think you had it in you.
Gordolf:
On that, I fully agree—wait, why am I here?
Gordolf:
Why am I part of the Assault Squad, Zemlupus! Couldn't you have picked Meunière instead!?
Koyanskaya:
Meunière still hasn't fully recovered from his injuries. If blood were to burst from his forehead when he was in the middle of driving, it'd prove fatal for all of us.
Koyanskaya:
Surely, His Excellency, racer that he is, knows just how dangerous it can be...
Koyanskaya:
If in the middle of a do-or-die driving situation, sweat happens to drip into one's eyes... or am I mistaken?
Gordolf:
Gnhh...! Always appealing straight to my pride!
Gordolf:
Then, can I at least get this passenger seat filled? I need a co-driver I can trust to wipe the sweat off my hands!
Koyanskaya:
But why, of course, allow me♡
Koyanskaya:
The sweat on Your Excellency's hands will ever so carefully and gently be tended to by the light daubing of these bunny ears of mine♡
Gordolf:
—Perhaps you may be interested in serving as my exclusive co-driver for the whole next season?
Kadoc:
(I'm getting shivers just listening to that sickeningly sweet voice... Still haven't learnt your lesson, have you, Gordolf Musik?)
Kadoc:
Hey, if you want to fall prey to her again, I'm not going to stop you, but please save it for when we've returned to the surface.
Kadoc:
Koyanskaya, has there been any contact from Ereshkigal yet?
Koyanskaya:
It arrived just a moment ago. Daybit's route is projected to look like this.
Gordolf:
Hmm!? They're also going fairly fast! We're never going to make it from here!
Gordolf:
But—heh. Seems like you've finally met your match, Daybit Sem Void.
Gordolf:
20 kilometers until the junction point. Won't pose a problem for me, though. Watch me, I'll slam into your side while breaking my personal record.
Kadoc:
No, let's try making this our junction site instead. We'll lie in wait for them in the middle of the desert.
Kadoc:
You can make it in ten minutes, can't you? After that, that's where myself and Koyanskaya will come in.
Kadoc:
We'll plant all the explosives and beast traps we've got. That's what we have the arms dealer Koyanskaya here for.
Koyanskaya:
Naturally, you may consider it done. My large quantities of claymores and C2 won't let a single kitten—
Koyanskaya:
No, won't let a single insect get away. I will repay the debt I was incurred in Chichen Itza with 50% interest.
Gordolf:
Right on, then! Tighten those seatbelts! Pedal to the metal! Let's meet those bastards with our battle formation in perfect order, why don't we!?
Koyanskaya:
Incidentally, Kadoc, I understand you investigated the Storm Border's libraries.
Koyanskaya:
Did you find anything useful?
Kadoc:
I did... I found a document which I believe explains Daybit's past.
Gordolf:
Really!? Oh, you... Why didn't you say so in advance?
Gordolf:
I'm in the middle of driving, you know!? If you talk about that now, I'm not going to be able to concentrate!
Kadoc:
The information wasn't really much of anything... To the point that it wasn't relevant to our theories.
Kadoc:
Even if I'd brought it up during the mission briefing, everyone would've just been all, “that's it?” As a result, I've been putting off talking about it...
Kadoc:
But this is a good opportunity. Listen up.
Kadoc:
About Daybit Sem Void...
Kadoc:
I'll give you the basic summary of how he became the “Enfant Terrible of the Clock Tower”.
Kadoc:
The “Association” of the world of magecraft has three camps. The Atlas Institute in Egypt, the Wandering Sea in the North Sea...
Kadoc:
And finally, the largest among them, the Clock Tower in London. Generally, when people talk about the “Mage's Association”, they mean them.
Kadoc:
Within the Clock Tower, there are 13 Departments.
Kadoc:
The Departments of General Fundamentals, Individual Fundamentals, Spiritual Evocation...
Kadoc:
...Mineralogy, Zoology, Lore, Botany, Astromancy, Creation, Hexology...
Kadoc:
...Archaeology, Policies, and finally, established only 200 years ago, Modern Magecraft.
Kadoc:
Chaldea is an organization founded by Marisbury Animusphere, the Lord of Astromancy.
Kadoc:
So naturally, the magi in Chaldea are from there. About 80% from the Department of Astromancy, with 20% having been recruited from elsewhere.
Kadoc:
The leader of the A-Team, Kirschtaria, was obviously a young genius from the Department of Astromancy.
Kadoc:
And the one said to rival Kirschtaria's genius was Daybit, hailing from the Department of Lore.
Koyanskaya:
The Department of Lore... So, a place conducting research and compilation of myths? That would seem to have quite the close relationship to Servants, would it not?
Gordolf:
—Hah. You tickle my nose, and so flutter my mustache.
Koyanskaya:
Is there something the driver wishes to say?
Gordolf:
At first, I thought the same thing. Hah-hah, this is what always trips up the laymen.
Gordolf:
You see, Servants are familiars who take spiritual form. As such, they fall under the Department of Evocation.
Gordolf:
The Department of Lore, on the other hand, was organized by the Headmaster of the Clock Tower, Brishsan.
Gordolf:
They're a department that researches exoanthropic angels and demons. And these have absolutely nothing to do with legends and heroes, really.
Koyanskaya:
Wow, why yes, I would love to take you up on the offer to shave your mustache... Oh, but wait a second.
Koyanskaya:
If they're researching angels and demons, doesn't that mean they're somewhat involved with “Servants” regardless?
Koyanskaya:
Those are both phenomena that hail from legend. For example, the Divine Spirit used as my primary source, originating from the Kojiki, is a—
Kadoc:
That's not the same, Koyanskaya...
Kadoc:
The Departments of Individual Fundamentals, Evocation, Astromancy, and Archaeology deal with different countries' mythologies as well.
Kadoc:
As they are the shared principles and disciplines established by mankind.
Kadoc:
Therefore, the angels and demons that appear in all different mythologies are common knowledge among magi.
Kadoc:
The Mage's Association is an organization that treats human history itself as one system of lore, while aiming to expand upon it.
Kadoc:
For the Association, the lore of mythologies equals common knowledge. It's not something studied by just one department.
Kadoc:
Within such an organization, if there is something that's truly treated as “lore”, then it would have to be existences that ascend beyond common knowledge.
Kadoc:
In all likelihood—the Department of Lore deals with substances not from Earth.
Kadoc:
Super-artifacts scattered around Earth since time immemorial, spoken of in no mythologies, and tinctured by unknown laws: Out-of-place artifacts, or OOParts for short.
Kadoc:
Even within the world of magecraft, where angels and demons are treated as common knowledge, these “angels” and “demons” are treated as taboo.
Kadoc:
In other words, they're “threats to mankind”. It's the Department of Lore that is charged with discovering, investigating, and storing them.
Kadoc:
The other departments also contribute to mankind, but the Department of Lore exists for the purpose of quarantining things of exoanthropic nature.
Kadoc:
This is also why the Headmaster is the Lord of Lore.
Kadoc:
An ordinary mage born in the common era could never hope to control it.
Gordolf:
Indeed. They're the select few under the Headmaster's direct command. They're often called an elite squad, but that couldn't be further from the truth.
Gordolf:
People assigned there can never enjoy a successful career. They are slaves who have to devote their lifetimes to decoding extraterrestrial threats.
Gordolf:
It's not a department you can so easily quit, but the Animuspheres must have scouted Daybit personally.
Gordolf:
If a Lord directly talks to someone, then not even the Headmaster could so easily refuse them.
Kadoc:
Not in this case. The Animuspheres had nothing to do with it.
Kadoc:
Publically, it was widely rumored that he was banished, but as a matter of fact, he actually left by his own volition.
Kadoc:
It's likely that he did receive an invitation from Former Director Marisbury, but he quit the Department of Lore on his own, and then entered Astromancy to join Chaldea.
Koyanskaya:
Meaning that he willingly sold himself to Chaldea. I see.
Koyanskaya:
Did you go through his history before quitting the Department of Lore? It was in the databank, wasn't it?
Kadoc:
Yeah... All eight years in which he was registered in the Department of Lore are still there.
Kadoc:
But there isn't a single trace of him from before then.
Kadoc:
No entries for the Department of Lore, or for Astromancy.
Kadoc:
Not even in the Department of General Fundamentals, which all students have to register for when they first enroll at the Clock Tower.
Kadoc:
All we know is that Daybit was a genius who suddenly appeared at the Clock Tower at the age of 10.
Kadoc:
Though if the Department of Policies' databases were shared with the Border, more might have turned up about him.
Gordolf:
As if they'd ever be! The Department of Policies also serves as the internal auditing institution of the Clock Tower.
Gordolf:
If all that confidential information were leaked to the outside, it would entail a wave of scandals throughout the entire Clock Tower!
Koyanskaya:
Aha, so THAT'S what the Department of Policies that His Excellency belongs to is like☆
Koyanskaya:
You hold the other magi's pasts over their heads with questionably-legal methods, I take it?
Gordolf:
— Go on, Kadoc. Continue.
Kadoc:
Right... So after that, I stopped looking into Daybit's past, and instead started looking through the documents of the entire Department of Lore.
Kadoc:
It took me all day to read through just one of those tightly sealed documents, so as you might expect, I'd have never finished if I went at it alone.
Kadoc:
However, it was clear which year I needed to investigate. I got some help from Sion, and then finally found what I was looking for.
Kadoc:
July, 2004. The only thing written on the file was: “Document: 5 Minutes”.
Kadoc:
The actual contents of the file I could never decipher.
Kadoc:
Actually, it would probably be more correct to say that the contents of the file “had nothing in them”.
Kadoc:
However, on that day, we know that across London and its surrounding academies, an incident of undetermined origin occurred.
Kadoc:
All magecraft spells active in London at the time were frozen.
Kadoc:
Everyone noticed the disturbance, but not only did everything go back to normal quickly, the magi at the time also thought...
Kadoc:
“There must've been some sort of problem with my spells...” “I can't report this kind of mistake...”
Kadoc:
So it was never made official, and nobody at the academy was ever charged for the affair.
Gordolf:
Oho... An accident like that? Had it been me, I'd assuredly have noticed that it was a major incident...
Gordolf:
But since I didn't know about it, it probably happened late at night.
Koyanskaya:
Please be quiet, Your Excellency.
Koyanskaya:
I take it you imply that the same day this standstill occurred across all of London, the Department of Lore's “Document: 5 Minutes” happened as well?
Kadoc:
Correct. At this time, in the preparation room of one of the instructors who worked at the Department of Lore, an Angelic Artifact was exposed.
Kadoc:
The exposure time lasted for only 0.2 seconds in real time. This is most likely the origin of the freeze that happened to all the spells in the Clock Tower.
Kadoc:
The name of the owner of this preparation room is completely gone. It's been removed not just from all the data, but from everyone's minds as well.
Kadoc:
So there's no way to investigate it. I suspect the only one who recalls it is the Headmaster.
Kadoc:
The criminal who, even if only briefly, incurred a loss on all magi in the Clock Tower has literally been “unpersoned”.
Kadoc:
However, the document detailing this incident does say that there was one survivor...
Kadoc:
Given the circumstances, this survivor was probably the instructor's son. He was 10 years old at the time. His whereabouts are of course unknown after this.
Kadoc:
A few months after the incident, a prodigy with no history at all suddenly appeared at the Department of Lore on the Headmaster's recommendation.
Kadoc:
This was Daybit Sem Void, and though his age at the time is unknown, it is stated that his physical body was at the age of 10.
Kadoc:
My conjecture is that this boy who lost his father through this Angelic Artifact was, in fact, Daybit.
Gordolf:
So, a boy who lost his both his father and his history through an incident at the Department of Lore, then. Still...an Angelic Artifact?
Gordolf:
Isn't that one of those “a single glance is enough to drive you insane” kind of objects?
Gordolf:
Some theorize that they vaporize the brain, and turn them into a receiver capable of picking up on the signals sent out by the beings who dropped the artifact on Earth...
Gordolf:
So basically...ever since then, Daybit Sem Void has...
Koyanskaya:
I get it now. So that's how it is...
Koyanskaya:
“We're missing something about Daybit Sem Void. The way he thinks and acts is different from how mankind does, and always was.”
Koyanskaya:
Are those not the words Kirschtaria left behind for us?
Gordolf:
The being from beyond mankind that invaded Earth... Was Daybit the Alien God's pawn all along!?
Kadoc:
—
Kadoc:
Sorry, you'll have to hold that thought. We've arrived at the attack point.
Kadoc:
Turn off the Shadow's engines and have it enter camouflage mode so it blends in with the sand dunes.
Kadoc:
Let's do this, Koyanskaya. Plant us a minefield big enough to turn this 500 meter circle into hell on earth.
--ARROW--
Daybit:
A sandstorm. It wasn't here before. Is this your work, Tezcatlipoca?
Tezcatlipoca:
What the hell, man!? You come across some fucked up situation and immediately blame me!?
Tezcatlipoca:
This is Camazotz's doing! That piece of shit, using his Command Spells on Servants without thinking anything through!
Tezcatlipoca:
Seemed like he really wanted 'em, so I sold 'em off. Never woulda guessed he'd be all “I wanna be a Master too!”
Tezcatlipoca:
You think I saw something that stupid coming? Hell no!
Daybit:
I do it because you give trials to basically everyone you see. Isn't it about time you started showing some restraint?
Daybit:
—So? What do you think of Camazotz?
Tezcatlipoca:
He's the shit. Had we been in the Aztec empire, I'd be stronger than him. But here in the Lostbelt, he wins out. Strongest guy around, even.
Tezcatlipoca:
Luckily for us he's busy playing with the Command Spells. I think once his toy's used up, he'll finally show his true self.
Daybit:
I see. Then we can overtake Chaldea. Now we just have to hope we don't run into Kukulkan.
Tezcatlipoca:
Hey, we'll see which one of us has to sacrifice themselves when the time comes. Wait, considering it's Kukulkan, maybe I should?
Tezcatlipoca:
She's a imitation god who that Malla crap made for the Lostbelt, but given what she's imitating, I should pair up well against her.
Tezcatlipoca:
Guess I gotta show this super-move spamming newbie what an experienced blocker looks like.
Izcalli:
...
Tezcatlipoca:
What's up, Izcalli? You seem a bit down. Got car sickness on your first 4WD road trip?
Izcalli:
No... Everything is fine. The landscape here was unfamiliar, so I got a bit dizzy.
Izcalli:
Don't worry about me. Tlaloc, on the other hand... When we left Mexico City, I couldn't see her anywhere.
Izcalli:
Great Tezcatlipoca, where has she gone?
Tezcatlipoca:
Given she ain't returning to my side, I'd say she probably lost. It's a bit of a let-down, but I won't speak ill of her.
Tezcatlipoca:
Originally, I summoned that spirit in order to build you guys a city. She's fulfilled her role more than plenty.
Izcalli:
—So it was not you who constructed Mexico City?
Tezcatlipoca:
I could've got it done myself, sure, but given the terrain, she was best suited for it.
Tezcatlipoca:
That thing's certifiably Pan-Human History made. See, Mexico City's actually the modern way of referring to it.
Tezcatlipoca:
Beautiful Metztliapan, the Lake of the Moon. The Floating City, capital of the Aztec Kingdom. The city worshipping two gods.
Tezcatlipoca:
It's of a completely different caliber to the Ka'an ruins of Chichen Itza that the deinos rebuilt.
Izcalli:
The capital of the Aztec Kingdom—Beautiful Metztliapan, the Lake of the Moon—
Tezcatlipoca:
What's up? More dizziness? We're soon about to hit the lowest layer, so keep it together.
Tezcatlipoca:
You've gotten this far, Izcalli. Your battles and your time until now shouldn't be wasted.
Izcalli:
Yes... Understood. My life, all of it, is for the sake of the fury rooted within my soul.
Izcalli:
...!? Crypter, explain yourself!
Daybit:
Enemy attack. Hold on tight.
Tezcatlipoca:
Damn! Not bad, Daybit! Where'd you get so good at driving, huh? Fuckin' Hollywood?
Daybit:
Sad to say, but distance learning. I used to like movies, but haven't seen one in many years.
Daybit:
We're out of the minefield. Fortunately, our undercarriage also made it through somehow, but—
Tezcatlipoca:
But what?
Daybit:
—Divine Spirit-class Servant ahead.
Koyanskaya:
—Welcome, welcome, to my very own Takamagahara. I've been expecting you, war-god.
Koyanskaya:
I am pleased to inform you that this minefield is naught but the opening stanza of the opening act, with but enough gunpowder for one of my little fingers.
Koyanskaya:
If I'm allowed both Kadoc and Gordolf's magical energy paths, then this is how it turns out.
Koyanskaya:
Transfigured before thee stands the Deity of Weaponry, Ikusautsuwa-no-Okami. Allow me to be frank. This will be your burial ground.
Daybit:
A goddess of weaponry, it would appear. Do you know her?
Tezcatlipoca:
Barely. But this ain't good. I can't see how the hell I'm supposed to win against her.
Daybit:
—I understand.
Daybit:
Then take Izcalli with you and go, Tezcatlipoca. As long as you arrive, that's good enough.
Tezcatlipoca:
—You got it. See ya, Master.
Daybit:
...!!
Koyanskaya:
He's letting his Servant get a head start to escape, while he himself is commencing a suicide attack using his vehicle...
Koyanskaya:
Should it not be the other way around? The Servant ought to fight in this situation.
Koyanskaya:
Letting your Servant fight while you, the Master, escapes, is what a normal person would be thinking.
Daybit:
“What a normal human would do” is not something I thought I'd hear from you, who had such a good time imitating an Apostle of the Alien God.
Daybit:
Though I suppose you're on Chaldea's side now. Even if it's only a temporary contract, Kadoc sure has taken to drastic measures.
Daybit:
Providing magical energy to a Beast Candidate, and through two paths at that. Not a new realization—
Daybit:
But you mankind never have it easy, do you? And no matter how dangerous it may be, you'll do what you can.
Daybit:
Even fully aware of whatever consequences it may bring.
Gordolf:
He's nearing 400 meters, and passed it! Grrr, does this rascal think he's better than me off-road!?
Gordolf:
What now? If we don't do something, he'll break through! Damn it, I'll fire up the engines! We'll get on his tail!
Kadoc:
No, stay patient. I wasn't expecting the minefield to be enough to stop him anyway.
Kadoc:
Koyanskaya is our main firepower.
Kadoc:
She's taken in all the magical energy of not only you and me, but all the equipment in the Shadow Border as well.
Kadoc:
Right now, she's a Divine Spirit of the highest order. If we fumble our way in between them, we'll just become collateral damage.
Gordolf:
Yes, I see, we stay put! That woman's the type to pull the trigger on even her allies, without even thinking twice about it.
Gordolf:
No, she'd even do it with a smile on her face!
Kadoc:
—Two people are jumping off the car. Is that Tezcatlipoca and Izcalli?
Kadoc:
Daybit is—still in the car? Wait, he doesn't intend to ram it into Koyanskaya, does he!?
Gordolf:
Ohhh! Koyanskaya, you sly fox. She blew up the car right in front of her without batting an eyelid!
Gordolf:
That damned Daybit jumped out at the last moment, but... hwahaha, we've all but won!
Gordolf:
As if a single magus with no Servant could ever go up alone against that bewitching beauty!
Gordolf:
Get the Shadow Border moving, Zemlupus! First we'll capture Daybit, and then it's Tezcatlipoca's turn!
Kadoc:
Y-Yeah. My beast-catching spells are set up at Koyanskaya's rear.
Kadoc:
We'll be able to track down Tezcatlipoca immediately. Or we should be able to, at least...
Kadoc:
(Did we...succeed? I'd been bracing myself for things to go against us at least once, but—)
Gordolf:
Hm? What are these values? The measured value of the Human Order Foundation is showing some strange fluctuations. That said...
Gordolf:
—
Gordolf:
Back in your seat, Kadoc! Body Reinforcement, now! Put everything into keeping yourself sa—
--ARROW--
Fujimaru 1:
So this is the Fourth Underworld—
Fujimaru 2:
It's inside of the mountain, and yet, it's somehow so...
Mash:
Beautiful, isn't it?
Mash:
Perhaps it's the glittering minerals? It's almost as if we're standing under the night sky.
Tepeu:
The form the paths take here are quite close to those of the Second Underworld: thin pathside cliffs that seemingly continue on forever.
Tepeu:
Wak Chan, let everyone down and proceed carefully. It'd be dangerous if the two of us ran here.
Wak Chan:
Sure thing! Dang, so this is an underworld where you're not climbing the outside of a mountain, but the inside. That's somethin'.
Wak Chan:
Seems like whatever happens, we gotta make our way to the summit if we wanna pass through to the other side.
Wak Chan:
Though even if we lose our footing and fall down, this kinda teensy slope means you'll get back up in no time, yeah?
Nitocris:
That's reckless thinking, Wak Chan. There are a great many ghosts at the bottom of the valley.
Nitocris:
If you fall down, they will starting clinging at you, at which point climbing up the walls will surely prove exceedingly difficult.
Da Vinci:
I guess this really is the underworld path that drags down the living then. Okay. Hey everyone, let's form a column along the path so we don't fall down.
Habetrot:
Righto. In that case, it's mine and Mash's time to shine. I'll take the lead.
Habetrot:
Mash, if you're attacked by an enemy and are about to fall down, hold onto me. I can float for about 3 seconds with a bit of pluck, at least.
Mash:
Of course. I'll be counting on you when the time comes, Habetrot.
Tepeu:
Wak Chan's at the very back, naturally. Whatever happens, he won't let any enemies through, that's for sure. A most logical posting.
Tepeu:
So, Da Vinci, what does the Fourth Underworld correspond to in Pan-Human Mictlan?
Da Vinci:
Hmm, unlike before, no similarities jump out at me, but...
Da Vinci:
It'd probably be the seventh level, Teyollocualoyan.
Da Vinci:
“There live fearsome and starved beasts.”
Da Vinci:
“Those of the dead who lose their footing on the path forward are attacked by a jaguar who devours their hearts.”
Da Vinci:
Also, the jaguar who appears in this underworld is said be Tezcatlipoca's Tonal: the Heart of the Mountain, Tepeyollotl.
Fujimaru 1:
The Heart of the Mountain?
Fujimaru 2:
How does that add up?
Da Vinci:
It's probably referring to “a jaguar as massive as a mountain”.
Da Vinci:
That's the kind of terrifying monster that awaits oneself at the Trial of Teyollocualoyan, the seventh layer of Mictlan.
Da Vinci:
Which, since the Fourth Underworld here is the lair of Camazotz, means the similarity is this “confrontation with a monster”, see?
Mash:
So then fighting against a monster would be the requirement for making it out at the other end of this underworld.
Mash:
Master, let's make sure we're in fighting shape. Can you summon?
Fujimaru 1:
It's working fine. Summoning's possible.
Fujimaru 2:
Only Ereshkigal's realm seemingly set a ban on summons.
Mash:
Alright, then let's advance while on high alert for any enemy attacks.
Mash:
By the way... Senpai, do you not have any of those handy underworld goods on you this time?
Mash:
I mean, in all the other Underworld Borders, you appeared to have done some prior preparation. So I was wondering if that was the case now too...
Fujimaru 1:
All I've got left is...
Fujimaru 2:
Some peppermint bat repellant and...transparent raincoats.
Da Vinci:
Transparent raincoats? Let me take a look! Hmm... Yeah, this is alumite, alright.
Da Vinci:
It's a material used for space suits. But why did—Oh.
Da Vinci:
Right! There were cosmic rays flying about all over the place down here in the eighth and ninth layers until just recently!
Da Vinci:
Fujimaru, hurry up and put on that raincoat!
Da Vinci:
This amount of radiation won't have any effect on Servants and deinos, but it's plenty harmful to humans.
Mash:
Hup!
Habetrot:
I-Impossible... she changed [♂ his /♀️ her] clothes in 0.7 seconds...!?
Fujimaru 1:
Th-Thank you, Mash.
Fujimaru 2:
Like catching a fly with chopsticks...
Mash:
I-I'm terribly sorry. My body reacted before I could think it through.
Da Vinci:
No problem! Your reaction was absolutely the right one! Kinda like that thing of putting on someone else's coat when you're going out!
Da Vinci:
We're lucky you were so fast at noticing, Mash.
Da Vinci:
We're still at the entrance to the eighth layer, so there wasn't much harm done, but beyond this point, it would've been dangerous.
Da Vinci:
And it's a good thing you'd prepared as well, Fujimaru,
Da Vinci:
Worst case scenario, we would've had to return all the way back to the Border to get materials.
Tepeu:
The peppermint bat repellant is also proving itself useful.
Tepeu:
It's the reason why, ever since we entered the cave, that the bats in here have been avoiding us.
Tepeu:
These bats are ten times faster and more ravenous than the flesh-eating insects. They're ferocious, in fact, the most terrible bloodsucking creatures in all Mictlan.
Tepeu:
Even a deinos could only hold out for so long if a swarm of bats were to attack them.
Tepeu:
They have fangs that can easily pierce the membrane of our biowaves, and then there's the feeling of stupor you get after having your blood sucked by them.
Tepeu:
It's a terrifying sensation where your cerebral functions are paralyzed, and your entire being feels a rush of euphoria making you feel as if nothing really matters.
Tepeu:
It's probably safe to say that they are the apex predators here, to the point where even among deinos, there's this idiom of “bat intoxication”.
Habetrot:
Uh, I think that's just regular intoxication...
Nitocris:
Regardless, the peppermint won't work on Camazotz, in all likelihood. He's not someone who would avoid us on account of smell alone.
Da Vinci:
Most likely, yes. Since we're heading to the summit, Camazotz is certain to attack us.
Da Vinci:
That's something we'll just have to deal with when we get there. Our biggest priority is speed above all else.
Da Vinci:
If we want to arrive at the bottom layer before Daybit does, we have to get through here first!
Camazotz:
Hm-hm. Having a race with Crypter? I see how it is. Then you'd best hurry on toward the ninth layer.
Camazotz:
Camazotz is not unreasonable. If your objective is ORT, I won't meddle.
Wak Chan:
Much obliged! You guys hear what Camazotz said behind me?
Wak Chan:
I was real scared of when we'd bump into him, man! Who'da thought it, guy's a real nice one, ain't he?
Da Vinci & Nitocris:
You what?
Fujimaru 1:
There's someone...
Fujimaru 2:
behind Wak Chan?
Mash:
Gigantic hostile reading detected. Pattern is a match from before! It's Camazotz!
Wak Chan & Tepeu:
Oh no no no no no no!
Camazotz:
Hehe...Hehehe... Kwahahahahahahahahaha!
Camazotz:
What tragedy! What tremendous tragedy! What naive ignorance of how powerful the enemy you challenge is! Thus, you die in vain!
Camazotz:
Those who die in vain are laughing-stock. Comedy. And I am the one who laughs at death.
Camazotz:
If so, why ought I let you go? I am more than willing to deliver you to hell rather than to the underworld.
Camazotz:
Behold me! Behold my battle! Behold he in which dwells the ferocious blood of those sacrificed at Mictlan's sunset!
Camazotz:
And now! The time to grovel in reverence before me has come! Grovel before the wellspring of death! Before the King of the Underworld—
Camazotz:
Before the magnanimous wings in which your fates rest! Grovel before CAMAZOTZ!
Habetrot:
When will this guy stop talking!? Fujimaru, we're changing formation!
Habetrot:
Get Tepeu and Wak Chan in front! You, me, and Da Vinci will deal with the skeleton soldiers!
--ARROW--
Camazotz:
So you defeated the Ka'an warriors head on. Not bad. I do have a tremendous thirst for your blood...
Camazotz:
But I shall consider this an exception. I shall teach you a shortcut. You do not wish to be overtaken by the Crypter, I presume?
Camazotz:
I can no longer attack Daybit per our covenant. The longer you fight me, the slimmer your chances of victory become.
Camazotz:
How about it? Is using a shortcut in your interests?
Fujimaru 1:
It would be for the best to not have to fight, but...
Fujimaru 2:
You must have some condition, right?
Camazotz:
It is the woman. Yield her to me.
Camazotz:
A fair trade, is it not?
Camazotz:
You get to advance without being killed by Camazotz, and I will give up on my dream of becoming mankind's last Master.
Camazotz:
To give up on one's dream is most heart-wrenching. To replace one's dream is most fruitless.
Camazotz:
You of mankind ought understand the depth of such tremendous sorrow. Show some sympathy. And you may take my word for it.
Camazotz:
The king deals not in falsehood.
Camazotz:
If the enemy capitulates, they cannot spill blood, and so, Camazotz shall not desire any.
Camazotz:
Now, give me your answer. Will you hand her over and avoid bloodshed? Or will you not, and let blood run?
Fujimaru 1:
I refuse.
Fujimaru 2:
We'll fight right here.
Camazotz:
Your answer is heard. Then I shall steal. Your blood will run, and the woman will be taken.
Camazotz:
I must have been out of my mind. That was certain from the start. Conduct befitting of Camazotz.
Camazotz:
You will not arrive at the coffin of ORT. You shall fall down into the bottom-most ravines of my mountains, and be immersed in the wellspring of death.
Fujimaru 1:
Can I ask something first?
Camazotz:
What would you ask? My favorite color, maybe? It is the violet of darkness together with red of darkness. Thus, dark brown.
Fujimaru 1:
Is it true that you defeated ORT?
Camazotz:
—From whom did you hear that?
Camazotz:
Malla? Kukulkan? Or perhaps even that useless Ixquic?
Camazotz:
It matters not. Whoever it may have been, the outcome remains the same.
Camazotz:
Such a question is a challenge to Camazotz. Such a question is an outrageous slight toward the Ka'an.
Camazotz:
As such...
Camazotz:
Outrageousness shall be answered by outrage. Were you not prepared for that, never would your words have been so firm.
Camazotz:
Did Camazotz defeat ORT? Could Camazotz have defeated that planet-eating monster?
Camazotz:
Hah... hahah... Ahahahahaha! Absolutely! Slaughter and defeat it I did!
Camazotz:
I held nothing back as I slew the cataclysm that had consumed the Cosmic Tree Ceiba, and was encroaching upon Mictlan.
Camazotz:
I threw it into the lava, and with my claws, I flayed open its chest, before I gouged out its bizarre entrails, and so fashioned it a lifeless cadaver.
Camazotz:
And if so be it that you do not believe me, I will demonstrate it to you first-hand.
Da Vinci:
(Saint Graph output... no, quantity of Spirit Graph readings rapidly increasing! 100,000... 1,000,000....10,000,000... 100,000,000!?)
Da Vinci:
(This is far beyond just having multiple Saint Graphs! There are over 100 million murky Saint Graphs inside of Camazotz!)
Camazotz:
[♂ Priest /♀️ Priestess] of Chaldea. Your name matters not to me, but I did feel a sense of kinship with you.
Camazotz:
It appears you are mankind's last Master. I can very much relate to such feelings.
Camazotz:
No, not anymore... I have forgotten them. There was no need for them in battle. There was no need for them in a king.
Camazotz:
Feelings are not needed for mankind's final warrior.
Camazotz:
—Speak of my name. I am the Champion of the Ka'an. The Spider-Slaying Bat. The King Who Forsook His Crown.
Camazotz:
Yet also...the weakling who could not save his world other than by sacrificing every last of his subjects.
Mash:
—Saint Graph pattern... Beast. —How... There's no way...
Camazotz:
Test it, if you will! The lifeblood of Camazotz!
Camazotz:
Test Xibalba, the depths of hell upon which the people of Ka'an were burned, and the pith of its horror!
--BATTLE--
Mash:
Detecting unidentified heat sources from all around us! It's—a swarm of bats!
Da Vinci:
What do we do? Not even shining light at them is dispelling this darkness! The bats in the Fourth Underworld have skins that absorb light!
Habetrot:
Fujimaru, Mash! Let's fire the Black Barrel! Let's scatter those bats!
Fujimaru 1:
Go for it!
Fujimaru 2:
Be careful to not let the cave collapse!
Habetrot:
Of course! I'll keep the output within a level where it'll only sweep away the bats! Here we goooo!
Wak Chan:
The bats fled in a panic to all around the cave! Camazotz's gone off to somewhere else too!
Tepeu:
I could hear the loud sound of wings flying off somewhere towards the above... Did he perhaps fly off to the summit?
Da Vinci:
Camazotz was dominating that battle, not us... There shouldn't be any reason for him to retreat...
Fujimaru 1:
That's not it, it's Nitocris!
Fujimaru 2:
She's nowhere to be found!
Mash:
Correct, I cannot see Nitocris anywhere! I believe it likely she was abducted by the enemy in the midst of the darkness!
--ARROW--
Nitocris:
Perish, ye wretches!!
Nitocris:
There is nobody to hear you! Nor your shrieks, and groans, and pleas!
Nitocris:
I am the one who will kill you! If anything, you ought appreciate it! You will die in the embrace of the Nile's waters!
Nitocris:
You, who manipulated every one of my brothers as your puppet Pharaohs. You, who would then even slaughter them to the last!
Nitocris:
I will not forgive you. How could I ever? Never will I forgive you, never! For so long have I yearned that this day would come!
Treacherous Retainers:
Why, Nitocris—Was it not we who put you on the Pharaoh's throne!?
Nitocris:
Everything, everything I did, I did for this day. The day where I could send you all into the grave.
Nitocris:
That is all I ever lived for. I made away with my dignity, my being, my body, and my will, all so you would mistake me for someone you could freely manipulate.
Nitocris:
All so that you would choose me as your next puppet.
Nitocris:
And now, you have been ensnared in my trap. What exactly did you imagine when you heard that I would bestow a gift upon you?
Nitocris:
A revelry of debauchery? A treasure of gold? Or perhaps—no, of course... you had wanted a taste of my body, had you not?
Nitocris:
You'll all meet your end here. All of you will die by my hand. For the insolence of plotting to manipulate the Pharaohs, you shall perish!
Treacherous Retainers:
Stop it! Have mercy! We do not want to die! Save us! Save us...
Nitocris:
Save your pleas for my beloved brothers! They, who were so mercilessly murdered by you!
Nitocris:
You are not headed for the land of eternity. Hehe, but you may rejoice, for neither am I. I am coming with you.
Nitocris:
So that I may ensnare you even in death; that I may lay upon you neverending suffering forever more—!
Narration:
Yes. I have no regrets. I completed my revenge, restored the prestige of the Pharaohs, and then took my own life.
Narration:
Deceased Pharaohs set out on a journey toward a paradise without suffering. I had that right. I had the authority to achieve it.
Narration:
And yet, I did not make such arrangements. I thought myself lacking of that right.
Narration:
My fury. Never did I forget it. My hatred. Never did I forget it.
Narration:
And I...could never forget my sins.
Narration:
No matter how righteous, no matter how justified it might have been... I believed that I must never forget the sins that I had committed.
Nitocris:
It's...so...bright... What...was...I...doing...
Nitocris:
I was... fighting against that monster... The bat... Wait, this noise...?
Camazotz:
Awful. Ape blood really is awful–eating nothing but meat. Their dietary habits are terrible.
Camazotz:
Regardless, it is perhaps better than before. Almost as if...there's a richness to the flavor now?
Nitocris:
Camazotz!? What are you doing!?
Camazotz:
—Eating. No matter the warrior, hunger will come, and so they sate it.
Camazotz:
I got the urge to suck blood in the middle of my battle with Chaldea. If I wish for something, I stretch out my arm and take it. Such is the way of Camazotz.
Camazotz:
I returned to my dwelling, and quenched my thirst. Why I brought you with me was mere habit.
Camazotz:
The first three, in order, Kingprotea, Benny-Enma, Ereshkigal, were all Servants with the scent of the underworld.
Camazotz:
Abducting them, using my Command Spells, and turning them into Watchers was most enjoyable.
Camazotz:
I chose you as the fourth by impulse, but I had forgotten that I'd used the Command Spells up.
Camazotz:
Without them, my desire cannot be fulfilled. There was no meaning in abducting you.
Camazotz:
Truly worthless. Yet also pointless. Has there ever been such wasted effort?
Nitocris:
In short...you mean to say that I am your captive?
Camazotz:
I abducted you, that is all. By impulse, too. As you can see, there was no reason.
Nitocris:
I see. You seem to live on impulse alone, don't you?
Nitocris:
So, was you saving us from Tlaloc another impulsive decision? I mean, there you had no reason to fight her either.
Camazotz:
I felt something unpleasant emanating from you back then. The wavelengths grated at my ears. You are emanating much the same now, speaking of.
Nitocris:
Something...unpleasant?
Camazotz:
...
Camazotz:
Only fools waste their efforts. Camazotz is no fool. I must draw out some meaning from you.
Camazotz:
Rid my doubts, necromancer.
Camazotz:
Why is it that you cannot forget? Why is it that after the deed was done, you took your own life?
Nitocris:
How do you know of that? I cannot recall ever telling you of my past.
Camazotz:
I told you already... I have good ears. The Ka'an ruins and Chichen Itza are not so far.
Camazotz:
What you said was carried by the wind until it arrived in my ear. Ever since, a third of my brain has been acting strange.
Camazotz:
Answer me. You succeeded in your revenge. The liberation after your vengeance ought have been the remuneration for your life.
Camazotz:
And in spite of it all, you took your own life. You chose to not go to whatever passed for your paradise.
Camazotz:
The question has been gnawing at me. To deny oneself rightly deserved salvation after overcoming such toil! Then for what did you squander your life?
Nitocris:
I...I devoted every last of part of it to plotting revenge against the priests, so...I wasn't able to make the arrangements for my journey to paradise...
Camazotz:
A blatant lie. After you had killed the priests, you should have had all the time in the world. You were a ruler who lacked even a single enemy.
Camazotz:
And it being for the sake of making the priests suffer eternally in the underworld is a lie too.
Camazotz:
Even if you had not gone there, the system of the underworld would have done so by itself.
Camazotz:
You never had any intention of heading for paradise in the first place. Be honest and tell me why. Camazotz knows what is and isn't a lie.
Camazotz:
What I do not know is the reason for why you decided to do so.
Camazotz:
Or could it truly be that you actually believe—you yourself, that you are a sinner?
Camazotz:
That despite having all the justification and all the authority in the world to do what you did, you were the most sinful of all?
Nitocris:
...
Camazotz:
So you will not say? I shall take the silence as affirmation. —Hah...
Camazotz:
Ahahahahahahahahaha! Amusing, oh, how amusing. Pan-Human rulers are all too amusing!
Camazotz:
You lived your life as an avenger, and your revenge achieved complete success, and yet! You renounced your own avenger self and so proved that you were a sinner who was to meet judgment!
Camazotz:
There could be no more foolish a woman. The strength of your obstinance is like the sun itself. Imagine! Rather than taking the path toward godhood, you would martyr yourself to your own beliefs.
Camazotz:
I accept such an explanation. Camazotz is satisfied. I shall now return to my tiresome feeding.
Nitocris:
Stop... It isn't fair that only my past is the one to be probed.
Nitocris:
In fact, it is offensive. I will now ask my own question. Understood?
Camazotz:
Very well... Make it brief.
Nitocris:
You claim to be the King of the Underworld. Or even the true King of Mictlan.
Nitocris:
If so, how do you feel about the fact that Mictlan is facing its destruction?
Nitocris:
The sun will soon reach its limits, and be extinguished. And then, wouldn't you also perish alongside it?
Camazotz:
Even with the sun gone, Camazotz will remain. Mictlan is the only thing which will meet its end.
Camazotz:
The deinos will accept their extinction, just as they once did before.
Camazotz:
But I will not. I will not be extinguished. Even with the sun gone, I can live on with nothing but the heat of the earth.
Camazotz:
That is how the Ka'an lived for 100,000 years. That's how long it took them to go from their beginning as mammals into man.
Camazotz:
100,000 years worth of history and dreams forged this body. And so, 6 million years have passed, but Camazotz lives on.
Camazotz:
The Authority held by the king is “Imperishability”. This is the only weapon Camazotz possesses.
Camazotz:
And that will never change, even after this.
Camazotz:
Whether the sun disappears, or the planet is shattered by ORT...
Camazotz:
If I forget all of the past, nothing will remain of it.
Camazotz:
The present will continue on forever, without any pain, sorrow, or any trace of me.
Nitocris:
So...you really did...
Nitocris:
(By forgetting everything... By not granting oneself a single thing...)
Camazotz:
Is that not enough, necromancer? If you are to leave this summit, I shall kill you, but if you stay, I shall not.
Camazotz:
I have no intention in binding you. I have nothing I wish for either. Be free. However—
Camazotz:
However, under no circumstance are you to become an Alter. There could be nothing more vile than that. Camazotz wishes not to look upon a you who is not you.
Nitocris:
You are remarkably naive, aren't you? My coalitionists will arrive very soon.
Nitocris:
Letting me be free shall only serve to increase your opponents.
Camazotz:
Nonsense. They won't come. Even if [♂ his /♀️ her] brain were the size of a bird's, [♂ he /♀️ she] must have understood how outmatched [♂ he /♀️ she] was.
Camazotz:
No warrior of any stature would ever challenge Camazotz, let alone for the sake of a single Servant.
Nitocris:
They will come...undoubtedly. I have my misgivings about the decision, but they will. Would you wish to bet on it?
Camazotz:
It cannot be a bet when my victory is assured. Nevertheless, I shall take you up on it. I may as well.
Camazotz:
When the time comes that they have fled Mictlan, as they will, you shall speak to me your name. You will offer yourself up to your king.
Camazotz:
And if they would challenge me, then I shall give you my underworld. May the queen bloom once more.
Nitocris:
Is that so? Seems the bet is mine, then. I mean, look...
Camazotz:
Not one of any stature, it would appear. My word—
Camazotz:
Humanoid mankind never knows when to give up, do they...
Fujimaru 1:
Nitocris!
Fujimaru 2:
Thank goodness, you're safe!
Camazotz:
Refuse to ever give in, and you fear to never show respect. I could think of nothing more pitiful than a champion who has nobody to reign [♂ him /♀️ her] in.
Camazotz:
Yet I shall welcome [♂ him /♀️ her]. I shall slaughter [♂ him /♀️ her]. Let the sun of my lifeblood rise upon the peak of the Fourth Underworld!
Camazotz:
[♂ Priest /♀️ Priestess] of Chaldea. It has been a quite the journey, for the both of us.
Camazotz:
Once I have severed your head, and bathed in the deluge of your blood, the entertainment will become part of the past, and so be forgotten.
Camazotz:
The thought tears at my heart. As such, allow me a show of gratitude.
Camazotz:
Daybit is a mirror image. The more numerous the enemy, the more shadows he calls forth.
Camazotz:
Is it conveyed? Then let the supper begin!
Camazotz:
The blood of champions upon the altar! The party of Human Order into the grave!
Camazotz:
The time has come for thee to kill thy brethren human history!
--ARROW--
Nitocris:
(As I suspected... We cannot defeat Camazotz. He is the representative of the human history of Mictlan.)
Nitocris:
(For as long as that duty, that curse remains, he can never be defeated.)
Nitocris:
(He is simply imperishable, nothing more. That was the last warrior's only weapon in his fight against the planet-eating monster.)
Narration:
“You never had any intention of heading for paradise in the first place.” “Be honest and tell me why. Camazotz knows what is and isn't a lie.”
Nitocris:
That is correct, Camazotz. Even though it may have been that the priests were wicked men indulging in nothing but their own desires...
Nitocris:
The act of killing them through a process not decreed by law, with a method cloaked under the cover of darkness, is a sin.
Nitocris:
I have no right to enter paradise, and I never thought vengeance was just.
Nitocris:
Sin is to be punished. Mistakes are to be atoned.
Nitocris:
And if it is to be that my murder of the clergy while in a Pharaoh's station was a sin, to speak nothing of my inability to save my brothers, then—
Nitocris:
In atonement, I took my own life. Instead of protecting my chance at the afterlife, I protected my heart.
Ixquic:
Well then, allow me to recount the events as I saw them.
Ixquic:
The Alters are those who have renounced the core of their Saint Graph.
Ixquic:
It is for one who lived as a saint to renounce their own sainthood. For a warrior unwilling to become king to become the very king they hated.
Ixquic:
It is for a Heroic Spirit to betray their beliefs, and their lives by their very own will.
Ixquic:
Kingprotea abandoned the love and adoration she held for humanity, and became a cruel and heartless goddess.
Ixquic:
Beni-Enma abandoned her vow to remain the children's tale she was, and became an adult.
Ixquic:
Ereshkigal abandoned her dream of making the underworld into a land of beauty, and became a ruthless goddess.
Nitocris:
What do we fight to protect? So...that's why Ereshkigal was so...
Nitocris:
But then, what about me? What are you saying I have to betray?
Ixquic:
The only one who can decide that is you, Nitocris.
Ixquic:
However...the circumstances of your legend are not very compatible with Mictlan.
Ixquic:
Unlike the other Servants, you will have to pay a much steeper price.
Ixquic:
Even if many terrible hardships await you ahead, think on it well.
Ixquic:
Becoming an Alter is no doubt going to prove a point of no return for you.
Nitocris:
—Of course. I arrived at this conclusion after thinking on it well.
Nitocris:
I know what it is I have to betray. And also, what offering it is I have to give up to this world.
Nitocris:
Our underworld is one where the offering is to measure the weight of one's sins after death. The Aztec world is one where it is offered to the gods.
Nitocris:
“When in Rome, do as the Romans do”, wasn't it? I cannot imagine a betrayal greater than this.
Nitocris:
So much so, that I do not know how long it will be before I can look the many other esteemed Pharaohs in the face again...
Camazotz:
Stop it! Stop, stop, stop!
Camazotz:
I said I shall not look! Were Camazotz's words forgotten!?
Camazotz:
Your heart and your pride are not something to be offered up to any other!
Camazotz:
They are what you offered to yourself! They are what signify your dignity!
Camazotz:
O, woman. You fierce, tragic woman. Become not some tribute to the gods! Live not for the sake of some other!
Camazotz:
No further—reduce not your life to ashes any further...!
Nitocris:
I see now... I understand the reason why you impulsively saved me.
Nitocris:
You've lived on all this time by forgetting all there is to forget, and by granting yourself not a single thing.
Nitocris:
You kept yourself in control by making sure to never recall the past, so that you would never wish to take your own life.
Nitocris:
You imposed upon yourself the punishment of undying perpetuity, all in order for your lost human history to be kept safe.
Camazotz:
—There could be nothing more foolish! Camazotz has no such feelings!
Camazotz:
Because to forget is nothing but trouble. Because all that matters is that I remain.
Camazotz:
This kingly body is that for which the people of the Ka'an offered up their own selves. There is room for not a single shred of regret in my battle!
Nitocris:
Then I shall offer myself up as well! The heart that upon my death is to be measured for my sins, I need no longer!
Nitocris:
O Anubis, God of the Netherworld, bring judgment upon my soul.
Nitocris:
Henceforth, I am no Incarnation of the Sky God. I am the one who has embraced vengeance, the manifestation of the one who metes out divine punishment, the God of the Netherworld.
Nitocris:
—Neferu Suen Anubis. The Alter of Queen Nitocris.
Nitocris Alter:
And naturally, I will accept the prize of our wager from before.
Nitocris Alter:
By covenant, this Fourth Underworld is now my domain. As such, I enact a new decree...
Nitocris Alter:
Those who find themselves in this underworld are forbidden from forgetting anything.
Nitocris Alter:
—And now, King of Bats, we do battle.
Nitocris Alter:
Undying warrior, who fled from punishment for over 6 million years–as atonement, I shall grant you a fitting end.
--BATTLE--
Camazotz:
Rghh... Ahh, hhhaaa—!
Mash:
Beast enemy unit, still alive! We haven't managed to fully neutralize him yet!
Habetrot:
We gotta finish him off! It's now or never, Fujimaru!
Fujimaru 1:
I know!
Fujimaru 2:
Camazotz...!
Camazotz:
Hahhh, hahhh... —, ...!
Da Vinci:
Nitocris!? Is she unconscious!?
Da Vinci:
Oh no, that spot's dangerous! She'll fall down into the depths of the ravine! Wak Chan, hurry!
Wak Chan:
Gotchaaaa! I'll do my damnedest!!!
Camazotz:
Ah—Grrraaghhhh!!
Tepeu:
Camazotz took Nitocris into his arms and descended? But wait... the way he looked just now was almost like...
Fujimaru 1:
Hurry!
Fujimaru 2:
...(It almost looked like he was protecting her...)
???:
I was hasty to say that “there could be nothing more foolish”. Consequently, I can no longer describe this as above it in foolishness.
???:
Pulling out one's own heart is something not even I would dare do. The pain scares me.
???:
Queen... I shall correct you on one thing. Whomever may die, I never grieve.
???:
A million of my people stood at the precipice of our species' extinction. Tears of sadness, and of happiness. Cries of lamentation, and of exaltation.
???:
Crying families threw themselves into the crucible, begging me to not let us die. Laughing warriors threw themselves into the crucible, imploring me to save us all.
???:
At the bottom of that crucible, with a body that amounted to no more than a limbless piece of flesh, I had to watch it all unfold.
???:
My mind was at ease. “Another one dead” was about the extent of my reactions.
???:
Their deaths were their lives.
???:
Even with the lives being offered up to me before my very eyes, that was no different from what had played out before me in the life I'd had up until then.
???:
It was always the same. Be they parents, wives, or friends–no matter who died, grief never came to me.
???:
And yet...I was someone who would shed tears to tales of fiction...
???:
Truly, no matter who died, I never felt the weight of my sins.
???:
I was indifferent both to the deaths of others, and to the death of myself. And that is why I became king.
???:
—All while wondering... truly, what am I to do so that I may shed tears like a human would?
???:
A strange tale, is it not? That someone like that would worry themselves over a single woman.
???:
Ahhh... Still, to remember...is a good thing.
???:
The time that has passed is now before my eyes. The things that I have lost are brought back in all of their beauty, over and over and over again.
???:
—I understand now.
???:
—It may not be forever...
???:
—But I suppose this is what it means to live on after one's passing.
Da Vinci:
It's certain to have been somewhere around here! Hopefully she regained consciousness in the middle of the fall, but—
Mash:
She's here! It's Nitocris! No apparent injuries. She appears to be safe and sound!
Nitocris:
...
Fujimaru 1:
Nitocris!!!
Fujimaru 2:
I'm so relieved you're safe!
Nitocris:
I'm sorry to have made you worry. I lost consciousness after running out of magical energy, and then accidentally fell.
Nitocris:
But I awakened in the middle of the fall, and managed a safe landing. Perhaps Osiris was watching over me?
Fujimaru 1:
That's great, but...
Fujimaru 2:
Where's Camazotz...?
Nitocris:
What about him? When I woke up, he was nowhere to be found.
Nitocris:
Besides, did you not slay him up on the summit? So then, what does it matter?
Nitocris:
That man will never skulk about in the darkness... ever again.
Tepeu:
At the very least, I cannot hear the sounds of Camazotz's wings. The bats that filled the cave also seem to have disappeared.
Tepeu:
The greatest threat in Mictlan, the God of Death Camazotz, has been slain by your hands.
Nitocris:
...
Nitocris:
Anyway! A glorious victory, Mash, Fujimaru!
Nitocris:
I would expect no less of my coalitionists! It makes me so proud of you!
Da Vinci:
Yeah. Even if it was only limited to the influence of mankind within Mictlan, Camazotz was of the Beast Class.
Da Vinci:
The fact that we managed to defeat him on our own is practically a miracle. And that was only possible because of your help, Nitocris.
Da Vinci:
You obtained an Alter form just like the other three, but in your case it appears to have been more limited, right?
Nitocris:
Naturally. The act of beckoning Anubis into my body is something I could never have endured outside of the underworld.
Nitocris:
Hm? Is something the matter, my coalitionist?
Fujimaru 1:
(I really never wanted her to need to do something like that...)
Fujimaru 2:
(But I can't say it out loud without undermining her resolve...)
Fujimaru 1:
No, nothing—Thank you, Nitocris.
Priest Vucub:
Even the deinos on guard have disappeared. That's what those worthless imbeciles get for all dying. Cretins.
Priest Vucub:
The Dinosaur King has died, and the fighters have been wiped out. With this, Chichen Itza has come to an end.
Priest Vucub:
No, it won't end at just this city.
Priest Vucub:
Be it Chaldea, or the Crypter, if they're left to their own devices for any longer, our world will soon fall to ruin.
Priest Vucub:
And the way the deinos live, they cannot understand that logic...no, they do understand, but still ignore it.
Priest Vucub:
On account of their own might, they have neither will to live nor sense of danger. That will never change, even unto death, no, even in spite of how long we live.
Priest Vucub:
An intellect that never compares itself to others can never walk the path of progress.
Priest Vucub:
A year, a month, a day, a second.
Priest Vucub:
The only deinos who knew this dread was ultimately me, as the only one of my short-lived species.
Priest Vucub:
No matter. There is no point in me criticizing my fellow deinos at this point.
Priest Vucub:
What's important is to survive, and to innovate. Izcalli has prepared a place for me in Mexico City.
Priest Vucub:
It seems even the Ocelomeh are creatures in need of priests. I'll use those stupid apes, and make sure that I, at the very least, survive.
Section 18: Aquatic Capital (Aztlán/Calakmul)
Fujimaru 1:
This is where Mictlan ends...
Fujimaru 2:
Is that the Fantasy Tree...?
Mash:
A massive temple and a giant tree towering behind it... It's unmistakably a Fantasy Tree, but...
Da Vinci:
Yes. The Fantasy Tree remains empty, which means it's been dessicated, much like the British Lostbelt's.
Da Vinci:
Yet Mictlan remains extant as a Lostbelt.
Da Vinci:
In Britain's case, Morgan had to start over from scratch as a Lostworld to circumvent the requirement of a Fantasy Tree.
Da Vinci:
But Mictlan is different. According to Ixquic, this world has continued on until the year 2017 AD as a Lostbelt.
Da Vinci:
In which case...
Fujimaru 1:
Maybe the tree exists somewhere else in a different form?
Da Vinci:
Yes, precisely. We can clarify all of this by going to the base of that Fantasy Tree.
Da Vinci:
But let's keep regular contact before we do that. Mash, call the Storm Border.
Mash:
Understood. I'll get us in contact.
Sion:
Yes, Storm Border here. Is this the Underworld Pilgrimage Team? I'm glad you're doing fine.
Sion:
Your ID signals are telling us that you've reached the ninth layer.
Sion:
But the video feed's choppy... the footage of the ninth layer is full of static.
Sion:
The concentration of cosmic radiation, too, is harmful to the human body.
Sion:
Master Fujimaru is wearing a protective sheet for [♂ his /♀️ her] personal use,
Sion:
but please take care not to tear it.
Da Vinci:
Not to worry, the sheets woven by the deinos are sturdier and superior to the ones we have in Chaldea.
Da Vinci:
So, Sion, how's the Storm Border doing? How many more hours until it can operate?
Sion:
Fourteen hours have passed since you left Chichen Itza.
Sion:
The engines have been successfully restarted four hours ago, as planned.
Sion:
At present, we are rapidly charging our reserve batteries, reinforcing our external armor, and manufacturing a variety of weapons.
Sion:
Four more hours until our equipment reaches a satisfactory level, I should think.
Da Vinci:
Not too shabby, two hours ahead of schedule!! Everyone's putting the pedal to the metal.
Fujimaru 1:
What about Kadoc's group?
Fujimaru 2:
Where is Daybit now?
Sion:
We couldn't detect or track them...which means Daybit's current whereabouts are unknown.
Sion:
That's the bad news. And the worse news is...
Sion:
We lost contact with Kadoc's ambush party four hours ago.
Sion:
That said, the Shadow Border's signal is still functioning,
Sion:
so we should assume that they're in a situation preventing them from making contact with us.
Mash:
—So Daybit Sem Void and Tezcatlipoca are headed our way then.
Sion:
That's quite likely. Or perhaps—
Sion:
He beat you to the punch during the four hours it took you to overcome the Fourth Underworld.
Sion:
You have two options.
Sion:
You can either wait there for Kadoc's group to arrive, or move on without waiting for them.
Sion:
In Gordolf's absence, the team's leader, Fujimaru, will need to make the call.
Sion:
What'll it be?
Fujimaru 1:
...Let's get a move on.
Fujimaru 2:
We can rendezvous down there.
Da Vinci:
I suppose so. Our only choice right now is to press on.
Da Vinci:
Sion, we're headed for a temple-like structure at the base of the Fantasy Tree.
Da Vinci:
I'd like you to inform Kadoc's group that we'll rendezvous inside once they get here.
Sion:
Roger. We'll also make preparations to take flight on our end. Enjoy the exploration!
Wak Chan:
Hmmmm? You're not gonna wait for Kadoc's group?
Mash:
Yes. If the Shadow Border has not been destroyed, then I believe they are all safe.
Mash:
Our objective is to reach ORT before the Crypter does. And find the Fantasy Tree so we can excise it.
Mash:
...Even if that means dooming Mictlan.
Wak Chan:
Don't worry about that. Didn't the other deinos tell ya that too?
Wak Chan:
No one's responsible for a world's end. It's just like how the wind blows and sticks fall.
Wak Chan:
If we treat the wind as a bad thing, then that would mean all the works of nature so far would be bad too.
Wak Chan:
If ya treat a stick as a bad thing, then you'd be overlooking the hard work it's put in to stand tall.
Wak Chan:
And if there's someone who can push the wind aside and kick away the stick—
Wak Chan:
Then I don't know what their circumstances are, but I'd think they did something amazing.
Fujimaru 1:
Is it really...something amazing?
Fujimaru 2:
Why is that so?
Wak Chan:
I mean, living beings deal with other living beings their size, don't they?
Wak Chan:
Double or triple that's as far as they can go.
Wak Chan:
But when you're dealing with the world itself, it's no longer about the individual anymore.
Wak Chan:
I think they'd get plenty of people to root for them, all who wouldn't mind taking their place for them.
Wak Chan:
Only a world can kill a world. You can only destroy a world because you've got a world on your side.
Wak Chan:
All that's left is to see what happens.
Wak Chan:
It's somethin' someone with no reason, no allies, and no fortuity can do in the first place.
Mash:
It's because the world is on our side—
Nitocris:
That we can destroy a world?
Tepeu:
You refer to the idea of the world's Counter Force. That might be a little too good to be true though, Wak Chan.
Tepeu:
Let's talk as we go along. There's quite some distance to cover until we reach the temple.
Tepeu:
By the way, Nitocris. How are you feeling? Are you at risk of becoming one of those zombies I've heard about?
Tepeu:
If you ever feel like sucking blood, feel free to take some from Wak Chan. In doing so, we would secure our safety for the time being.
Nitocris:
I won't! Why are you even assuming I would!?
Tepeu:
Because that's what happens to deinos who get their blood sucked by Camazotz. Oh dear, could it be that you haven't had your blood sucked, Nitocris?
Nitocris:
No, I haven't. I'm as healthy as they come.
Tepeu:
Is that so? Then Fujimaru,
Tepeu:
Camazotz, who has utilized your Command Spells without consent, has been defeated, but how's your condition after that?
Fujimaru 1:
...I can summon now...
Fujimaru 2:
But my right as a Master hasn't returned...
Da Vinci:
In which case, you'll need to settle things with the person who stole...or rather, who you traded your Command Spells with.
Da Vinci:
But why are you asking such a thing? Aren't you acting strange, Tepeu?
Tepeu:
It is to ensure that we are all on the same page regarding our manpower...because, it pains to me to say this...
Tepeu:
I've been hearing noises from the trees around us. We appear to be besieged by hostile creatures.
Fujimaru 1:
An Ocelomeh ambush!?
Fujimaru 2:
Or those mindless deinos!?
Da Vinci:
Wait, that can't be right. This place was full of toxic gas just four hours ago.
Da Vinci:
There are no living beings who inhabit this layer. It must be the wind—
Da Vinci:
—
Tepeu:
You see?
Da Vinci:
I'm sorry, but we've got to book it to the temple! These are Fantasy Tree seeds—!
--ARROW--
Fujimaru 1:
We managed to get away somehow!
Fujimaru 2:
They won't chase us into the temple...?
Mash:
Looks like it. Perhaps...they appear to recognize this temple as something sacred?
Habetrot:
I wonder about that. Are those weird things even sentient?
Tepeu:
Even if they lack sentience, that may simply be their biological behavior. Avoidance due to detection of danger, a territorial animal of sorts.
Nitocris:
It's like escaping from a group of snakes only to fall into a pit of scorpions.
Nitocris:
...Leaving that aside, isn't it hot in here?
Nitocris:
The temperature in Mictlan is high, but this place is hotter than the norm.
Fujimaru 1:
Yeah. That's a lot of heat coming from under us.
Fujimaru 2:
Feels like it's burning my throat whenever I breathe.
Da Vinci:
It would appear that this is an environment a humanoid cannot survive without a Mystic Code's temperature adjustment function.
Da Vinci:
But this temple is built like Chichen Itza's... this one belongs to the Kingdom of Ka'an.
Da Vinci:
In which case, this was once an environment where humans could inhabit. Have you heard anything of this sort before, Tepeu?
M：Tepeu:
Only oral traditions, I'm afraid. For one, it's named Calakmul.
M：Tepeu:
Judging from the information we have so far, this is where the humanoid mankind of Mictlan originated.
M：Tepeu:
And from this capital, they migrated to the upper layers where the humanoid mankind prospered as the Kingdom of Ka'an.
Wak Chan:
Hmm? Do ya mean they moved up because it got too hot for them to live here?
M：Tepeu:
It does not appear that way to me. It is with this heat that Ka'an was founded.
M：Tepeu:
The etchings on the wall tell a story. Murals, I believe they're called?
M：Tepeu:
Judging from the first of these murals, Ka'an prospered using geothermal energy.
M：Tepeu:
I see, I see... How fascinating. I'd like to stay here if at all possible...
Nitocris:
Restrain yourself, Tepeu. We are racing against the clock right now. Those things from outside might wander in too.
M：Tepeu:
I understand. Having said that, these murals will prove most useful.
M：Tepeu:
If we read them in their correct order, they should lead us to the innermost region of the temple.
M：Tepeu:
It would seem “Chiconahualóyan” is written in the Ka'an language.
Fujimaru 1:
You can tell that much!?
Fujimaru 2:
All I can make out are scribbles!
Da Vinci:
Tepeu's brain...no, the brains of the deinos are on the scale of a supercomputer. It's a trifling matter for them to decipher something of this scale.
Mash:
Chiconahualóyan...
Mash:
At the lowest layer of the underworld Mictlan, as depicted in Aztec mythology, a world of tranquility and revival subsumed in the deep fog.
Mash:
The souls of the deceased who have continued their journey from the first layer are cleansed and freed from their suffering on this layer.
Mash:
It is for this reason that the place is known as the “true Mictlan”.
Nitocris:
The finish line for the Underworld Pilgrimage...
Nitocris:
The place where we saw ORT's carcass from Metztitlán was not a building.
Nitocris:
There's bound to be a lower layer. That must be what Chiconahualóyan is.
Fujimaru 1:
Please show us the way, Tepeu!
Tepeu:
Of course, I am the deinos who accompanied you on this journey as your guide.
Tepeu:
This appears to be my final task. I shall responsibly lead you all to your destination.
Tepeu:
In the beginning, the world had a tree.
Tepeu:
The tree connected the land and the cosmos.
Tepeu:
The cosmos it connected with invited a star.
Tepeu:
The star shattered, the world burned, and the visitors who fell from the star became Malla and healed the land.
Tepeu:
An age of peace began for the dragons, with neither natural enemies nor foreign enemies to speak of.
Tepeu:
The era of the dragons continued on for 100 million years, and then the second star was invited— The star of the end.
Tepeu:
Malla created a world beneath the land, and made themselves into a miniature sun.
Tepeu:
Thus began Mictlan.
Tepeu:
It's just like Ixquic said.
Tepeu:
Malla was a fibroid life form that came 300 million years ago from another celestial body.
Tepeu:
They fused with the plants on the surface, fixed the continents in place with that network, and created a supercontinent.
Tepeu:
The dinosaurs prospered on this supercontinent for approximately 100 million years. However, 66 million years ago,
Tepeu:
around the time of the fifth mass extinction event, as Pan-Human History puts it, yet another meteor impacted.
Tepeu:
It was the star of the end. Presumably ORT.
Da Vinci:
Yep. The dinosaurs were supposed to have gone extinct due to ORT's impact.
Da Vinci:
But Malla created an underground world, Mictlan, to protect the dinosaurs, and they themselves became the sun that Mictlan needed.
Da Vinci:
Then, bit by bit, they modified the genes of the dinosaurs, and had them evolve into a new mankind. Thus originated the deinos.
Da Vinci:
60 million years have passed since then, and 6 million years ago, the fourth extinction event occurred.
Da Vinci:
That is to say,
Mash:
ORT, which had been in suspended animation until then, reactivated.
Mash:
ORT caused the sun to vanish, and Mictlan was pushed to the brink of collapse.
Mash:
The deinos and the Ka'an, all those who lived in Mictlan joined hands to cast ORT down into the depths.
Fujimaru 1:
Ixquic said so, but...
Fujimaru 2:
No, then there's something...
Mash:
Senpai? You've been staring at the murals, did you notice anything strange—Oh.
Mash:
The order is...in reverse. On the murals, ORT only emerged after the sun had gone dark...
Mash:
So that means, um...
M：Tepeu:
Yes, Ixquic's interpretation was incorrect.
M：Tepeu:
ORT did not extinguish the sun. The sun had already been extinguished by that point.
Wak Chan:
So why'd it vanish? Did the priests screw up or somethin'?
M：Tepeu:
Its lifespan. No matter how superior a life form Malla may be, they could not create a sun that could operate indefinitely.
M：Tepeu:
After 60 million years of operation, the sun deactivated. And Mictlan was plunged into darkness.
M：Tepeu:
We deinos cannot live without sunlight. Which is why we went dormant for 100,000 years.
M：Tepeu:
During that period...in a Mictlan without a prime species such as the deinos, humanoid mankind— the Kingdom of Ka'an thrived.
M：Tepeu:
They were not under Malla's divine protection. From the very beginning, they had been abandoned by the sun.
M：Tepeu:
Which is why they developed as a civilization that relied on geothermal energy. Camazotz was the king of darkness from the onset.
Camazotz:
Even with the sun gone, Camazotz will remain. Mictlan is the only thing which will meet its end.
Camazotz:
The deinos will accept their extinction, just as they once did before.
Camazotz:
But I will not. I will not be extinguished. Even with the sun gone, I can live on with nothing but the heat of the earth.
Nitocris:
Hold it right there. Then you mean to say the deinos and Malla played no part in ORT's defeat!?
Nitocris:
In a world without a sun, only the people of Ka'an could fight to protect Mictlan...no, only that man could've done so!?
M：Tepeu:
...So long as the sun is absent, that would be the case.
M：Tepeu:
It was by the combined efforts of the humanoid mankind that ORT ceased its actions and the sun returned to Mictlan once more.
M：Tepeu:
When the deinos awoke, the Kingdom of Ka'an had been annihilated.
M：Tepeu:
No, the deinos never even laid eyes on the Kingdom of Ka'an.
M：Tepeu:
We merely used the remnants of this humanoid mankind civilization that arose during the 100,000 years of solar absence without questioning it.
Wak Chan:
...I see. So THAT's why the deinos are all scared of Camazotz...
Wak Chan:
There's no excuse for what we pulled...
M：Tepeu:
The Kingdom of Ka'an can be said to be the only myth in Mictlan. Camazotz is quite literally a denizen of a mythological world.
M：Tepeu:
Here ends the murals. I believe Chiconahualóyan lies beyond this point.
M：Tepeu:
The final mural has this to say.
M：Tepeu:
“The king uncovered the star of the end, and thus the star became a seedling of the cosmic tree.”
M：Tepeu:
“Touch not the carcass of the star. For the carcass is already the cornerstone of Mictlan.”
M：Tepeu:
“The star of the end itself is now a seedling of fantasy.”
Fujimaru 1:
Then that means...
Mash:
The star of the end becoming the cosmic tree means... ORT fused with the Fantasy Tree...?
Da Vinci:
...Well, I guess that's the gist of it.
Da Vinci:
ORT was driven into a corner by Ka'an, and sought to use the Fantasy Tree as a source of energy.
Da Vinci:
Or is it that the Ka'an used the Fantasy Tree to corner ORT?
Da Vinci:
Either way, ORT fused with the Fantasy Tree. If we take this as fact, it would explain the appearance of the Fantasy Tree outside.
Da Vinci:
“The Fantasy Tree itself is dessicated. However, the Fantasy Tree lives on in a different form.”
Da Vinci:
Our final objective has just been updated. Or rather, we've gone back to our very first objective.
Da Vinci:
We will annihilate ORT. For that is what we ought to do in the Seventh Lostbelt.
--ARROW--
Fujimaru 1:
I can see a temple in the midst of the lava...
Fujimaru 2:
Can we descend down there from up here on the ceiling?
Habetrot:
Holy crap, no wonder it's so hot! What is that, a lake of fire!? It's not even letting off smoke!
Tepeu:
When we left the temple's hidden stairs, we found ourselves looking down at yet another underground cavity...
Tepeu:
Now I see. Gordolf had mentioned that all gentlemen dream of a white house with a pool and garden.
Tepeu:
Are dwellings like this at all common in Pan-Human History?
Nitocris:
Not even in the Age of Gods were there such absurd homes. Are you still so confused about Pan-Human History, Tepeu?
Nitocris:
And whatever you do, don't try to swim in the sea of lava. You'd better be careful too, Mash.
Mash:
You should tell that to Kiyohime.
Mash:
Aside from that, if the base of Mictlan is a lava flow, and the extent of Malla's reach is the nine layers we know,
Mash:
then this layer must be the Earth's original geological layer.
Da Vinci:
Yeah, that would be the mantle layer.
Da Vinci:
But it's not as solid as the mantle should be, most likely due to whatever's under the pyramid-shaped temple.
Da Vinci:
Can you use SHEBA to scan the surrounding structure, Mash?
Mash:
On it. It's 100 meters from the ceiling to the base of the temple.
Mash:
Furthermore, there seems to be a cavity over 200 meters in diameter in the temple's substructure.
Fujimaru 1:
We need to go deeper.
Fujimaru 2:
...Could the temple be an elevator heading down?
Mash:
Exactly, Master. The temple has a shaft going further underground.
Mash:
SHEBA's observations say that the space below is the end of Mictlan...the roots of the Fantasy Tree.
Wak Chan:
Guess that means we're headin' down. The walls are pretty rugged as it is.
Wak Chan:
You guys might be able to use them as footholds for descending.
Habetrot:
It's okay, Wak Chan. Just wait here. The footholds are obviously meant for humans.
Habetrot:
Anyone as big as you would lose your footing. We'll be back soon, so don't worry.
K：Tepeu:
I believe I can make it. I'm light enough, and can always glide if need be.
Da Vinci:
All right. Wak Chan will guard our stuff here, so let's get prepared to move.
Da Vinci:
Use the footholds on the wall to descend, and the bridge to cross over to the temple.
Nitocris:
—
Mash:
...Is there something bothering you, Nitocris?
Nitocris:
It's nothing. I only heard the sound of water.
Nitocris:
One bad step and you won't even know you've died, but there's no time to lose. Descend as quickly as you can while using the greatest caution.
Fujimaru 1:
We made it down in one piece!
Fujimaru 2:
But getting back up is gonna be a nasty trip!
Mash:
Oh! Two vital responses dead ahead! That's—Tezcatlipoca!
Tezcatlipoca:
Well, damn.
Tezcatlipoca:
I'm amazed how well Daybit called it. It's crazy that they arrived at the same time as me, who actually knew the way.
Tezcatlipoca:
By the looks of things, not one of 'em got put out of commission in the Fourth Underworld. Camazotz must've lost his touch for battle.
Tezcatlipoca:
Both of 'em were reps of mankind and all that, so I'd have hoped he'd at least have bit off that Master's head or something.
Tezcatlipoca:
But, yeah, the damn Command Spells are to blame. Don't those things use a ton of magical energy?
Tezcatlipoca:
He made three whole Servants undergo Alteration. He must've been real hungry after that.
Izcalli:
—Pests such as them should be awed by the magnanimity of bestowing those words, mighty Tezcatlipoca.
Izcalli:
However, it is my duty to eliminate these pests. May I see to it?
Tezcatlipoca:
Oh right, it's true that it was your job. I won't stop you.
Tezcatlipoca:
If you despise Pan-Human History, it's best for you to unload that here. Unfinished business is horrible for your health.
Tezcatlipoca:
Dying with unfinished business is part of being human for anybody, but—Wait, hold on.
Tezcatlipoca:
So this is the depth she was brought down to? You and fate are having quite the fling, Izcalli.
Tezcatlipoca:
A god made it right on time. It seems your fight will have to wait.
Izcalli:
...?
Tlaloc:
—
Fujimaru 1:
Tlaloc...!
Fujimaru 2:
(She's covered in wounds... Are those from Camazotz's claws?)
Izcalli:
Goddess Tlaloc! It's good to see that you are safe!
Tezcatlipoca:
Yeah. Camazotz drank her blood, so she's tattered on the inside, but her wounds should heal down here.
Tezcatlipoca:
After all, this is where she was summoned. Pan-Human History calls this place Aztlan. The land of origin.
Tezcatlipoca:
Cut the crap and reveal your true self, Hummingbird.
Tezcatlipoca:
They won't be beaten while you're hiding your name. Don't bother yourself with the duties of those gods if they can't be arsed to do it themselves.
Tezcatlipoca:
Besides, haven't you always been stronger when you were fighting for the humans?
Izcalli:
—For the humans?
Izcalli:
Gods should exist as a means to rule the people. If Tlaloc fights for humans—
Tlaloc:
Tch, Tezcatlipoca!
Tezcatlipoca:
Oops, no more terms of endearment. Shame on me for letting it slip, but that's just what we get.
Tezcatlipoca:
Kill them all. I'll take Izcalli to the coffin.
Tezcatlipoca:
Do whatever you like afterwards. Fade away, return to Mexico City, you're free to choose.
Tezcatlipoca:
C'mon, Izcalli.
Tlaloc:
—And so, you've come to face me again.
Tlaloc:
First in the rainforest, second in Mexico City, and a third time in Chichen Itza.
Tlaloc:
Not once did you people win against me. You only evaded death through sheer happenstance.
Tlaloc:
This time will be no different.
Tlaloc:
Lostbelt History, Pan-Human History, you're all the same to me. May the invaders who disembarked to destroy us receive due punishment from the gods.
Tlaloc:
God of rain, Tlaloc. God of war, Huitzilopochtli. Both shares of divine retribution shall judge you harsh.
Da Vinci:
...Not good. Her words aren't bluster. The affinity with this place seemingly has her stronger than we've ever seen.
Da Vinci:
Her Saint Graph is practically saturated with defensive concepts. She's not the attacker Camazotz was, but she surpasses him in defense.
Da Vinci:
She'd be too difficult to meet head-on. We'll need to avoid a fight and find another way—
Nitocris:
No, there isn't time for that. That thing would never be so kind as to leave us an opening anyway.
Nitocris:
—So allow me to handle things here. It's high time I vindicated myself for my loss.
Nitocris:
Please take care of the rest, Da Vinci. And I apologize for ending my role early, Mash.
Nitocris:
And Fujimaru, judge me fairly.
Nitocris:
Being able to thank me in that situation makes you a first-rate summoner.
Fujimaru 1:
Nitocris...?
Nitocris:
Worry not. Let me show you the power of a Pharaoh who once took charge of her country!
Tlaloc:
Look who it is. The queen who twice failed to protect her precious ship.
Tlaloc:
I'm so tired of fighting you. Your spirits will simply never get the better of me.
Tlaloc:
As you're just one Servant, I'll allow you to flee. It should be plain to see that I am, after all, generous.
Nitocris:
As generous as a pig. You are a despot at heart, avaricious and melancholic.
Nitocris:
It was merely a rival's instinct that spurred your attempt to destroy the Storm Border as well.
Nitocris:
You sensed that it was superior in both grace and practicality, which made you so eager to destroy it.
Nitocris:
Any who do not submit to you or who seem greater than you are subjected to thorough criticism.
Nitocris:
A small-minded creature, no, an artifice merely built small. Am I not inaccurate, charlatan to Tlaloc's name?
Tlaloc:
...You self-proclaimed incarnations of gods must not know when to shut your mouths.
Tlaloc:
To speak ill of a Divine Spirit when you're aware you can't measure up in ability. Have you lost all pride as a queen?
Nitocris:
You're making this a farce. It's already plain to all that you're no Divine Spirit.
Nitocris:
Why not reveal your True Name if you've been given leave by Tezcatlipoca?
Nitocris:
Or do you prefer that I expose you? That must be your desire. Such obstinacy must be all that's holding you back from revealing it yourself.
Tlaloc:
—You are some kind of imbecile. There's no possible way you'd know my True Name.
Tlaloc:
And by what power does a loser like you claim to judge a god with in the first place?
Tlaloc:
It would be irritating to hear you misguidedly shout the names of other gods at me. If you want so badly to disappear, I shall destroy you in one blow.
Nitocris:
Obviously, only gods can judge gods. All the more when it's a false god.
Nitocris:
If an incarnation cannot defeat you, I will offer up my heart once more.
Tlaloc:
...!
Tlaloc:
You have another form...!? No, wait, this is an Alter—!
Nitocris Alter:
Scheme not, for it is blasphemous. No statements of fraud or deceitful forgeries can withstand my scales.
Nitocris Alter:
Thou art no worshipped god!
Nitocris Alter:
It is not for divine law, or for the Human Order, but for city-dwelling subjects that thou shed blood!
Nitocris Alter:
Thy True Name is all too clear! The Lake of the Moon, Metztliapan!
Nitocris Alter:
Nay, there is a name better suited to thy appearance! The cradle for holy ground, Tenochtitlan!
Nitocris Alter:
The most prosperous waterside city of Mesoamerica, and enshrined with two gods!
I：■l■■■c:
—Y-You're truly an imbecile. How could a city become a Heroic Spirit?
Mash:
Um... The Saint Graph observation according to SHEBA has stabilized. It looks like a perfect match for entry.
I：Tenochtitlan:
You absolute bastards! How can you decipher the True Name of a Heroic Spirit by guesswork alone!?
Nitocris Alter:
High blasphemy. Nothing goes unseen before my golden eyes. The laws of my underworld forbid reckless gambles.
Nitocris Alter:
—Show your true form this instant! I shall squarely beat you to rubble with my unadulterated true power!
I：Tenochtitlan:
Such conceit after becoming a mere Alter—Very well, I'll answer your challenge!
I：Tenochtitlan:
The Aztecs have no need for desert gods! I'll return you to dust where you stand!
--BATTLE--
Nitocris Alter:
Your ramparts have crumbled! You've fallen, Tenochtitlan!
J：Tenochtitlan:
...! (This is bad, I'm going to lose...!)
Tenochtitlan:
(The next attack...the Noble Phantasm's death blow, isn't coming...?)
Nitocris Alter:
How long are you going to keep those eyes shut? You may be incapacitated, but you're not fatally wounded, are you?
Tenochtitlan:
...What do you mean? Aren't you going to carve my heart out?
Nitocris Alter:
That is a possibility, but now's not the time. The hearts I grasp are those of the dead.
Nitocris Alter:
I have no need for the hearts of the living with work yet to complete. They feel warm, and they disgust me.
Nitocris Alter:
Nor am I returning the favor for having been spared by you once before.
Nitocris Alter:
The only way to make up for that humiliation is to whip you a hundred times and break you thoroughly. This is not nearly enough.
Tenochtitlan:
...Even though I spared you, you'd return the favor by murdering me. Are you the type to cover up their mistakes? Some god you turned out to be.
Nitocris Alter:
Looks like you've still got enough spunk in you to back-talk.
Nitocris Alter:
Fine then. My only concern was having overdone it.
Fujimaru 1:
Nitocris!?
Fujimaru 2:
The way she's vanishing...isn't an unsummoning...
Nitocris:
This won't do, my coalitionist. Even if we have made her submit, our enemy is a savage Mesoamerican Heroic Spirit.
Nitocris:
There's no guarantee she won't attack you with the last of her strength. Just stay there and send me off.
Nitocris:
We've already said our goodbyes earlier, haven't we? This is as far as I go. I apologize for this selfishness of mine.
Nitocris:
Though in truth, I suppose I should say it's a surprise I've managed to come this far at all!
Nitocris:
I tore out my own heart and used it as fuel to turn myself into an Alter, so it's only inevitable that I vanish.
Nitocris:
I had already died in the Fourth Underworld.
Nitocris:
Incarnating as an Alter is only possible within an underworld. If it takes place outside of one, this is the inevitable result.
Nitocris:
It is unfortunate that the “current me” must be erased here, but I don't regret it.
Nitocris:
Pharaoh Nitocris can no longer be summoned to Chaldea.
Fujimaru 1:
...I wouldn't be so sure.
Nitocris:
There's a very, very slim chance of that. But it may go as you say.
Nitocris:
A version of me new to Chaldea may form just as strong a coalition with you.
Fujimaru 2:
Okay. Don't worry about what comes next.
Nitocris:
Of course not! After all, my coalitionist is a seasoned veteran!
Tenochtitlan:
...Why? Just what was worth sacrificing so much for?
Tenochtitlan:
It's certain you could've killed me, but I don't understand why you didn't. It's humiliating enough that I wish you would've.
Nitocris:
I should say so. It's enough to make me doubt my own character.
Nitocris:
I can't believe I feel kinship to a woman as miserable, stubborn, and melancholic as you.
Tenochtitlan:
Kinship? Between me and you?
Nitocris:
Yes. I'd only been thinking about my position, and hid what I truly desired.
Nitocris:
Just as you said, I am a queen who only fought for my vengeance.
Nitocris:
I set a vicious trap to execute the priests who were so much more powerful than I.
Nitocris:
Some praised it as an act of courage, others as an act of wisdom...
Nitocris:
...All of it was proof of my folly.
Nitocris:
It all happened too late. Those who I wanted to protect were already lost.
Nitocris:
I didn't realize that the time to show courage and wisdom had long since passed me by.
Nitocris:
However weak I was, I should have fought to protect my brothers rather than fight to kill the priests who had already slain them.
Nitocris:
Whatever scars formed on my soul from punishing myself after the fact did nothing to change my regrets.
Nitocris:
The way you so reluctantly fought reminded me of myself back then, before I lost my brothers.
Nitocris:
So—while this is a self-serving wish, one only ever meant for my own salvation, I hope it finds its way into your heart.
Nitocris:
When you should fight, and whom you should fight. Don't deceive yourself when you know the answers to those questions.
Nitocris:
You promised to shed blood for your people, did you not, beautiful city incarnate?
Nitocris:
Doesn't some regret still linger in that heart of yours?
Mash:
...Confirmed disappearance of Nitocris' Saint Graph. The original stored at the Border is most likely...
Fujimaru 1:
...! The battle made the bridge start to crumble!
Fujimaru 2:
Everybody, run!
Da Vinci:
Oh no, the sea of lava is down there. We're done for if we fall in! Talk later, just hurry into the temple—
Section 19: World Tree
Tezcatlipoca:
Hey, it's been a year. As bright as ever here. ORT, my man, how's life been treating ya?
Tezcatlipoca:
Pretty shit, I bet! Got your reactor core run right through! Damn, I feel for ya, being stuck in on the verge of death for six million years!
Tezcatlipoca:
Still, you better thank me. Nappy time's soon over. I'll be healing that wound up for you.
Tezcatlipoca:
The Cosmic Tree Ceiba, the centre of the world in Mayan mythology. The 13-layered heaven, and 9-layered underworld from Aztec mythology.
Tezcatlipoca:
You'll bore through 'em all, and shatter the planet. The time has come for you to once again rise from the bottom of the earth and head for the cosmos.
Izcalli:
...This bottomless hole...is the coffin...
Izcalli:
So does the weapon you require slumber within it?
Tezcatlipoca:
Not really within, it's more like below. This hole is something Camazotz gouged out from the earth.
Tezcatlipoca:
The island we're standing on is also a part of ORT. If we'd compare it to a human...something like the guy's cranium?
Tezcatlipoca:
The bottom of this hole connects to its heart. You see that massive tree over there?
Tezcatlipoca:
That's the Fantasy Tree of this Lostbelt. Name's Quasar. Or was, I guess.
Tezcatlipoca:
Six million years ago, ORT was thrown all the way down here by the Ka'an, and then forced into dormancy by Malla.
Tezcatlipoca:
And yet...right before its dormancy, it infested and consumed the Fantasy Tree on the ninth layer.
Tezcatlipoca:
As a result, even though the Fantasy Tree withered, its functions were inherited by ORT.
Tezcatlipoca:
There're these caterpillar fungi in Pan-Human History, you see. Guy's like the opposite of that.
Tezcatlipoca:
The Fantasy Tree constructed by the Alien God disappeared, but thanks to ORT, Mictlan stayed the way it was before, continuing to operate as a Lostbelt.
Tezcatlipoca:
This is the one case in which ORT being an imperishable monster actually worked in anyone's favor.
Izcalli:
It's imperishable but...dead? It was killed, wasn't it?
Tezcatlipoca:
Yeah. It was killed and so ceased activity. Don't matter what kinda being you are, you lose your vital organs and you'll die.
Tezcatlipoca:
Still, what happens after that's different for this guy. Somehow it's a living organism, but lacks a biological “death”.
Tezcatlipoca:
Told you about artificial organs before, right? Replacement organs for when you've lost some to injury or disease.
Tezcatlipoca:
If you've lost an arm, you just transplant one onto yourself that's the exact same.
Tezcatlipoca:
If your internal organs are rotting, you get more. If your brain's gone flying, you get a new identical one.
Tezcatlipoca:
Well, gonna be a long time until someone manages to make an accurate copy of the brain, but still, just using it as an example.
Tezcatlipoca:
Anyway, even if humans still die from parts of their bodies going missing, they've gotten to the point where they can restore their shape back to normal.
Tezcatlipoca:
But—once dead...
Tezcatlipoca:
When humans cease activity even once, even if they got their shape back to normal, they won't come back to life.
Tezcatlipoca:
Even if they'd restored themselves back to something that looks and functions the same, they won't reactivate. If you think about it, isn't it kinda weird?
Tezcatlipoca:
By just “ceasing to function” even once, organic life will die.
Tezcatlipoca:
Then we have machines. They are free from this weirdness.
Tezcatlipoca:
Even if their power source gets disconnected, and even if they're reduced to junk, long as the broken parts are replaced, they'll come back to life.
Tezcatlipoca:
That's why it's said that once a brain cell's died, it won't come back.
Tezcatlipoca:
The boundary between life and machine isn't an issue of “natural vs artificial” or “intelligence vs non-intelligence”.
Tezcatlipoca:
But rather “whether or not all's over once you've died a single time”. Call that Tezcatlipoca's take on it, at least.
Izcalli:
Y-Yes. I'm happy to see that it appears you're in a better mood than usual.
Tezcatlipoca:
Life is something that can die. If something can die, then I'd say it's alive even if it was a machine.
Tezcatlipoca:
But undeath isn't a part of this. Stuff that refuses to die ain't alive. They're phenomena.
Tezcatlipoca:
That's the kind of lifeform ORT is. Something close to a phenomenon. Even if it dies once, long as its shape remains, it'll eventually reactivate.
Tezcatlipoca:
What's even scarier is that ORT restores itself automatically.
Tezcatlipoca:
Well, not like humans don't also try at everything they've got to heal their injuries.
Tezcatlipoca:
Simple injuries can be taken care off by yourself, and if greater ones can be treated by society, then that's practically automatic healing, ain't it?
Tezcatlipoca:
Even so, if their brains or hearts get done in, they kick the bucket. There's a limit to what can be healed, see.
Tezcatlipoca:
This is a limit that ORT ain't got.
Tezcatlipoca:
The cells in its toes, the nervous system controlling its limbs, the heart generating its power, the brain that acts as its command structure...
Tezcatlipoca:
For ORT, these are all nothing more than equally unimportant parts.
Tezcatlipoca:
Every one of its cells possesses every one of its functions. No matter what part you destroy, it'll restore itself.
Tezcatlipoca:
Only reason it's still inactive like this is 'cause Malla's gone and fooled the damn thing.
Tezcatlipoca:
Sooner or later, this bad boy's gonna activate, whether we help it or not.
Tezcatlipoca:
But before that happens, Daybit's idea was that we'd do a little tampering with it.
Tezcatlipoca:
This monster would just run amok a bit, then get tired and fly away UNLESS we give it one little order.
Tezcatlipoca:
And that's where you come in. Got it, Izcalli?
Izcalli:
I understand... My body is a one-year Tezcatlipoca.
Izcalli:
I'm a being you created, one whose purpose is to develop into a god, and then be offered up as sacrifice.
Tezcatlipoca:
Well done. Looks like we ain't gotta wait for Daybit then. Let's start.
Izcalli:
...
Izcalli:
That's the arm of goddess Tlaloc!? Why is nothing but her arm falling from the ceil—
Izcalli:
Wait, but that's...impossible! It has to be!
Tezcatlipoca:
Hah—so what kinda fate led to this?
Tezcatlipoca:
Master of Chaldea, just what did you change, and how, for this outcome to occur? Tell me.
Fujimaru 1:
We're...safe?
Fujimaru 2:
The hand of the altar robot...protected us...
Habetrot:
—Got to experience something crazy there.
Habetrot:
We fell close to a hundred meters, all while being embraced by some massive arm.
Mash:
Could it be...that you saved us, Tenochtitlan?
Tenochtitlan:
I was just trying to keep myself safe, that's all. I just brought you along for the ride when I happened to spot you. Still...
Tenochtitlan:
It seems...we're too late.
Da Vinci:
Whatever the case, allow us to express our gratitude. Thank you for breaking our fall, Tenochtitlan.
Da Vinci:
But your body is reaching its limits. No matter whether you want to stay an enemy, or become an ally, you shouldn't try to move any more.
Da Vinci:
(Now then—)
Da Vinci:
This is the Fantasy Tree of this Lostbelt, consumed by ORT. And the massive pit in front of us is...
Fujimaru 1:
The coffin of ORT—
Fujimaru 2:
(This is the same thing we saw in Metztitlán...)
Tezcatlipoca:
So you saved the enemies who would've otherwise fallen to their death had you not intervened, did you now, Hummingbird?
Tezcatlipoca:
Post-battle friendship? Sure, go ahead. If you stand to profit from that, it ain't a bad deal.
Tezcatlipoca:
But what part of that is gonna bring us any profit? Now you better give me the logical answer of an Aztec god here.
Tenochtitlan:
...
Tezcatlipoca:
All right then. Guess I'll have to cuts ties with you for now.
Tezcatlipoca:
Might as well put you down here, I guess. It'd be kinda annoying if you came back to bite me, after all.
Fujimaru 1:
—Wait,
Izcalli:
Please reconsider, Tezcatlipoca! It might've just been some kind of mistake!
Izcalli:
Goddess Tlaloc is Mexico City's patron god! She's our—the Ocelomeh's god!
Izcalli:
She would never save the invaders from Pan-Human History!
Tezcatlipoca:
Think so? Seems pretty clear to me she did. And besides, all she ever protected was herself.
Tezcatlipoca:
She wasn't ever protecting you, nor was she ever your god.
Tezcatlipoca:
Did she ever as much as look at the Ocelomeh even once? Of course not.
Tezcatlipoca:
Girl's a Pan-Human Heroic Spirit right down to the bones. She'd never side with the man-apes of Mictlan.
Izcalli:
—That's not... She might have always been rather quiet, but regardless, Tlaloc always, always—
Tezcatlipoca:
That ain't it, Izcalli. Sorry. My bad, really. I forgot how it feels to be all adoring of the gods when you're a kid.
Tezcatlipoca:
That said, the girl's name's isn't Tlaloc. Her True Name's something else.
Tezcatlipoca:
You think someone who never revealed their actual name to you ever trusted any of you?
Izcalli:
—
Tezcatlipoca:
Well damn. So you did notice she was hiding her name then? Makes sense, you're quick on the uptake. Sure are.
Tezcatlipoca:
Right. Guess now that we've worked all that out, we might as well fight!
Tezcatlipoca:
Given they've caught up to us, ain't much more we can do. Let's start the final battle.
Izcalli:
No... It's MY responsibility to take care of these people.
Izcalli:
It is the duty of the king to kill any invaders.
Tezcatlipoca:
Sure, the duty of the king, I guess. Kinda wish you'd got past that by now though.
Tezcatlipoca:
Yeah, I might as well spoil you one last time. Not gonna die anyway, are you? Go kill to your heart's content.
K：Mash:
Master, not much time has passed since our last battle. Provide your Servants with only as much magical energy as needed.
K：Mash:
If it's just him...Habetrot and I will be enough...
Fujimaru 1:
I know...
Fujimaru 2:
That's what I'd intended from the start.
Izcalli:
We never settled things when we fought at Mexico's altar, Chaldea.
Izcalli:
A shame about what happened in Chichen Itza. I was not blessed with the opportunity to meet and kill you on the battlefield.
Izcalli:
Nevertheless, I have been granted one last chance. I will kill you all, and then I shall become Tezcatlipoca.
Izcalli:
There is no need for your filthy Pan-Human History on Earth. You will perish here, still ignorant of your own foolishness.
Fujimaru 1:
But you ARE aware of your own foolishness?
Izcalli:
—Feeling witty, are we? A big difference from last time we fought. Is that how you really are? You've got guts.
Izcalli:
Both the first time and second times we fought, you were always frantically trying to save your allies from danger.
Izcalli:
But not now. Now you're focused on only yours and the enemy's life. In order to save the place where you belong. In order to save the world.
Izcalli:
I know that expression...that fighting spirit. That's the expression of someone looking to defeat their invaders.
Izcalli:
Right, I get it. If I bring this monster back to life, I'll become the invader who destroys your world.
Izcalli:
—And what of it? There is nothing I want from Pan-Human History.
Fujimaru 1:
Even though...you're also a human from Pan-Human History?
Izcalli:
— Why...do you think that?
Izcalli:
Is it because I look like you people do? Is it because I'm the only one who can understand your language?
Izcalli:
Or is it—because the way I act is the same as you people from Pan-Human History?
Izcalli:
But even so, what's the issue? The same species killing one another is what people from Pan-Human History do.
Izcalli:
I'll prove here once and for all just which creatures harbor the most hate for their enemies!
--ARROW--
Izcalli:
...
Tezcatlipoca:
What's wrong? Your morale's lacking, Izcalli.
Tezcatlipoca:
Where'd your tempestuous bloodlust go? Was Tlaloc's defection that much of a shock to you?
Izcalli:
...No, it's simply a difference in ability.
Izcalli:
Even with such a small number of Servants, that Master's strength remains unchanged.
Tezcatlipoca:
So you've acknowledged him as a warrior? Well, whatever. Humans can never match up to Servants anyway.
Tezcatlipoca:
It was obvious how it'd play out, but it wasn't a waste of time. It's important to always try before you write something off.
Fujimaru 1:
(This smoke...is Tezcatlipoca's...)
Fujimaru 2:
(Damn it, we can't get close!)
Tezcatlipoca:
If you feel like you're finished, then it's time to go fulfill your duty, Izcalli.
Tezcatlipoca:
The deinos hearts we've collected over the year have restored ORT's body parts, but it still needs one last kick.
Tezcatlipoca:
Go light the ignition of the engine. Offer up your divine body to the coffin. Mictlan's ruin is at hand.
Izcalli:
...
Tezcatlipoca:
What's wrong? You just need to fall into the hole. Should be far easier than killing, but...you having second thoughts or what?
Izcalli:
...I cannot do it.
Izcalli:
And I do not even know why.
Izcalli:
But, I do not want to revive ORT. I get the feeling that cannot be allowed to happen.
Izcalli:
Please...please reconsider, Tezcatlipoca. I have no problem with Pan-Human History's destruction.
Izcalli:
But...there shouldn't be any need for us to destroy the planet–to destroy Mictlan!
Tezcatlipoca:
Izcalli.
Izcalli:
Almighty Tezcatlipoca. Your objective is not for us to be victorious.
Izcalli:
Your divine character is destruction and rebirth. Therefore—
Izcalli:
Once Pan-Human History is gone, the age of the Ocelomeh should follow! Wouldn't both destruction and rebirth be fulfilled then!?
Tezcatlipoca:
That's right. A convincing argument. Really didn't imagine I'd get all the way here only to be lectured by myself.
Tezcatlipoca:
Izcalli–actually, Moctezuma. The king that ruined the Aztecs in Pan-Human History.
Tezcatlipoca:
Had my doubts about the end of your era. Like how whether to start it anew was all that correct a decision.
Tezcatlipoca:
So the one way to determine this was to give you another shot.
Tezcatlipoca:
Call it pity, if you wanna be blunt. What choices would the betrayed soul make when given a second chance?
Tezcatlipoca:
And you did good over this one year.
Tezcatlipoca:
Even if only in soul, you very much did overcome Tezcatlipoca's trials.
Tezcatlipoca:
So if someone like that feels like they can't do it, I'm not gonna protest.
Tezcatlipoca:
Even if I did raise you into a god's heart with great care, I'll give up on offering you to ORT.
Tezcatlipoca:
If the sacrifice himself doesn't have the will to destroy the world, then that future won't be realized.
Izcalli:
Does that mean—
Tezcatlipoca:
Yeah, see ya.
Izcalli:
W-Why—
Tezcatlipoca:
Those are the rules. If you wanna reprimand a god, then do it with your life.
Tezcatlipoca:
Right then. A bit sudden, but I got a favor to ask of ya, Magus.
Tezcatlipoca:
As you can see, things didn't quite go as I wanted. The product I'd wanted to deliver's gotten away from me.
Tezcatlipoca:
And that's when I got this great idea. The heart of a human who's erased six Lostbelts could probably pass off as a pretty good sacrifice, yeah?
Tezcatlipoca:
I mean, you're used to destroying stuff. I'm sure ORT will love it. Still a bit too sweet to the taste for me though.
Fujimaru 1:
—Don't treat me like I'm your product.
Tezcatlipoca:
Got it. You're the spoils of battle then.
Fujimaru 2:
Why'd you kill Izcalli?
Tezcatlipoca:
Ain't gonna waste time on something I've got no need for. I used my right lung for his existence.
Tezcatlipoca:
I told you before, but I've got a human body right now. If I wanna do my tricks, I gotta pay for it with my own insides.
Tezcatlipoca:
As of today, it's been a year since I lost my right lung. Either way, Izcalli's life would still've burned up in a few hours.
Tezcatlipoca:
We're done talking. You've rested more than enough given how much you held back against Izcalli, right?
Tezcatlipoca:
—So you'd better give me your best. I'll grind you down between my teeth.
--BATTLE--
Habetrot:
Nothing hits, nothing sticks, and it never ends! It's not like he's super, super strong or anything, but I don't see how we're gonna win here!
Habetrot:
We get enough nothings and nevers from Sion! We can't go on like this! It's too dangerous, Fujimaru!
Da Vinci:
This smoke isn't just a smokescreen! It's an Authority of Probability Manipulation!
Da Vinci:
It's way worse than just being unable to hit him! Worst case scenario, he might manipulate the result of “being defeated” into “not being defeated”!
Da Vinci:
For as long as that smoke stays up, this battle won't end! A truly endless struggle!
Mash:
But what should we do!? If we use the Black Barrel, the whole cave would collapse!
Fujimaru 1:
(Maybe we just put some distance between him and us!?)
Fujimaru 2:
(We need an attack on the Barrel's level, but with a narrower range!!)
Mash:
...! Enemy reinforcements aren't stopping! We can't... anymore...!
Tezcatlipoca:
What!? This thunder!? Not you again, dammit! What're you playing at, Alien God!?
Dramatic entrance:
Muahahaha! Seems like my finger slipped from all the sweat! I mean, do you feel how hot it is? Nothing I could've done to prevent it!
Habetrot:
It's a bird!
Da Vinci:
It's a plane!
Tepeu:
It's the President, of course.
Fujimaru 1:
No!
Mash:
It's Director Olga Marie!
--ARROW--
U-Olga Marie:
Muahahaha! Seems like my finger slipped from all the sweat! I mean, do you feel how hot it is? Nothing I could've done to prevent it!
Rasputin:
I should think the Alien God wouldn't even sense this paltry amount of heat, not to mention that it's doubtful you have the ability to sweat anyway.
U-Olga Marie:
I do at least have sweat glands! I sweat whenever I'm in trouble, actually!
Tezcatlipoca:
...
Mash:
Senpai! Da Vinci! That lightning bolt from the sky was from Olga Marie!
Da Vinci:
Yep. That's our I-was-going-to-just-wait-and-see-but-couldn't-hold-my-self-back-from-flying-in President of Earth, alright!
Tepeu:
Accompanied by Father Kotomine who is standing up near the ceiling by the wall. Completely outside of the battlezone. As always, the perfect pacifist.
J：Tezcatlipoca:
What is Kukulkan doing... Your strongest enemy should be met by their own strongest enemy, shouldn't they?
J：Tezcatlipoca:
Don't get in my way, Beast. Can't you see I'm in the middle of a trial here?
J：Tezcatlipoca:
And besides, are you really gonna pretend to be a human again? Didn't you say your farewells to these people?
U-Olga Marie:
Hmph. I was just over here sightseeing, and happened to bump into you all by complete coincidence, that's all!
U-Olga Marie:
And as usual, you are killing one another. Earthlings are so unsightly!
U-Olga Marie:
And just to let you know! That was just my way of greeting you! It's not like I was trying to save anyone or anything!
Mash & Habetrot:
Uh...
Da Vinci & Tepeu:
—
U-Olga Marie:
...
Fujimaru 1:
—
Beni-Enma:
I see. I hope that you're still together.
Beni-Enma:
Be that ath it may, human hearts can tend to change.
Beni-Enma:
Even small misunderstandings can lead to crackth that cannot be mended.
Beni-Enma:
Ask when you must. Apologize when you must. Drift away too far and you cannot hear the other call out.
Beni-Enma:
You only live once. Whatever the occasion, don't balk at an opportunity to talk thingth out.
Fujimaru 1:
This is the third time, U-Olga Marie!
Fujimaru 2:
I'm sorry for not telling you before!
U-Olga Marie:
Very well! Let's bury the hatchet here in Earth's mantle! Hopefully that'll do at least something about how hot it is here!
U-Olga Marie:
But never mind that! Do you understand why I'm helping you out here!?
Fujimaru 1:
That goes without saying!
Fujimaru 2:
Of course!
Fujimaru 1:
Because we're friends!
U-Olga Marie:
—
U-Olga Marie:
Then, Master of Chaldea! Together with [♂ his /♀️ her] Servant! Here we go!
U-Olga Marie:
His power is of little consequence! Pay it no mind! I command you to go all out!
E：Mash:
—Yes! Mash Kyrielight, personnel at Chaldea, will naturally fight alongside you!
--BATTLE--
Tezcatlipoca:
Ugh...!
Fujimaru 1:
We did it!
U-Olga Marie:
An overwhelming victory! Well, all but expected given you were fighting alongside me!
Fujimaru 1:
With that, the plan to revive ORT has failed!
U-Olga Marie:
What? Is that how it works!?
Rasputin:
That is how it works, my lady. I told you so, didn't I? That you'd only have things to lose by helping them out?
Rasputin:
The half-year of hard work we did while hidden away in the South American Lostbelt has now all gone by wayside. Hahaha.
U-Olga Marie:
Arghgh... Arghrhghghrghrhghhg!
U-Olga Marie:
That's...good, Rasputin! I intended as much from the start, really!
Da Vinci:
Either way, there's no way left to reactivate ORT.
Da Vinci:
Neither Izcalli nor Tezcatlipoca will now be able to serve as sacrifices.
Da Vinci:
Offering up the still-living heart of a person is how this Mesoamerican ritual works. The plan of using the heart of a god as a detonator ends here—
Tezcatlipoca:
Yeah, there's no waking up ORT either with a soul full of doubts or with a heart that's damaged.
Tezcatlipoca:
And even if you did, wouldn't be able to give it any orders. It'd snack a bit half-heartedly on Earth, before scurrying on its way.
Tezcatlipoca:
I ain't gonna sacrifice myself without getting results. I'll graciously accept defeat, and get on with disappearing.
Tezcatlipoca:
My plan's gone and failed. Now it's up to yours, Daybit.
Tezcatlipoca:
Do whatever you want. We'll meet again in the paradise for the dead.
Fujimaru 1:
Um—
Fujimaru 2:
(The footsteps coming from behind right now, are they...)
--ARROW--
Daybit:
So you managed to repel Tezcatlipoca? I did think you were capable, but—
Daybit:
Actually witnessing it first-hand is still quite a shock.
Daybit:
You really showed me up. Now I know I was being conceited since I'd done the Underworld Pilgrimage already.
Fujimaru 1:
That's enough! Stop right there!
Daybit:
There's no reason to stop. If you want to stop me, show me that you can.
Daybit:
I've just arrived at the island. ORT's coffin is behind you.
Daybit:
If I continue straight, it's only twenty more meters. After that, the planet's done for.
Daybit:
I have made the arrangements to activate ORT on my own.
Mash:
Are you really trying to destroy Earth!? Aren't you a part of Pan-Human History, Daybit!?
Mash:
There shouldn't be a reason for any of us to ever destroy the world!
Daybit:
—But there is. And it is for that reason that I infiltrated Chaldea.
Daybit:
Still, you really think I'm someone from Pan-Human History? Do you think the same, Fujimaru?
Daybit:
Do I look like an Earthling to you?
Fujimaru 1:
You do... Unarguably human.
Fujimaru 2:
I don't know... I don't know the slightest thing about you.
Daybit:
Really? An uninteresting answer, and one I've heard many times.
Daybit:
Excuse me, but I'm running out of time. I've got about one minute or so left of today.
Daybit:
I minced up Kadoc and the others. Next I'll just have to cut up you people.
Da Vinci:
Servants...!? Wasn't Daybit unable to summon any!?
U-Olga Marie:
No, that's not a Heroic Spirit. In fact, it's not even life from this cosmic sector.
U-Olga Marie:
He's from a place more than 14 billion light years away—the terminal of the dark stars that flew to the outermost realm of the cosmos when the universe was born.
U-Olga Marie:
But, why?
U-Olga Marie:
Why is he connected to a past radio source 14 billion light years away, whose light cannot even reach this planet!?
J：Daybit:
Ever the Alien God, even in your degraded state. You deduced the truth about the things behind me.
J：Daybit:
Or rather, you always were very bright, Olga Marie. The problem was that the director before you was too competent.
J：Daybit:
An incompetent cannot run Chaldea.
J：Daybit:
The fact that you were able to direct Chaldea at such a young age is proof of your talents.
J：Daybit:
It's only because you yourself couldn't believe in that, that this friction occurred between you and your surroundings.
J：Daybit:
Not only that, but there was also Lev Lainur's psychological manipulation. He made you dependent on him, creating a barrier between you and everyone else.
J：Daybit:
Up to that point, Goetia's machinations— the plot of the Demon Pillars—was perfect...
J：Daybit:
Nevertheless, even then, something which could be said to be far more miraculous were the feelings Lev Lainur had towards you.
J：Daybit:
If it wasn't for that, there would've never been a possibility for us to turn the tables. The King of Mages, Solomon—no, the King of the Demon Gods, Goetia.
J：Daybit:
At that time, he not only incinerated the Human Order, he also birthed the Defenders of the Human Order.
U-Olga Marie:
Now you too? Why does everyone speak to me like they know me...
U-Olga Marie:
Oh, who cares about that anyway! Let's go, Fujimaru, Mash!
U-Olga Marie:
If we let him get any closer, he'll win! This is the last battle! Fight and hold nothing back!
L：Mash:
—Yes! We still don't quite understand what Daybit is, but...
L：Mash:
We cannot let him resurrect ORT! We'll subdue him, right here and right now!
Fujimaru 1:
Alright, let's go!
Fujimaru 2:
(Wait... if I remember correctly...)
Camazotz:
Da■■it is a mi■■or image. The more n■■■ro■■ the enemy, the ■o■e the shadows he calls forth.
--BATTLE--
Daybit:
—
Narration:
A gap between space and time. Or perhaps a rift.
Narration:
In the midst of battle, in between the seams of consciousness and consciousness, I walk slowly, with a stamp-like regularity.
Narration:
The answer is in sight. The scenery expands like stretched caramel.
Narration:
In this midst, the past events that led to his decision are put into order.
Narration:
His father was not a magus, but rather a mere researcher who had devoted himself to the research about the Semitic peoples.
Narration:
Actually, “mere” is not the correct label.
Narration:
He excelled on account of his inventiveness, persistence, tenacity, and most importantly, force of fortuity that let him encounter miracles.
Narration:
In terms of the results of his research, it was enough to put him on par with prestigious magi who had spent centuries developing their Magic Circuits.
Narration:
Much fieldwork he did, and at the end of it all, he discovered a single circlet. Nothing more than an ordinary wooden halo.
Narration:
However, when he tried to look through to the other side of the circlet, that which spread across his view was nothingness. It was an Angelic Artifact.
Narration:
He didn't need to be a magus to understand that this wasn't something that ought to exist on our planet. Just experiencing it was enough.
Narration:
The father was bestowed with a lab, and from that day forward, he became an observer of this Angelic Artifact.
Narration:
No matter what he tried, the Angelic Artifact could not be analyzed, and no matter what did, it never changed.
Narration:
Twenty years after the founding of the lab, the father had been blessed with a child, who had just turned ten.
Narration:
On that day, the father had invited his son to the lab. And this wasn't due to negligence.
Narration:
It was because he had already deemed the artifact was nothing more than a totally unchanging gift from God.
Narration:
And it was then that the light overflowed.
Narration:
An eternity of 0.2 seconds. Once the brief light abated, the father had vanished from the world.
Narration:
Both the father's name and his background had vanished from people's memories–from all records in the world.
Narration:
It actually became as if he had never existed.
Narration:
There was nothing left but the burnt-in shadow of a person on the floor indicating that someone had once stood there.
10 year old boy:
Dad?
Narration:
The child saw it all happen clearly.
Narration:
He saw the shadow burnt into the ground. He knew that it had been his father, that his father was no longer alive, and that he himself was unharmed, but also...
10 year old boy:
—Huh?
Narration:
That he himself having been present meant that he had also vanished from the world, much like his father had.
Narration:
“In science fiction, there are two types of transporters. The first one works by connecting two parts of space-time, sending the human to their destination.”
Narration:
“The second one works by disassembling the human at the atomic level and then reassembling them at their destination.”
Narration:
“These days, it's said that the latter is more realistic, but there's one thing which makes it hard to accept on a moral, ethical and philosophical level.”
Narration:
“Humans die when disassembled on the atomic level.”
Narration:
“So even if what appears at the transportation location is an exact copy of the human, would that really makes them the same being as before?”
Narration:
The boy, who had loved movies, immediately worked out what was going on.
Narration:
The thing stained on the floor was the real him, while he himself who was currently thinking all this was a completely different thing.
Narration:
As an aside, the stain on the lab's floor could never be removed afterward, no matter what methods were employed.
Narration:
“They are alive right now, and will continue to remain so. Even after the universe has completely cooled, they'll live on forever.”
Narration:
The headmaster had spoken, and so nobody ever stepped foot in the lab again.
Narration:
Exam results showed that the substances that constituted the boy's body were the exact same as they had been before.
Narration:
He retained the same memories and personality he'd originally had. In all respects, he was no different from the boy he had been before.
Narration:
Yet the boy knew better than anyone else that he was something “different”.
Narration:
Whatever he did, he didn't feel like he was truly a part of the world. Whoever he was close to, he didn't feel like he was among the safety of his fellow people.
Narration:
“He is no longer of this Earth.”
Narration:
So went the thinking of the magi in the Department of Lore. The boy did not disagree.
Narration:
He lacked a human perspective and sense of distance. Those had been 's, who was now a stain on the floor.
Narration:
Nevertheless, the boy considered himself part of mankind.
Narration:
Even if his mind wasn't, the base sequence of his DNA was human in every respect.
Narration:
He felt that even if he no longer considered himself human, he should still obey the laws—the Order of mankind.
Narration:
In which case, what defines mankind?
Narration:
The boy had learned the answer to that ever so elusive question from his father.
Narration:
“Humans have all sorts of races, and all sorts of mistakes that they commit, but what lies at their core is the same for all of them.”
Narration:
“Even without being taught to do so, all humans strive to do good, in the same way bugs always move towards sources of light.”
Narration:
And that is how the boy would spend his eight years at the Department of Lore.
Narration:
It was then that he became aware that he had a single defect.
Narration:
The boy's memory, the system he had for recording events, had changed from how it was before.
Narration:
He could only record 5 minutes worth of events out of the 24 hours that made up each day. For him, each day had become 5 minutes worth of events.
Narration:
The reason this discovery came so late was because it caused no anomalies in his daily life.
Narration:
The theory that the events a human needs to remember in a single day easily fit into five minutes was something the boy had put into practice.
Narration:
For someone like him who compressed each day into 5 minutes, the 24 hours possessed by ordinary humans were a kind and gentle, yet inefficient amount of time.
Narration:
A Day's Bit. Daybit. The one born from the artifact of emptiness handed down among the Semites.
Narration:
As another aside, by the time he left the Department of Lore, Daybit had figured out the conditions necessary to activate the Angelic Artifact.
Narration:
“When there are zero fatalities within a 20 km radius in one full day.”
Narration:
That was the truth behind the halo that so brimmed with malice towards civilization, and had erased the father and the boy from Earth.
Marisbury:
I'm glad you decided to show up on your own initiative. Welcome to Chaldea, Daybit.
Daybit:
I've heard you were conducting some interesting research. And also that you were interested in my background.
Daybit:
It seems you're in need of a precise view capable of observing the universe in a way that mankind's current level of technology is incapable of doing so, am I correct?
Marisbury:
Yes. I don't care for its contents, just the shape is enough. I'd like it to be as elaborate as possible.
Marisbury:
But I don't need it to go outside the universe. 13.8 billion light-years will do, no more.
Marisbury:
Your findings will be most helpful to me. I'd very much like you to cooperate with securing the Human Order.
Daybit:
Securing the Human Order... the attestation of the future, or perhaps even its determination. That is indeed a righteous Order. But how, specifically?
Marisbury:
Oh. So you can see that far ahead? I suppose I'll tell you then.
Marisbury:
Could you keep this a secret from your other teammates?
Marisbury:
And that encapsulates my objective. If you have any concerns, I'd like to hear them.
Daybit:
I don't have any in particular right now. That said, don't you think the chances at success are exceedingly low?
Daybit:
The survival chances of the magi forming the core of the plan are far too low. Those who learn the truth will surely try to get rid of them.
Daybit:
And that includes the Counter Force. Nobody but me and Wodime would survive.
Marisbury:
Which is why we're hiding it this way. From the Mages Association, from our fellow Chaldeans, and from the world as well.
Marisbury:
In the upcoming Singularities that are part of the Human Order Restoration, the magi of the A-Team will not be Masters.
Marisbury:
You will be concealers. Crypters. Will you keep that in mind?
Narration:
It was at that moment that he decided on the Order he needed to fulfill. His plan to destroy Chaldea, even if it meant he had to destroy the planet as well.
Narration:
Daybit Sem Void approaches things from a cosmic perspective.
Narration:
He is neither a servant of the Alien God, nor is he fighting for the sake of the Human Order.
Narration:
He did not need anyone to teach him that. He did not need anyone to be happy about that. Humans are simply beings that do good.
Narration:
Even if it amounts to the same thing as a cold-blooded insect's instincts.
Da Vinci:
We finally beat them! Where's Daybit!?
Daybit:
In front of the coffin. You were two seconds too late, Da Vinci.
U-Olga Marie:
One is all I'll need! Nothing can ward off my plasma!
U-Olga Marie:
What!?
Fujimaru 1:
(Nothing about this makes sense!)
Fujimaru 2:
How could he possibly be sturdier than a Servant!?
Daybit:
There's a reason. The Alien God's attacks won't work against me.
Daybit:
Because as you can see, I have the Alien God's heart right here.
U-Olga Marie:
—Oh. Ah.—
U-Olga Marie:
Gh... What got in the way just now? It had a humanoid figure, but it wasn't human. Not a Heroic Spirit, either.
U-Olga Marie:
It was something else, something more like a condensed form of pure energy...
U-Olga Marie:
It teed me off enough that I inadvertently protected Chaldea's ship. If I see it again, I'll make sure to settle the score.
U-Olga Marie:
Either way... I need to restore myself. I hadn't expected to get so worn down—
Tezcatlipoca:
I bet you didn't. But I predicted you would, Miss President.
G：U-Olga Marie:
—Y-You're—the Crypter's Servant—
Tezcatlipoca:
Sorry 'bout the sneak attack, but I'll be taking this.
Tezcatlipoca:
Partner's been making some crazy demands, ya see. Said he wanted to transplant your heart into himself.
Tezcatlipoca:
The thing's honestly giving me the creeps just touching it, but he's not the type of guy to change his mind, so sucks for me.
Tezcatlipoca:
That said, it'd be a pain if you came to take it back. So could you die for me?
U-Olga Marie:
Hah... I see, that explains...my reduced power—
Daybit:
Tezcatlipoca's speciality. Pulling out hearts while they're still alive.
Daybit:
But the Alien God would surely be able to restore a destroyed heart. Therefore, I had to figure something out.
Daybit:
By maintaining it in an active state, and having it continuously send out biosignals to you, I made it seem as if you still had your heart.
Daybit:
I'd predicted it'd be enough to trick you for about two days, but strangely enough, I was able to keep the ruse going all this time.
Daybit:
And now I understand why, Director Olga Marie. It's because you thought you'd be better off remaining as your weaker self.
Daybit:
Because you felt as if it would be okay for you to still be together with those two in that state.
Daybit:
What a very silly dream.
Fujimaru 1:
—
Fujimaru 2:
Daybit!
Daybit:
Too late. Your defeat was set in stone the moment you started fighting me.
Daybit:
Lastly—let me answer your first question, Kyrielight.
Daybit:
My objective is to maintain the balance. That is what I have deemed to be best for mankind.
Daybit:
Should all seven Lostbelts be excised, it would mean the completion of his Securing of the Human Order.
Daybit:
If that were to happen, it would surely give the Earthlings a bad name across the 13.8 billion light years around us. You'd be known as the most terrible intelligent life born in this universe.
Daybit:
Before that happens, I will destroy Earth. That's the only way I can destroy Chaldea—
E：Daybit:
The only way I can destroy the originator of this problem: the alien world known as CHALDEAS.
Mash:
—Daybit, what...did you just—
Mash:
CHALDEAS is a miniature model of Earth. It's not an alien world.
Daybit:
No matter how perfect a recreation it is, the original Earth is right here. In which case, it would make CHALDEAS another planet, wouldn't it?
Daybit:
The Alien God is a god that was born within CHALDEAS. And the Bleaching of Earth was a plan that was concocted by Chaldea.
Daybit:
The Animusphere Grand Order, the Human Order Security Organization. We of the A-Team were pawns assembled for that purpose.
Fujimaru 1:
S-Stop lying!
Daybit:
Perhaps I am. It's only proper to confirm any sort of secrets with one's own eyes.
Mash:
B-But...CHALDEAS has already been destroyed!
Fujimaru 2:
CHALDEAS has already been destroyed anyway!
Daybit:
Wrong. It was protected. Why else do you think Anastasia was chosen for the raid on Chaldea?
Daybit:
It was to preserve CHALDEAS within the ice.
Daybit:
The renaissance genius Da Vinci might have been able to realize the truth during the raid.
Daybit:
In which case, even if destroying CHALDEAS would be out of her reach, she might've been able to cause some kind of malfunction.
Daybit:
That in turn, could have served to delay the plan.
Daybit:
After all, Chaldea still had the option remaining to Rayshift into CHALDEAS at that time.
Daybit:
That was taken into account by CHALDEAS, which is why it was made to appear as if it had ceased functioning by being covered in ice.
Daybit:
And you actually did give up on CHALDEAS back then, escaping from the South Pole in the Shadow Border.
Daybit:
Thus distancing yourself from the point where the real culprit was located.
Daybit:
Of course, that was still the right choice. If you had stayed at Chaldea Base, you would've just been wiped out.
Daybit:
In fact, all of your actions have been correct so far.
Daybit:
—Insofar as they're the answers to the questions of an exam prepared by Marisbury, at least.
Da Vinci:
Then...you mean to say Chaldea is the cause of everything?
Da Vinci:
That WE are the evil that needs defeating?
Daybit:
Not necessarily. You did indeed save mankind. You took back the future from the Human Order Incineration. That's something you can be proud of.
Daybit:
Chaldea may be the cause, but you are not the culprits.
Daybit:
In terms of what was right for mankind up to 2017, you were the greatest staff it could've had.
Daybit:
Neither me nor Wodime would ever deny that. Which is why—
Daybit:
If you disapprove of my plan and succeed in stopping ORT, then head for Antarctica.
Daybit:
That is where your journey ends. The land where you will part with the Grand Order.
Daybit:
There. I said most of what I needed to.
Daybit:
That was my agreement with Kirschtaria. We didn't form one per se, but we both had the same idea.
Daybit:
That should either one of us be the last man standing, then when we're trying to defeat Chaldea...
Daybit:
We should present our enemy, Chaldea, with this information as well.
Fujimaru 1:
Wai—
Fujimaru 2:
(It almost looked like he just went off on a casual stroll)
--ARROW--
Fujimaru 1:
We... couldn't stop him... but... more importantly...
Fujimaru 1:
CHALDEAS is...an alien world?
Fujimaru 2:
Just what the heck is going on
Da Vinci:
Guys, theorize about it later. Let's just forget about what Daybit told us for the moment.
Da Vinci:
Right now we need to get out of here. Wak Chan is waiting for us at the upper level.
Tepeu:
Are you not surprised, Da Vinci?
Da Vinci:
Of course I'm shocked. Still, it makes a lot of sense. That's all.
Da Vinci:
Alright, get up, Mash, Fujimaru!
Da Vinci:
ORT is coming! No matter CHALDEAS' identity, or who exactly Marisbury is...
Da Vinci:
We are about to engage in an actual honest to God battle to protect Earth! We can't just be standing around!
Da Vinci:
Remember what Daybit said!
Da Vinci:
“Chaldea may be the cause, but you are not the culprits. If you don't like my methods, stop my plan and head for Antarctica.”
Da Vinci:
He said it would be the end of our journey! Kirschtaria must've thought the same!
Da Vinci:
Even though they carried out what they believed to be the right thing, they never once denounced us!
Da Vinci:
This isn't about good or evil! Nor about duty!
Da Vinci:
They carried out the task they felt was right—that they felt they could achieve, and they did so to the utmost!
Da Vinci:
That's what it means to be alive! What it means to fight! Do you really just want to hang your heads in shame down here!?
Fujimaru 1:
—Never. Absolutely not!
Fujimaru 2:
Anyway, let's get out of here!
Mash:
—Agreed! This place is dangerous. We should return to the safer ninth layer.
Mash:
Senpai, you carry Director Olga Marie, I'll pick up Tenochtitlan over there.
Fujimaru 1:
U-Olga Marie!
Fujimaru 2:
C'mon, run!
U-Olga Marie:
Guh... Damn it! My heart...isn't healing...fast enough—!
U-Olga Marie:
Grg■■agghh■■gyahhh■■■—！
Fujimaru 1:
Let go of her—!
Da Vinci:
That's right, ORT sees her as a part of himself after absorbing her heart!
Da Vinci:
She's going to be disassembled and absorbed if we don't do something...!
Mash:
SHEBA recommends retreating! Detecting an abnormally high amount of radiation! Great amounts of cosmic rays are being emitted from the branches!
Mash:
Just getting close to it would give you a fatal dose of radiation!
Tepeu:
If it's impossible for a Servant, then no living creature would be able to either. It's hopeless to—Wak Chan!?
Wak Chan:
Argh!!! These branches ain't no big deal! I'll bite right through 'em!!!
Wak Chan:
Hahhh—Hahhh— ...Ah.
Wak Chan:
Damn, that was close... Real close... Dammit...
Wak Chan:
Urgh, maybe I lost too much blood...? I'm feelin' dizzy...and...it's gettin'...dark...?
Wak Chan:
Whatever. You good, Olga?
Wak Chan:
You were makin' some crazy noises, so yeah, I hopped down here like my life was on the line.
Wak Chan:
This sucker got his for laying hands on my future wife, right? Though I'm well aware you're way outta my league!
U-Olga Marie:
???
Wak Chan:
Hey, what's up? C'mon, say somethin'. You sleeping? Yeah, seems so. Then all's fine!
Wak Chan:
Getting a bit sleepy myself... Kinda weirdly quiet 'round here too...
Wak Chan:
Uhhh.... Man, what's goin' on? Can't talk. Did something bad go down my throat?
Wak Chan:
No, no. No worries. I'll puke it up and get better real soon.
Wak Chan:
Oh... but before that, there's something I gotta... something I need to say...
Wak Chan:
The reason I stuck together with Fujimaru was 'cause I thought I'd be able to meet you again.
Wak Chan:
It just bothered me all this time, yeah. That I couldn't express myself very well...
Wak Chan:
Stuff like that just ain't part of being a fighter. Maybe I shoulda become a priest like Tepeu, huh?
Wak Chan:
Still, what I said back then was true...
Wak Chan:
Can't see a damn thing anymore, but...Olga, your color at least, I know is as brilliant as the stars that glitter above.
Wak Chan:
—I'm happy to have met ya. I really do...have a damn fulfilling life.
U-Olga Marie:
No way... Earthlings are...evil creatures, aren't they...? They dissected me for years, decades, didn't they...?
U-Olga Marie:
I screamed, over and over, that I was human. I'm human, and yet...nobody...ever listened...to me.
U-Olga Marie:
So then, why–why... Why am I being treated so kindly? I don't understand...
Fujimaru 1:
Wak Chan......
Fujimaru 2:
We need to get out of here, Olga...
U-Olga Marie:
...!
Rasputin:
This conversation ends here. And your studies should be concluded by now, Alien God.
Rasputin:
ORT has obtained your heart. It is the one in control. If you two merged now, you're the one who would turn into its subsystems.
Rasputin:
The “what-if” has passed. You and Chaldea were always irreconcilable enemies.
Rasputin:
Let us leave this Lostbelt with haste. It's come time for us to return to your homeland, the planet in the South Pole.
U-Olga Marie:
—
Fujimaru 1:
U-Olga Marie...
Fujimaru 2:
That's not true...
U-Olga Marie:
—Stop. Don't even come near me with that pathetic human body of yours.
U-Olga Marie:
You're right, Rasputin. Not just my heart, but about 30% of my body was stolen by ORT.
U-Olga Marie:
I'm going to need some time to restore myself. I do not intend to watch the Earthlings breathe their last down here.
U-Olga Marie:
I'm headed for the surface. Come along.
U-Olga Marie:
—
Section 20: ORT
Fujimaru 1:
Wak Chan...
Fujimaru 2:
...We can at least bring him with us...
Tepeu:
You cannot, Fujimaru, Mash. Wak Chan's body is saturated with poison.
Tepeu:
We have no means of transporting him. He must be left here.
Tepeu:
We should return to the surface as soon as possible. Mash, how is Tenochtitlan?
Mash:
...Still conscious...but unable to accompany us.
Tepeu:
I understand. Then I will carry Fujimaru and Da Vinci.
Tepeu:
Da Vinci, Mash, Habetrot, Fujimaru, and myself.
Tepeu:
We shall return with these five individuals. Is that acceptable?
Mash:
Yes. No objections. Let's go, Senpai.
Fujimaru 1:
...Yeah.
Fujimaru 1:
Goodbye, Wak Chan...
Fujimaru 2:
Thank you for helping our friend.
Da Vinci:
Can you carry the two of us, Tepeu!? I can get off if it's too difficult...
Tepeu:
This is no problem. We will be in combat soon. The two of you should be conserving your strength.
Tepeu:
Besides, this is the only way I can be of assistance.
Da Vinci:
Tepeu...
Mash:
There's a tremendous object rising up from below! Master, set your Mystic Code's temperature regulation to maximum!
Mash:
SHEBA has tagged it with maximum levels of both danger and hostility! Its Saint Graph doesn't match anything found on Earth!
Mash:
Estimated Saint Graph grade is Satellite-Class, and it's still rising!
Mash:
Contact in six...five—it's here!
Mash:
It's ORT!
Fujimaru 1:
It made it through the mantle unscathed...!?
Fujimaru 2:
(This thing just shrugs off everything we throw at it!)
Da Vinci:
I-I've heard the stories, but this thing goes way beyond them! It's an honest-to-goodness space monster!
Da Vinci:
It may have been only for a few moments, but did you actually fight this thing!?
Fujimaru 1:
I really don't want to remember that now!
Fujimaru 2:
Calling it a "fight" would be generous!
Habetrot:
We gotta get out of here. No way we can fight that thing. Even in a Lostbelt, there are some things that are just impossible.
Mash:
Sure, but we're already cut off! The way back to the ninth layer is behind ORT!
Fujimaru 1:
What are we supposed to do!?
Fujimaru 2:
(Do we hide, or do we go back down!?)
Mash:
Net-like metal fibers deploying in all directions! It's too narrow for us to escape from!
Mash:
There's no way we can engage in combat here! It would be suicide, Master!
Fujimaru 1:
(We're almost literally caught in the spider's web—!)
Fujimaru 2:
(Damn! We don't stand a chance in hell here!)
C：???:
Aaaaaah! I can't stand to watch any more! 'Scuse me, butting in for a bit!
Da Vinci:
ORT's threads were cut right through! It couldn't be...!
Mash:
Kukulkan!
Kukulkan:
Yes! Thanks for calling out my name with a big smile, Mash!
Kukulkan:
—But you're wrong!
Kukulkan:
This isn't like you at all! No matter how strong your opponents are, you always stand up to them!
Kukulkan:
It's hard to believe you'd just roll over without a fight in a place like this!
Kukulkan:
I must have been an idiot for stopping to have tea with Kadoc and his buddies!
Fujimaru 1:
With Kadoc's squad?
Fujimaru 2:
You were having tea?
Gordolf:
Aaaaaah! The world's gone topsy-turvy! Is this the divine wind!? My gourmet palate is about to short-circuit!
Gordolf:
Zemlupus! What's happening!? What happened to Koyanskaya!?
Kadoc:
She got taken out by the things that came out of Daybit's shadow! A few were defeated, but there are still two left!
Kadoc:
They're attacking the Shadow Border! This is bad, they'll be chasing us soon!
Kadoc:
Get us back upright, Gordolf! At this rate, they'll punch straight through the undercarriage!
Gordolf:
Hah, do you honestly think I'm adept enough to flip a vehicle back upright?
Gordolf:
We need a crane for that! Or at least a tow truck!
Kadoc:
Shit, they've reached the bottom! We've got to get out! Hurry!
Gordolf:
Hmph. I'm the Border's driver, so I'll die along with it. If you survive, then that's enough.
Kadoc:
What are you thinking!? You can't joke like that now—why is your seatbelt glowing red?
Gordolf:
That's right. It must be broken, since I can't get it off. Do something, Kadoc!
Kadoc:
Damn white-collar bastard! Hang on, I think I have an emergency knife—
Two people who got the short end of the stick:
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaughhh—! We're done fooooooooooor—!
Kukulkan:
Pan-Human History mankind must be pretty pathetic to get trounced by an extraterrestrial terminal that weak.
Kukulkan:
How does it feel to be saved by your enemy?
Kukulkan:
¿You two have anything to say? ¿Like maybe begging or bribing me to save your lives?
Gordolf:
Thank you! Thank you so much...! I've never been so scared in my whole—
Gordolf:
(Actually no, this happens all the time ever since I've come to Chaldea!)
Gordolf:
Even so, that was amazing.
Gordolf:
Not only did you just brush off that monster that gave Koyanskaya so much trouble, you also towed the Border away without any damage to it.
Gordolf:
We can't give you enough thanks. Would you like some tea inside the vehicle?
Gordolf:
Allow me to show you the genuine afternoon tea I picked up while studying in London.
Kukulkan:
...You're all right with that? I mean, I'm your enemy...
Kadoc:
Only in terms of our goals, right? ...Fujimaru's reports mentioned that much.
Kadoc:
“Kukulkan might be the Lostbelt King, and might want to keep Mictlan safe.”
Kadoc:
“But that doesn't mean that she indiscriminately despises her enemies.”
Kadoc:
I'm not as naive as [♂ he /♀️ she] is, but I can agree with that much.
Kadoc:
And I really am grateful for your assistance.
Kadoc:
Koyanskaya is still sulking inside the Border, so I'll say it in her place as well.
Kadoc:
Thank you, Kukulkan.
Kadoc:
I'd expect nothing less from you. We're just lucky you're a generous god.
Kukulkan:
—I see. So to you, I appear to be a “generous” god.
Kukulkan:
Then I guess I have to continue being of service!
Kukulkan:
I'm sorry to say that I have no way of stopping the Crypter.
Kukulkan:
His heartbeat is completely inaudible to Malla's ears.
Kukulkan:
So tracking and stopping Daybit will be up to Fujimaru.
Kukulkan:
But since I'll have to stop [♂ him /♀️ her] from cutting down the Fantasy Tree after...
Kukulkan:
Why don't the two of you come with me as I go down there? I can carry the both of you as I fly.
Kukulkan:
I'm sure I can make it down to the ninth layer without injuring you two. Plus it'll be really fast.
Gordolf:
...I'm sorry to say I'll have to decline that offer. We're quite grateful for your protection...
Gordolf:
But we still have a role to play in saving the party ahead of us with the Shadow Border.
Gordolf:
Leave us here. We'll fix up our vehicle faster than you've ever seen and be on our way.
Kadoc:
The commander is right. We'll catch back up with Fujimaru and the others pretty soon.
Kadoc:
You go on ahead. We have Tezcatlipoca to worry about too, not just Daybit.
Kukulkan:
Are you sure? If I catch up with Fujimaru...
Kadoc:
Nothing but hot air. Not like we could do anything to stop you anyway.
Kadoc:
All we need to do is stop ORT. We can worry about Mictlan's fate when things have settled down.
Kukulkan:
—That's true. Well I guess I'll be—Wait.
Kukulkan:
Since I'm here anyway, could I have some of that... afternoon tea stuff?
Kukulkan:
¡I really want to learn more about Pan-Human History's culture!
Kukulkan:
And so they gave me some delicious tea, three sandwiches, and two cakes... Hehe.
Fujimaru 1:
Seriously...
Fujimaru 2:
Must have been some tea party!
Mash:
No matter where he is or what he's doing, Commander Gordolf always remembers to be elegant!
Kukulkan:
Thanks to that, I've got to burn off some excess calories.
Kukulkan:
So I'll be running at full-tilt here. ¿Think you Pan-Human History types can keep up with me?
Da Vinci:
Of course! No more worrying about what comes next!
Da Vinci:
With you on our side now, there's no need to hold anything in reserve!
Da Vinci:
Fujimaru! Mash! Habetrot! Let's do this!
Da Vinci:
We'll bring down ORT ourselves! Worry about the Fantasy Tree later!
Fujimaru 1:
Okay!
Fujimaru 2:
Let's do this!
Mash:
Roger! Commencing combat against the enemy alien lifeform ORT!
--ARROW--
Mash:
Cannot confirm ORT's operating location. No etheric response or cosmic rays detected...
Mash:
ORT has completely ceased activity! We've managed to stop it!
Fujimaru 1:
We did it... We really did it!!!
Fujimaru 2:
All thanks to Kukulkan!
Kukulkan:
—Is that...how it is? I'm not...Mictlan's delegate—
Tepeu:
What is it, Kukulkan? Your fingers are trembling. Is something wrong?
Kukulkan:
—Tepeu. I...I—what should I do?
Kukulkan:
I'm not a deinos, but I was born in Mictlan. I thought I was fighting for this planet—
C：Tepeu:
...I see. So you've discovered the truth, have you?
C：Tepeu:
I had guessed as much based on the Underworld Pilgrimage, though I had no proof.
C：Tepeu:
Most likely, you...
Kukulkan:
Gh...!
Habetrot:
Kukulkan's flying off!? Is she gonna keep us safe from above!?
C：Tepeu:
...
Mash:
These tremors are huge! Is the underground caving in?
Da Vinci:
Mash! Use SHEBA to monitor ORT's condition! Is it showing any signs of starting up again!?
Mash:
N-No, it's shown no signs of reactivation. Its body temperature is beginning to cool down starting from the exterior layers.
Mash:
If you look at it like it's a graph, lights are gathering from the outside into the center—
Da Vinci:
...! Everyone! Hurry to the partition!
Da Vinci:
ORT wasn't knocked out by damage, and it isn't rebooting to fight us!
Da Vinci:
It's reactivating here, for the first time!
Meunière:
Red alert from the computer room! We've detected gravitational fluctuations in Mictlan's lowest layer!
Meunière:
Holy crap, the instruments are going berserk! Estimated Saint Graph class increasing—it's jumped from Satellite- to Stellar-Class!
Nemo Marine:
Confirming that the Texture is being overwritten from the lowest layer on up!
Nemo Marine:
Space-time continuum transfer rate, minus 3.6 per second! Oh-no-no-noooo!
Nemo Marine:
Captain! The Fantasy Tree! TRISMEGISTUS II has confirmed the Fantasy Treeeee!
Nemo:
I can tell that much from the readings. Where is it? What's its size? Can we see it from here?
Nemo Marine:
It's–it's—completely immeasurable!!
Nemo Marine:
Whoooah...I can see it on the monitorrrr! What even is thaaaat!?
Nemo:
...The trees of Mictlan are turning into Fantasy Trees... Does this mean that ORT is reawakening...?
Sion:
Yes. This ORT is different from the one of Pan-Human History. It's been adapted to the “what-if” history of the Lostbelt.
Sion:
It's inferior to ours in both in output and in destructive instincts. You could call it an ORT subspecies.
Sion:
But it fed on the Fantasy Tree, and through the course of its own evolution, changed its Reality Marble into this.
Sion:
An invasive species that transforms Earth's vegetation into Fantasy Trees, creating an environment more suited to itself.
Sion:
This isn't the Golden Sea of Trees anymore. It's the greatest, most terrible Lostbelt. A galactic hell forged in the depths of the Earth—
Sion:
The Sea of Fantasy Trees, ORT Xibalba.
--ARROW--
Fujimaru 1:
Fantasy Trees all over Mictlan...!
Fujimaru 2:
Where's ORT!?
Da Vinci:
ORT is also resurfacing on the ninth layer! The scale and output of its Saint Graph is far higher than last time!
Da Vinci:
It's also grown in size! It's about 100 meters tall, just like the Mexico City report said!
Habetrot:
What the hay!? It's way too big!
Habetrot:
If Tezcatlipoca's future is right, won't ORT rampage from here all the way up!?
Habetrot:
We can't keep up just on foot! We need something that can take us all—
Mash:
Fantasy Tree seeds detected! Estimated danger level from SHEBA is B+!
Mash:
They're stronger than the seeds we fought before! Master, your orders!
Habetrot:
We can't fight these, Mash! We've been fighting nonstop up 'till now, and everyone's exhausted!
Habetrot:
If we go up against those numbers, we're dead! Fujimaru, we've got to retreat to the temple!
Fujimaru 1:
(Habetrot's right...!)
Fujimaru 2:
(But if we fall back to the temple here, ORT will)
Kadoc:
Made it just in time! Explanations later, just get in! Seeds are swarming in from every corner of the jungle!
Gordolf:
Hmph! Any good race team won't waste a moment in the pit!
Fujimaru 1:
We're saved!
Gordolf:
Hahaha! You're all moved to tears! Looks like you've been through ordeal after ordeal!
Gordolf:
—You've done well.
Gordolf:
We've all survived to meet again. You accomplished the most important mission of all.
Fujimaru 2:
By the way, give me some of that tea you had, Kadoc.
Kadoc:
Huh? You ask that after just fleeing for your life?
Kadoc:
Sorry, but Kukulkan ate and drank everything. I finished off the last of the cheese cookies.
Tepeu:
You have my thanks. There is even enough room for me to barely squeeze in here.
Tepeu:
How about we take this chance to recompose ourselves, friends? We all need a rest anyway.
Da Vinci:
Yeah, let's all sit and take a breather. Mash and Fujimaru especially.
Habetrot:
I'm going back to spirit form myself. Hey, what about Koyanskaya? Is she here?
Kadoc:
She's already gone back to Chichen Itza. She shouldn't have any trouble crossing Mictlan on her own.
Kadoc:
Well, with Mictlan like this now, she's probably up in the fourth layer whining about it.
Gordolf:
Sure, she'd be able to take care of any seeds and make it back to the city safely.
Gordolf:
Leave the driving to me. We're in a safe area right now, and can avoid the bulk of them.
Gordolf:
So what's the situation? What happened down there?
Fujimaru 1:
Well...
Mash:
...and that's the current state of things.
Mash:
A lot happened, but we couldn't stop Daybit in the end, and ORT was revived.
Mash:
Kukulkan was briefly working with us, but has now flown off somewhere...
Mash:
And...we were able to determine that the Alien God's origin...was CHALDEAS...
Gordolf:
— (※Freezing up due to information overload)
C：Tepeu:
Hmm. I see, this must engage the autopilot. Please excuse me for turning it on, Gordolf.
Kadoc:
...I see.
Kadoc:
“If you can stop me, head for the Antarctic.” So that's what Daybit said, huh?
Mash:
Yes. No matter what, he told us to see it for ourselves.
Kadoc:
No waste, and no relying on someone else. That's him, all right.
Fujimaru 1:
You're not shocked, Kadoc?
Kadoc:
...Oh, I am. But I was an enemy of Chaldea at one point.
Kadoc:
When anyone said “There's something in Chaldea”, I just thought that was a given.
Kadoc:
The hit is a lot bigger on Mr. Blue-blood over there.
Kadoc:
It isn't every day that someone becomes the director and sinks their fortune into a seemingly-legitimate organization...
Kadoc:
Only to find out it's plotting the destruction of all mankind.
Fujimaru 1:
True... Even if we do manage to reverse the bleaching...
Fujimaru 2:
Director Gordolf will take all the blame...
Gordolf:
What are you saying? I'm just as much a victim here! You'll say that when you're taken for questioning, won't you?
Da Vinci:
Don't worry. When we take Earth back, Gordolf will be the hero of the Clock Tower!
Da Vinci:
But to get there, we have to find a way out of this first.
Da Vinci:
With ORT finally up and about, Mictlan's turned into a completely new world.
Da Vinci:
All the vegetation has been affected by its Invasive Reality Marble–hacked, and turned into Fantasy Trees.
Da Vinci:
We've reached the point where we can't just end this by defeating ORT alone.
Da Vinci:
In my opinion, conquering the seventh Lostbelt is now effectively impossible.
Mash:
Since ORT is the source of the Fantasy Trees, is it possible that they'll stop functioning if we can defeat it?
Da Vinci:
That doesn't seem likely. Rather—
Da Vinci:
(Even if we do stop ORT, if even one Fantasy Tree is left—)
Da Vinci:
No, attacking ORT's main body is more important right now.
Da Vinci:
ORT is probably going to head straight for Antarctica after leaving the underworld. Once there, it'll destroy all of Chaldea Base, including CHALDEAS.
Da Vinci:
CHALDEAS is an exact copy of the planet.
Da Vinci:
Destroying it would take something strong enough to destroy the actual Earth itself.
Da Vinci:
An impact like that would shatter 40% of the Earth's surface. Pan-Human History, Lostbelts, mankind—everything would be wiped out.
Da Vinci:
That must be stopped at any cost.
Kadoc:
...Meaning that whatever CHALDEAS is, we have to protect it now.
Kadoc:
And to do that...
Fujimaru 1:
—We have to destroy ORT.
Gordolf:
What do you mean, “We have to destroy ORT”!? You sound like you're about to cry saying that!
Gordolf:
You were completely outmatched against it in both Mexico City and at the underground temple!
Gordolf:
You're the only one who's fought it, so you know how impossible of a task that is!
Gordolf:
I cannot approve a strategy that hinges on destroying such an opponent!
Gordolf:
It's fine to be ready to lay your life on the line. That's how Chaldea has always operated, even before I came along!
Gordolf:
But that doesn't mean fighting an unwinnable battle, or taking on a mission with zero chance of success!
Gordolf:
Techincal Advisor! I order you to come up with a plan other than destroying ORT! There has to be some other option!
Da Vinci:
There isn't, Commander. When we couldn't stop Daybit—
Da Vinci:
No, this was set in motion as soon as Daybit joined the A-Team.
Da Vinci:
We have no other way to survive aside from defeating ORT. The Storm Border isn't a spaceship.
Da Vinci:
If we use it to evacuate, we'll all eventually die off.
Gordolf:
Gh...! Even so...why do we have to make someone so young do it...!
Da Vinci:
I appreciate your concern, Gordolf Musik. But please, don't underestimate us.
Da Vinci:
Chaldea doesn't engage in unwinnable battles. And I'll never allow an operation based on the presumption of us going down fighting.
Da Vinci:
Now then, I guess we should be off. Sion, can you hear me?
Sion:
Loud and clear. We're done with the analysis on our end too. We're just about to start preparations.
Sion:
According to Fujimaru's report...
Sion:
The four Underworld Borders are “unrestricted summoning zones” that allow in Pan-Human History Heroic Spirits.
Sion:
Thanks to this, and since Fujimaru has a connection to so many Heroic Spirits,
Sion:
we can engage in a large-scale summoning operation.
Sion:
The Storm Border will hold position over Chichen Itza. We'll devote three Triton Engines to summoning ceremonies.
Sion:
All the Heroic Spirits Chaldea has registered up to this point—
Sion:
Priming all Servant Saint Graphs to excited state.
Sion:
All-out war using Servants. We're marching off with the first Heroic Spirit Corps in history.
Sion:
What do you think of that, Gordolf? We missed out on the Grand Order at the Time Temple, so we're bringing it back right here!
Sion:
It may just be a rerun, but don't you want to play a part?
Gordolf:
—Hmph. Quit buttering me up. I was never against this from the start.
Gordolf:
Fine then! Commence the operation! Assuming you have no problems with this, Fujimaru!
Fujimaru 1:
Of course not!
Fujimaru 2:
But what exactly am I doing!?
Sion:
Give chase to ORT as it is, and engage it in combat.
Sion:
According to TRISMEGISTUS II, we have twenty hours until ORT crosses Mictlan.
Sion:
The Master will immediately depart for the Underworld Border and perform summoning ceremonies upon arrival.
Sion:
The Storm Border will run three engines at maximum output and relay all magical energy to the Shadow Border.
Sion:
We'll create a front line using the summoned Servants, and start our operation to crush ORT.
Sion:
...When I asked TRISMEGISTUS II for the probability of success for this strategy, all I got back was a “Yes”.
Sion:
Once again, our time limit is twenty hours. If we can't defeat ORT in that timeframe...
Sion:
It will become impossible to observe the secret behind CHALDEAS, the true meaning of the Earth's bleaching, and even mankind's future.
Sion:
The computer room has labeled this operation “Decisive Battle in the Sea of Fantasy Trees”. The Storm Border will now enter combat status.
Sion:
Members of Chaldea, I wish you good luck and godspeed. Make good use of all that you've learned up to now!
Section 21: Cosmic Sea of Trees Decisive Battle
Gordolf:
Right! Stay 700 meters behind ORT while pursuing it!
Gordolf:
Things at least aren't as tough as they were against the Calamity of Beasts in Britain, but still, we should be able to command Servants at this distance!
Gordolf:
Carry out the summons! But first, we should do some recon on its power levels. Try getting a read on it with some less demanding Servant!
Gordolf:
You got it? Make sure to not use any trump cards yet!
--BATTLE--
Fujimaru 1:
What...was that—
Fujimaru 2:
Da Vinci, what happened to the Servant!?
Da Vinci:
—They can't be recalled! Unbelievable... How is this even possible!?
Da Vinci:
The information of their Saint Graph has been stolen in its entirety! Their link to the Throne of Heroes has also been destroyed!
Da Vinci:
Heroic Spirits are Ghost Liners—recorded strips of the limits we achieved.
Da Vinci:
They're basically the time period the hero was active, recorded as a phenomenon by our very own universe.
Da Vinci:
And that's what ORT just consumed! This is real bad! Not at all like how it played out in the Temple of Time!
Da Vinci:
It's quite literally eating human history!
Mash:
So that means—all of the crystallized Servants can no longer return to the Throne of Heroes— correct?
Kadoc:
The Throne of Heroes is a library located in a higher dimension. It's not a target that should be possible to attack from this plane.
Kadoc:
Those web-like things are stretching all the way into a higher dimension by using the Servants as terminals.
Kadoc:
Are you telling me it's even able to damage the main information located in the Throne!?
Da Vinci:
That's just what I'm telling you! Any Servant defeated by ORT won't be possible to summon again!
Da Vinci:
Our forces are going to be steadily decreasing from here on out! Sion, analyze the data from the battle just now, and hurry!
Sion:
Roger that. Let's see... Indestructible shell, fused with the Fantasy Tree, in addition to Servant resource conservation.
Sion:
That's what I call an extraterrestrial monster. Still, given that it's active and all, it should have a weak point somewhere.
Sion:
I'll increase the total output of the computational room and get this analysis done faster. Keep on attacking it, if you would.
Gordolf:
Is that really going to be okay? What happens to the consumed Servants?
Da Vinci:
Information cannot be digested. In all likelihood, it's storing them internally as useful information.
Da Vinci:
It's just like deposits in a bank. The greater the deposits, the more that customer becomes important for the bank, or cosmos in this case...
Da Vinci:
ORT is probably a being capable of that sort of energy utilization as well. Therefore, if we can destroy the “ORT” bank account—
Mash:
The stored away capital will come pouring out... The Servant's information will then be able to make it back to the Throne of Heroes safely, correct?
Da Vinci:
Yep. So long as we defeat ORT, our debts will be cancelled! It's a battle to see who goes bankrupt first!
Da Vinci:
Fujimaru, in order for us to analyze ORT, we need sample data!
Da Vinci:
Please continue engaging in combat! This operation's success depends on your experience as a Master up until now!
--ARROW--
Fujimaru 1:
We're managing to damage it, but...!
Fujimaru 2:
(Is it really possible to stop this thing!?)
Gordolf:
Grr, not again! Halt combat! Fujimaru, take a seat and rest!
Gordolf:
Kyrielight! Get atop the Shadow Border! The seeds are flying onto us! Knock them off!
Mash:
Roger!
Kadoc:
The Fantasy Tree seeds have reached all the way here...? We're almost at the Fourth Underworld, pretty far from the ninth layer—
Kadoc:
Oh, of course! The Fantasy Trees are already all over Mictlan! Which means...
Da Vinci:
That's right, the Fantasy Tree seeds are being scattered all over Mictlan.
Da Vinci:
Mictlan has no refuge remaining, regardless of where ORT may be.
Da Vinci:
The victims won't stop at just the Ocelomeh and the deinos.
Da Vinci:
All organisms that exist in this underground world will lose their lives at the hands of the Fantasy Tree seeds.
Fujimaru 1:
No way...
Fujimaru 2:
(Is it intent on reaping everything!?)
Tepeu:
...
Meunière:
Storm Border calling to Shadow Border! We have an urgent message, listen carefully and don't lose your calm!
Meunière:
The Fantasy Tree seeds are appearing in great numbers on every layer from the eighth to the first. We anticipate the attacks from them will continue from here on out!
Meunière:
Be sure to always keep some of your forces on the defensive so the Shadow Border doesn't get destroyed.
Gordolf:
For goodness sake, tell me something I didn't already know! We're experiencing it first hand!
Gordolf:
Do you have nothing else to report!? How about some good news?
Nemo:
Nemo here. The Storm Border is also under attack from the seeds, but fortunately, we have already taken off from the ground.
Nemo:
There aren't many seeds coming flying at us here in the air. It will be possible for us to handle on our own.
Nemo:
Additionally, we have also calculated the estimated route ORT will take. We will send over the data.
Fujimaru 1:
It's going toward Mexico City!
Fujimaru 2:
We already knew that, but why is it bothering!?
Kadoc:
You're right to wonder. If it were headed for the surface, Mexico City would be an unnecessary stop.
Kadoc:
Back when we were shown the future by Tezcatlipoca, we didn't think much of it, but why Mexico City?
Nemo:
That's not all. I don't want to tell you this, but facts are fact. No choice.
Nemo:
From all the combat data we've analyzed so far, it's become apparent that ORT is actually in an incomplete state.
Nemo:
All of its different parts, its limbs and such, are completely independent of each other.
Nemo:
The power source for these different limbs are all generated within the parts themselves.
Nemo:
Basically, its main power source, which for us animals would be the heart—the organ circulating blood through the body—is missing.
Nemo:
So this current state is how ORT is without an engine, essentially.
Gordolf:
What!? It's that powerful without a combustion engine—in basically a power saving mode!?
Gordolf:
It's moving its main body by just the rotation of its saucer...I mean, just from the motion of its limbs!?
Kadoc:
That does mean it can substitute its heart or brain through the use of its other parts, and all... but it's actually a blessing in disguise.
Kadoc:
If ORT had its main power source, Mictlan might've been reduced to nothing almost immediately.
Kadoc:
Camazotz must've destroyed its heart 6 million years ago. We owe him one, even if he was our enemy.
H：Tepeu:
I see, so that's why... I understand now why ORT's route of travel was so odd.
Fujimaru 1:
Tepeu?
Fujimaru 2:
Could it be...the sun?
H：Tepeu:
Indeed. It seems you have taken notice of that inconsistency as well.
H：Tepeu:
ORT is not heading for Mexico City. It's heading for the sun.
Kadoc:
If I remember correctly, the sun was moved from Chichen Itza to Mexico City after the attack, but... why is it going for the sun?
Tepeu:
Most likely because the sun is ORT's heart.
Tepeu:
How do you think a new sun was created after it disappeared 6 million years ago?
Tepeu:
Malla used up all their power creating the first sun. They became completely naturalized to our planet, and ceased to be extraterrestrial life.
Tepeu:
In which case, there would be no choice but to procure a power source from elsewhere.
Tepeu:
The Ka'an, who prospered for over 100,000 years in the darkness, used up everything they had in order to defeat ORT.
Tepeu:
Afterward, Malla removed ORT's heart and crafted it into a sun.
Tepeu:
Essentially, the same kind of circumstance as Daybit and U-Olga Marie just recently had.
Tepeu:
ORT doesn't actually possess it inside of its body, but the heart is still active somewhere else.
Tepeu:
As a result, there never was a command within ORT to heal its destroyed heart.
Tepeu:
Because it was still intact, serving as Mictlan's second sun.
Tepeu:
The energy that nurtured we deinos was the heart of ORT.
Gordolf:
That's an outlandish organ transplantation! But it means that the reason ORT is headed for Mexico city is...
Tepeu:
Most likely because it's trying to take back its heart and return to its complete state. All the instinct of life, I suppose.
Gordolf:
For God's sake! It's already been acting so extremely preposterously, and now it's decided to be be all life-like!?
Gordolf:
We're modifying our operational objective! We only have until the sixth layer instead of the surface to defeat ORT!
Gordolf:
Obviously letting it outside is out of the question, but equally, we'll be done for if it arrives at Mexico City!
Gordolf:
We must defeat it at any cost before it can retake its heart!
--ARROW--
Narration:
The end arrived without mercy. The end arrived without cause.
Narration:
No longer does refuge exist in the underground world.
Narration:
The Fantasy Tree seeds came in droves, ravenously consuming all vegetation as nutrients.
Narration:
They considered all non-plant life as enemies, and attacked them indiscriminately.
Narration:
The animals killed by the seeds were crystallized, and then shattered to become stardust scattering in the winds of Mictlan.
Narration:
Deinos and Ocelomeh alike, all who lived in the forest dwellings lost their lives, powerless to resist.
Tenochtitlan:
Aha... I don't really get why...there's so many... of those creatures around, but...
Tenochtitlan:
Mictlan's gonna go under...isn't it? Just as it had been decided...right from the start...
Narration:
No life could be felt in my soliloquy. My voice sounded demoralized and regretful.
Narration:
Beside me laid a boy's motionless corpse.
Tenochtitlan:
...
Narration:
After Chaldea had headed for the surface, I had intended to be swallowed by Earth's mantle, alongside the crumbling temple.
Narration:
But looking at the boy's corpse which had been left here, an unidentifiable rage welled up inside of me, and I forced my near-broken body back into action.
Narration:
That fire saw its limits here. My rage cooled down, and all felt dreary again. I laid down beside the entrance of the temple.
Tenochtitlan:
...I'm so stupid. What does it matter where I die?
Tenochtitlan:
It's already over, so it's not like anything is going to change, no matter what I do, right? Wouldn't you say so as well, Izcalli?
Tenochtitlan:
You, replica of the king who made me, the city of Tenochtitlan, fall to ruin.
Tenochtitlan:
Not out of malice, nor out of incompetence. You were simply a foolish king, not up to the task.
Narration:
For no particular reason, she put her finger on the corpse's forehead. There was a great scar running across it.
Narration:
Those chosen to be a one-year Tezcatlipoca cannot have a single defect upon their bodies.
Narration:
But upon the boy's forehead was a scar. It had been there since his creation.
Narration:
No matter how many times he'd be reborn or how perfect the spell's formula, it would never heal. Almost as if it had been inflicted upon his soul.
Izcalli:
I have no need to know who I am. Nor any desire to inquire about it.
Izcalli:
I am the King of the Ocelomeh, even if only for a year. I was created as a king, and chosen to become a god.
Izcalli:
O Great Tezcatlipoca, I am ever so grateful that you would grant me such a task.
Izcalli:
That you would grant me the opportunity to deny Pan-Human History.
Narration:
His gaze had been as hot as flames. His resolve had been as sharp as a knife.
Narration:
His unmistakable rage had been like a howl embroiling every last cell, and all the blood in his body.
Narration:
The boy, forever unknowing of who he had been created in model of, was granted the name Izcalli, and began his development.
Narration:
What was needed from him was an undiluted vengefulness mighty enough to overwrite the instincts of ORT.
Narration:
My brother's choice of person had been correct.
Narration:
Considering who he was—considering that it was the soul of Moctezuma II, he would surely, without fail, reject Pan-Human History.
Narration:
He had been the one who believed in the foreign Spaniards, and welcomed them, only to be betrayed.
Narration:
The disparate tribes of Mesoamerica ought to have come together to fight the foreign threat, but instead betrayed him.
Narration:
In the end, even the nobles abandoned him, and so, he was stoned to death by the people of his own kingdom.
Narration:
He shouldn't want to so much as look at Pan-Human History. He shouldn't want to so much as look at the city which had become his grave.
Narration:
And indeed, the boy who held the soul of Moctezuma II within grew to become a king filled with rage.
Narration:
“If you continue to be a king for this one year, you will become Tezcatlipoca.”
Narration:
“Kill the deinos. Offer up their hearts to the sun. The deinos are strong and smart, so you better not falter.”
Narration:
“This is a trial, Izcalli. A trial to see if your soul is worthy of putting an end to Pan-Human History.”
Narration:
It hadn't been a trial. It was assured to work out.
Narration:
The unhealing wound upon his forehead indicated that Izcalli's hatred was eternal.
Narration:
—Or so I had thought.
Tlaloc:
You seem a bit down, Izcalli.
Tlaloc:
Are you that regretful over the fact that you let those two sacrificial mages get away together with Chaldea?
Izcalli:
Never. I did let them get away, but with their base of operations known to us, the chance to make up for my failure will come.
Izcalli:
What I'm more concerned about is...
Izcalli:
The future of Mexico City that was shown to us through great Tezcatlipoca's vision.
Izcalli:
Everytime I think back on it, my chest tightens. Something I feel is a tad unexpected.
A：Tlaloc:
It's certainly unexpected, right? You don't seem to care much for either the Ocelomeh or Mexico City.
A：Tlaloc:
Didn't you say that you felt no sadness despite how many of them died?
Izcalli:
—That's correct. I have no attachment to this city.
Izcalli:
I am not the same as the Ocelomeh. To them I'm a unintelligible foreigner. It doesn't matter where I am here, it always feels unpleasant.
A：Tlaloc:
Right? So, what's up?
Izcalli:
The same as you, who always so reluctantly heads into battle.
Izcalli:
I do not hate the Ocelomeh. I'm just...different from them.
Izcalli:
They're doing great. They're honest, hard-working, and sincere.
Izcalli:
And about the city... I don't hate it. I just find it hard to live here. The foundations may have been created by Tezcatlipoca...
Izcalli:
But they're the ones who actually love this city, and have made it prosper so. The Ocelomeh have a lot of pride in this city.
Izcalli:
Besides, it's a city dedicated to you in particular. How could it not be beautiful?
Izcalli:
I'm not one to take the side of Pan-Human culture in anything, but I'm also not foolish enough to renounce something so wonderful.
Izcalli:
I will probably be banished from Mexico City at some point. I'm not an Ocelotl, after all.
Izcalli:
That said, I will create the ideal city afterwards. A beautiful city. At least as beautiful as this one. And this time I will succeed.
A：Tlaloc:
But... Izcalli, you'll—
Izcalli:
I know. At the end of the one-year Tezcatlipoca's period, I am to be sacrificed, right?
Izcalli:
Having become the King of the Ocelomeh, I want to see their fate to the end. To protect our culture. To fulfill my duty.
Izcalli:
When I think about those things, the scar upon my forehead ceases to hurt. I imagine it has to be because it would just be so much fun if that was the case.
Izcalli:
Nevertheless, it's ultimately nothing more than my dream. It's just something I want, not something that will ever come true.
Izcalli:
The reason...the purpose for the creation of my body is the destruction of Pan-Human History.
Izcalli:
That's why I've been able to make it this far. All other feelings outside of that one are of no importance.
Izcalli:
I beg you give your blessings to my resolve, great Tlaloc. So that no matter the cost—
Izcalli:
I will be able to put the rage of my soul above all else.
Izcalli:
Please...please reconsider, Tezcatlipoca. I have no problem with Pan-Human History's destruction.
Izcalli:
But...there shouldn't be any need for us to destroy the planet–to destroy Mictlan!
Izcalli:
Once Pan-Human History is gone, the age of the Ocelomeh should follow! Wouldn't both destruction and rebirth be fulfilled then!?
Tenochtitlan:
—Honestly, just a complete little kid into the very end. You didn't manage to put “above all else” this time either, did you?
Tenochtitlan:
Despite all your rage–that talk about a king's duty or whatever, you still chose to do what you wanted at the very end.
Nitocris:
The way you so reluctantly fought reminded me of myself back then, before I lost my brothers.
Nitocris:
So—while this is a self-serving wish, one only ever meant for my own salvation, I hope it finds its way into your heart.
Nitocris:
Don't deceive yourself when you know when and whom you should fight.
Nitocris:
You promised to shed blood for your people, did you not, beautiful city incarnate?
Nitocris:
Doesn't some regret still linger in that heart of yours?
Tenochtitlan:
—(Sigh) —(Sigh)
Tenochtitlan:
Aghhhhhh! Humans are just so stupid!
Calm Deinos:
Oh my. You people came back as well? It's meaningless, so I thought only I would bother.
Wondering Deinos:
Yeah, that's true and all, but for some reason, I just ended up back here.
Wondering Deinos:
Wait, aren't there other deinos over by that stall? You there, are you opening up shop when there's nobody around?
Deinos back on store duty:
Yeah, I went back to the plains I used to live at, but there was just something bothering me.
Deinos back on store duty:
It doesn't really matter where I live, but if that's the case, I might as well live here.
Calm Deinos:
I get you. I can always just see if other deinos are still alive by roaring...
Calm Deinos:
But somehow, communicating with words is just too engrossing. It was better to have someone to talk to.
Calm Deinos:
How about having a conversation about Pan-Human History? I'd like to get deeper into the subject of the Chinese Lostbelt.
Overjoyed Deinos:
Really? Yay, me too, me too! I'd love to talk for a long time too!
Overjoyed Deinos:
I mean, seems like tons of people gathered here in Chichen Itza anyway. Now we're talking!
Wondering Deinos:
Haha. Would you look at that, seems like everyone came back in the end. It's strange isn't it? But, it does make me happy...
Wondering Deinos:
It doesn't matter, and yet it feels really important. It's something we lost, and yet I feel like we should take it back.
Wondering Deinos:
I suppose even we deinos had this whole “attachment” thing as well.
Sad-looking Deinos:
Maybe we'll have to cancel the storytime. There were these trees in the forest, and now everyone is dead.
Wondering Deinos:
Yeah. A bunch of creatures I've never seen before appeared in droves and now all the animals in Mictlan are dying off.
Calm Deinos:
Right—seems the time of extinction is at hand. I'm curious what the next form of life will be like.
Storekeeper Deinos:
I'm sure they'll be much better life than we were.
Storekeeper Deinos:
Anyway, I'm more worried about the Chaldeans. I hope they'll be able to avoid getting dragged into the whole extinction thing.
--ARROW--
Fujimaru 1:
Sorry, time out for a second!
Kadoc:
No need to apologize. Take a seat. Make sure to use the reclining function too.
Kadoc:
Just rest for 15 minutes and don't think about anything. You shouldn't rely so much on the ampoules. You'll wear your body out for later.
Kadoc:
Commander Gordolf, how's it looking outside?
Gordolf:
No seeds in sight! Here's our chance!
Gordolf:
We'll decelerate, withdraw from the combat area and enter a safe zone.
Gordolf:
Kyrielight! Can you hear me!? Come back inside! You've got to rest as well! At least have something to eat!
Mash:
Understood! Moving onto the rear hatch.
Mash:
Da Vinci, please take care of the Ortinaus' maintenance!
Da Vinci:
Oh, c'mon! You're still perfectly ready for combat! Wait a bit, I won't take long!
Kadoc:
(We've been in battle for nearly four straight hours at this point. Both of them seem to be pacing themselves alright, but...)
Kadoc:
(How long is this situation going to keep up for? Will we be able to stop ORT before it reaches Mexico City?)
Tepeu:
...
Kadoc:
Tepeu? What's going on that's gotten you so glued to the window? Are there seeds incoming?
Tepeu:
No, I was simply observing the Fantasy Trees. They're quite different from the one on the ninth layer, aren't they?
Fujimaru 1:
Right, the one on the ninth layer was withered.
Fujimaru 2:
What's so interesting about them?
H：Tepeu:
From what you've told me, Fantasy Trees are what maintain Lostbelts, correct?
H：Tepeu:
I do detect massive energy levels coming from their insides. Although not to the extent of Mictlan's sun.
Kadoc:
Compared to the one in Russia, the ones sprouting all around here are basically tips of branches. The real Fantasy Trees are much larger, basically.
Kadoc:
No, that's not it. There's no such thing as a real or a fake Fantasy Tree...
H：Tepeu:
It's not a matter of being fake or genuine... Regardless of the size, as long as the shape's the same, that's good enough.
H：Tepeu:
It should be impossible for the galaxies inside of the trees to be real, but we cannot help but recognize them as galaxies.
H：Tepeu:
There is a galaxy inside of the tree. No problem with that part. But what makes them serve as the anchor for a Lostbelt?
H：Tepeu:
Despite the fact that ORT, the Fantasy Tree, had ceased activity, Mictlan still persisted.
H：Tepeu:
The energy of the galaxies isn't actually being used, don't you think? That's purely something secondary—
H：Tepeu:
Should the main premise be that they just have to hold a galaxy within? That there's some kind of meaning of there being a galaxy inside of them...?
Fujimaru 1:
Tepeu...?
Gordolf:
ORT has reached the seventh layer. Its route remains unchanged. Which means that the final battle will have to be on the sixth layer.
Gordolf:
Tepeu. We don't have the time to help out any of the other deinos.
Gordolf:
I'll have to judge that it is impossible for us to arrive at Metztitlán at this juncture.
Kadoc:
Oh.
Fujimaru 1:
(Right, Ixquic!)
Fujimaru 2:
(ORT's route is going to pass over the observatory!)
Tepeu:
I know. I do appreciate the sentiment, Gordolf.
Tepeu:
Even if we did make it in time, Ixquic cannot move from that dome anyway.
Tepeu:
She cannot ever leave that dome.
Tepeu:
That's something both she and I accepted a long time ago.
Tepeu:
So please, do not feel guilty on my behalf. I am the one who should feel bad about this.
Tepeu:
I had wished for her to be free, yet after centuries, I could not find an answer to that problem. There could be no more fitting punishment for me.
Ixquic:
Coming straight at me, is it now? I suppose I'm going to be flattened along with this entire plateau.
Ixquic:
Hehe. That's a smidge exciting. A real “spectacle”, or so you'd say.
Kukulkan:
You've decided to die a gracious death, I see. That's the correct decision.
Kukulkan:
Even if you were to be carried outside of this dome, it wouldn't matter. This is the only place you can live.
Kukulkan:
Ixquic, the deinos born as the Archetype, who is to see off the Quinary.
Kukulkan:
As the arbiter who is to determine the fate of Mictlan, I will ascertain your final moments myself.
Kukulkan:
“For as long as ORT is the Fantasy Tree, it must be left be.”
Kukulkan:
“If Chaldea would try to deactivate ORT, then they are to be eliminated at Kukulkan's hand.”
Kukulkan:
That's what Malla decided back when you and Chaldea had your talk here.
Ixquic:
Seriouslyyy? You're gonna be all “arbiter” on me when it's just the two of us?
Ixquic:
So serious, honestly, Kukulkan. You heard about Quetzalcoatl from Pan-Human History, didn't you?
Ixquic:
She's the one Malla used as a model for you, and look how free she was.
Ixquic:
At the end of the day, both of us are just “what-ifs” who never managed to become like the real thing.
Kukulkan:
A god of Pan-Human History is just that... A god of Pan-Human History.
Kukulkan:
I am the creator god of this Lostbelt. As I am the one who created it, I have a responsibility I must see through.
Ixquic:
Then as your friend, and as a daughter of this underground world, allow me to say my farewells.
Ixquic:
Malla. Based on the judgment of nobody but yourselves, you evacuated us underground and kept us alive.
Ixquic:
You still regret that choice. For tens of millions of years, you tried your best to take responsibility for it.
Ixquic:
“There must have been some other way.” “I should've done the same thing as in Pan-Human History.”
Ixquic:
Thank you. But it's okay, really. We've been more than happy here.
Ixquic:
Even if you are from a different planet, and are a different life form, you are still our mother.
Ixquic:
Don't you have the right to mourn the deaths of your children in that what-if dream of an unreachable Pan-Human History?
Kukulkan:
—
Ixquic:
Well, it seems to be just around the corner now. Now please, fly away from here so you don't get caught up in it.
Ixquic:
I'm happy to have been able to say my final thanks. Farewell, Kukulkan.
Ixquic:
My only friends were big brother Tepeu and... you, the sun who always watched over me.
Ixquic:
We've had a dramatic and love-filled life, more so than any other mankind ever did.
--ARROW--
Gordolf:
We didn't chase after ORT, but just dashed on ahead! We only barely managed to beat it here!
Gordolf:
This is our final line of defense! Right, Technical Advisor!?
Da Vinci:
Right! You'll be able to summon Servants more easily here, Fujimaru! Go on and get her over here!
Fujimaru 1:
Come, Ereshkigal!
Ereshkigal Alter:
I can tell you put your heart and soul into it. Not bad. That's worthy of a Master who fights together with [♂ his /♀️ her] Servant.
Fujimaru 2:
Save us, invincible goddess!
Ereshkigal Alter:
Well, invincible is laying it on a bit thick, don't you think? At least you're honestly asking for help.
Kadoc:
Do you know what's going on!? It won't be here, but ORT will soon break into the underworld!
Ereshkigal Alter:
Of course I know. I've been sitting here waiting for you. That was a good call, choosing to move ahead of ORT instead of just chasing it.
Ereshkigal Alter:
It looks like you've done some damage so far, but leave the rest to me. —Dumuzid!
Dumuzid:
Due to the absence of any film crews, I took it upon myself to make my entrance by my own devices with these three jump cuts.
Dumuzid:
The golden shooting star that turns the overflowing sea of stars into a night pool. Yes, your favorite and mine, Dumuzid.
Dumuzid:
Everything is ready, Ereshkigal. The time has finally come to return the magical energy of the Third Underworld I embezzled—Excuse me, I'll start over.
Dumuzid:
The time has finally come to return the magical energy of the Third Underworld you entrusted me with.
Mash:
You two haven't met him yet, have you?
Mash:
This is Dumuzid, the Sumerian god of sheepherding.
Mash:
So... did Dumuzid cause any sort of problem after all?
Ereshkigal Alter:
Yeah. I turned the underworld into a huge field of flowers, then he let them all die off.
Ereshkigal Alter:
But it turns out, he made the flowers simply look like they died, then stored and converted them into magical energy to prepare for this moment.
Ereshkigal Alter:
I finally took it back. He's just being cheeky about it, that's all.
Dumuzid:
I had planned to run off with my savings, but since it was found, I have no choice.
Dumuzid:
I am betting everything on both you and the scary Ereshkigal.
Fujimaru 1:
Just like Dumuzid to come up short in the end!
Dumuzid:
I don't need a cane, since I can fly. But I make sure to roll when I am punched.
Dumuzid:
You should follow my example and think of the future when it comes to managing your assets.
Fujimaru 2:
(I guess he foresaw all of this...)
Ereshkigal Alter:
—Anyway, that's why we've got a huge surplus of magical energy right now. I've also set up an anti-ORT barrier.
Ereshkigal Alter:
Behold! The magnificent, newly-summoned Gugalanna! Now with a thousand legs!
Mash:
This—this is perfect! They're packed so closely together, not even an ant could get through!
Kadoc:
Summoning a huge number of only Divine Beast legs to use as a wall—It's a ridiculously flimsy idea, but it might actually work!
Kadoc:
It's like some crowded train on rush hour!
Gordolf:
S-So this is like the Japanese subway I keep hearing about...! Oh, wonderful Ereshkigal...
Gordolf:
The records of the Seventh Singularity gave the impression that she was a goddess with too much time on her hands, but would it be overstating things to call her a genius!?
Fujimaru 1:
Wait. Is that...
Fujimaru 2:
(Damn, it won't work.)
Da Vinci:
Well, I hope you got a good rest, Fujimaru. Are you ready to summon? We're counting on you.
Ereshkigal Alter:
Wh-What kind of reaction is that!?
Ereshkigal Alter:
It broke through that easily!?
Dumuzid:
OH. How unfortunate that it can just wade through a traffic jam like that. Can we just give up here and go back to Uruk, Ereshkigal?
Dumuzid:
I can take your place in the rate-up banner.
Ereshkigal Alter:
Shut up! We're just getting started! Even if it breaks through, we can still use Gugalanna's legs!
Ereshkigal Alter:
I just got caught by surprise! From now on, I'm getting serious!
Fujimaru 1:
That's right! Get 'em, Ereshkigal!
Ereshkigal Alter:
I-It's embarrassing when someone puts so much faith in me. I'm thankful for the support though.
Fujimaru 2:
Looks like a joint operation from here on.
Ereshkigal Alter:
Yeah. I'll be relying on you, Master of Chaldea.
Ereshkigal Alter:
...Ahem! Ereshkigal, the goddess of the underworld, commands you!
Ereshkigal Alter:
From henceforth, you shall summon without limitations! Both myself and the Storm Border shall support you!
Ereshkigal Alter:
Gugalanna's legs will be placed throughout the underworld, and by expanding and compressing the territory,
Ereshkigal Alter:
we'll increase the spatial density of the sixth layer! It won't be so easy to break through here!
Ereshkigal Alter:
Meanwhile, I'll slow down ORT with red lightning, and give your Servants the blessing of the underworld!
Ereshkigal Alter:
Let's settle this here and now, Fujimaru! I'll show you who's the real goddess of victory!
--ARROW--
Nemo Marine:
Triton Engine #2's internal temperature has reached the red zone!
Nemo Marine:
The seeds' ramming attacks have shaved down the barrier so much, we're in danger of overheatiiing!
Nemo:
Slow down #2, and hurry up with the cooling! Use #3 to shore up our barrier!
Nemo:
We can make do with just #1 now that Ereshkigal is helping with the summoning!
Nemo:
Meunière, what's the situation!? Have we cleared out all the Fantasy Tree seeds!?
Meunière:
Almost! We've destroyed 92% of the seeds swarming around the Storm Border and Chichen Itza!
Meunière:
Our spiritron torpedo stock is dry, but we can finish off the rest with the ones we're generating now!
Nemo:
(Not good...I didn't expect the Fantasy Trees to produce so many.)
Nemo:
(At this rate, we won't be able to use the main battery. We can't provide fire support to the Third Underworld.)
Nemo Marine:
Message from Sion and Professooor! Once the seed attack is over, they want to start charging the main gun.
Nemo Marine:
But that's going to take four hours using just #4! They want to know if we can spare one more engine for it!
Nemo:
I see... Meunière, contact the Shadow Border.
Nemo:
For the next four hours, the Storm Border will not be providing any magical energy.
Nemo:
We're trusting the goddess Ereshkigal with providing all the magical energy necessary for sustaining the Servant Saint Graphs.
Ereshkigal Alter:
Heroic Spirit Nemo, you heartless monster! I'm already at my limit down here!
Dumuzid:
Very true. You're putting out so much magical energy that your Saint Graph is unraveling, starting from your fingertips.
Dumuzid:
Any further burden would be a violation of international Divine Spirit law. Shall we return to the underworld of Sumer after all?
Ereshkigal Alter:
—No, not yet! I'm not the only one struggling here!
Ereshkigal Alter:
I won't leave the battlefield as long as the summoner still has the will to fight!
Ereshkigal Alter:
Look, the damage to ORT is definitely piling up!
Ereshkigal Alter:
Give me more of that magical energy you had hidden away, Dumuzid! I'll be a power plant if I have to!
Ereshkigal Alter:
[♂ He /♀️ She] managed to even suppress the goddess Tiamat!
Ereshkigal Alter:
There's absolutely no way we'll lose a battle of wills here!!
--ARROW--
Mash:
—ORT...is crumbling—
Kadoc:
Yeah... Since it never reacted to anything we threw at it, I wasn't sure if this would work...
Da Vinci:
No doubt about it—
Fujimaru 1:
We somehow managed to beat it here!!!
Fujimaru 2:
It really can't go any further...!
Gordolf:
Yeeeees! Amazingly well done, everyone! If this were a race, it'd be time to bust out the champagne!
Gordolf:
We managed to overcome the biggest obstacle! Now we can finally go back to the Storm Border!
Gordolf:
Actually, no, we can party later. First we have to thank the one who made this all possible.
Gordolf:
Fujimaru, go outside and call down the Divine Spirit Ereshkigal.
Gordolf:
She's a Servant originally summoned by the Storm Border, after all. We should return and celebrate our victory together.
Ereshkigal Alter:
—I'm so relieved. I admit I was pretty worried, but we actually managed to pull it off.
Ereshkigal Alter:
If I hadn't been able to do this, I don't think I would have been able to face Nitocris again.
Dumuzid:
It's okay for you to rest now, Ereshkigal. But before you do, please give me any messages you have to convey.
Dumuzid:
I will convey every word, mood, and minute change in facial expression to [♂ him /♀️ her].
Ereshkigal Alter:
It's fine. I've got enough strength left to do that myself. I've already vanished without saying goodbye once.
Ereshkigal Alter:
Now all that's left is Kukulkan... But after ORT, she won't be much of a problem.
Ereshkigal Alter:
Chaldea's in a position where they can have a meaningful dialogue—
Ereshkigal Alter:
—Dumuzid. Did you notice that?
Dumuzid:
That's why I asked you to give a message for me to them. Ereshkigal, you did well.
Dumuzid:
We Sumerian gods have nothing to be embarrassed about in regards to your performance.
Dumuzid:
You fought so hard you became one with the underworld...no, it would be no exaggeration to say that you were fighting as the underworld itself.
Dumuzid:
She would have even fought off the vanguard of a civilization-reaping planet.
Dumuzid:
But this time it was just a bad matchup. Truth be told, that thing EATS planets.
Dumuzid:
Something like that couldn't be defeated by anything native to our planet.
Gordolf:
Fujimaru, go outside and call down the Divine Spirit Ereshkigal.
Gordolf:
She's a Servant originally summoned by the Storm Border, after all. We should return and celebrate our victory together.
Fujimaru 1:
The alarm...?
Fujimaru 2:
Ereshkigal!
Gordolf:
What's happened!? Agh, I can't see anything! My head is splitting!
Gordolf:
Fujimaru! Kyrielight! Da Vinci! Kadoc!
Gordolf:
If you're all right, answer me! If any of you can see what's happening—
Dumuzid:
Please do not worry, Mister. Everyone inside the vehicle is safe. Please return to the Shadow Border.
Dumuzid:
You will not survive at this distance. I shall not last much longer either. Hurry.
Fujimaru 1:
—
Fujimaru 2:
Dumuzid, where's Ereshkigal!?
Dumuzid:
You may want to check your monitor. Seeing is believing, after all.
Da Vinci:
...Oh no. ORT's internal temperature is skyrocketing.
Da Vinci:
Energy generation by means of nuclear fusion, along with high concentrations of cosmic rays and massive gravitational pull—
Da Vinci:
It's currently reached 10,000 degrees, but it's estimated to reach as high as 1 million—no, it won't stop there once inflation starts.
Da Vinci:
It's just like a swarm of thunderclouds in outer space—a Galactica Supercell.
Kadoc:
What the hell!? I'm sorry, but I can't even begin to wrap my head around this!
Kadoc:
Is that the back component!? ORT's body has broken down, so how is it still moving!?
Dumuzid:
Unfortunately, that is not the case. We've blinded ourselves to the truth with wishful thinking.
Dumuzid:
The layers you have been fighting up to now were the waste parts left on the outside of a body after activity... like keratin on a human.
Dumuzid:
ORT is something that fell from the sky. A true Unidentified Flying Object.
Dumuzid:
That saucer-like object is ORT's main body.
Fujimaru 1:
Who cares about that! Where's Ereshkigal!?
Dumuzid:
She took the full brunt of the space storm and has already been evaporated. Therefore, I give this flower to you, Fujimaru.
Dumuzid:
It may only be one flower, but please accept it.
Dumuzid:
The last remains of a goddess who sacrificed her own wish in order to turn the Third Underworld into the decisive battleground.
Dumuzid:
As long as you have that flower, you will have her blessing.
Dumuzid:
And her message. This is why I am here.
Dumuzid:
“I'm sorry I couldn't fight to the end. But at least I went out cool, right?”
Dumuzid:
She wasn't daunted in the slightest while facing that storm.
Dumuzid:
Triumphantly, her Saint Graph crumbled from her fingertips from providing the magical energy for the Heroic Spirit summons.
Dumuzid:
Her smile was as radiant as that scarlet flower. Unfortunately, it could only record one second of audio.
Fujimaru 1:
—Yeah. You were cool.
Fujimaru 2:
...Thank you, Ereshkigal.
Dumuzid:
—Well, my wooly aura barrier is about to melt as well.
Dumuzid:
Please excuse me, ladies and gentlemen of Hell. Your real battle begins now. I wish you luck. I wish you all the best.
Dumuzid:
It appears the storm extends less far above ground, so be sure to chase it from at least two kilometers away.
Dumuzid:
As the summoner, your burden will increase fivefold from now. OH, talk about rewards. I knew we had something in common.
Dumuzid:
—And now talk grows muddled. I am sorry. I too must exit the stage here.
Dumuzid:
But I am not worried. You were the one who reached the abyss and showed it the brilliance of the rainbow.
Dumuzid:
You are the hero who the goddess of the underworld longed for so much she willingly risked her life for you.
Dumuzid:
It would be great if you would promise to return to the underworld once more—no, twice or even thrice more, as obstinately as you wish.
Section 22: The Sovereign of the Planet
Da Vinci:
ORT has resumed movement! And as expected, it's headed for Mexico City!
Gordolf:
Grr, our chances at victory were low enough as it is, but if it absorbs the sun, we won't even stand a chance!
Gordolf:
We have to prevent it from landing at Mexico at all costs—
Gordolf:
We...can't prevent it, can we?
Gordolf:
We'll have to come up with some other plan, or perhaps reconsider our course of action, and retreat for the time being—
Fujimaru 1:
I'll do it! At any cost!
Fujimaru 2:
We can continue our attack!
Gordolf:
I've never seen eyes so determined! Technical Advisor, can you say something to [♂ him /♀️ her]?
Da Vinci:
Yup, sometimes things are just impossible! So we should probably just take Dumuzid's advice and keep up our attack!
Da Vinci:
Fujimaru, you keep up that remote summoning! But take a five minute rest every half hour.
Da Vinci:
Gordolf, you keep a two kilometer distance between us and ORT at all times!
Da Vinci:
Kadoc, you man the guns, and fend off any of the seeds that attack us!
Da Vinci:
Mash, you won't be able to come back if you sortie at this distance, so for the moment, all combat with ORT is prohibited.
Da Vinci:
You and Kadoc both protect the Shadow Border for the moment!
Kadoc:
Good plan. Even if we can't prevent it from landing, we should continue the fight.
Kadoc:
Not just to get more combat data, but to increase our chances, even if just by a little, in the battle that will come later.
Gordolf:
Argh, you pack of morons! What can I do then!? You lot better take your motion sickness pills!
Gordolf:
I'm gonna be going at this driving wilder than ever!
Gordolf:
Tepeu, makes sure you hold onto the railings tight! You can't fasten a seat belt, after all!
Tepeu:
Naturally. If it won't be a bother, I'd love to accompany you for as long as I can.
Fujimaru 1:
Awright!—
Fujimaru 2:
Resuming pursuit!
--ARROW--
Narration:
A storm is coming. A world-rending storm is coming for the sun in an effort to regain its heart.
Narration:
All the Ocelomeh in Mexico City had gathered in one place.
Narration:
The Fantasy Tree seeds scattered around the forests had begun attacking their settlements.
Narration:
For the non-combatants, Mexico City had become a citadel of hope dedicated to their protection.
Narration:
The Ocelotl warriors equipped themselves with their weapons, and engaged in battle with the seeds attacking their city.
Narration:
And now, the seeds have departed, and the storm is about to arrive.
Narration:
This is something which was made clear an hour ago. That's when the storm approaching from the bottom layers of Mictlan had become visible.
Narration:
It is a gale that blows away trees and nature. A rainbow-hued radiance which destroys animals from within.
Narration:
It is a flying saucer boasting a hulk as massive as a city.
Narration:
The Ocelomeh understand that staying in Mexico City will spell their doom.
Narration:
They understand that their only resort is to evacuate the city and pray that the storm passes.
Narration:
—And even knowing that, not a single one has chosen the future of leaving the city.
Priest Vucub:
W-What are you all lowlifes thinking!? Every single one of you taking up arms, just what are you thinking you'll achieve by doing that!?
Priest Vucub:
Can't you see it!? That monster!? It's coming for the sun! Mexico City is already done for!
Priest Vucub:
Just do as you're told and run for it! Come with me! You'll be guards to a priest! It'll impress any of your fellow Ocelomeh!
Priest Vucub:
What!? What's going on!? Why are you going down into the city!? Are you stupid apes really that battle-crazed!?
Priest Vucub:
Arghhh, I just managed to escape and now these Ocelomeh are proving to be completely useless!
Priest Vucub:
Listen here, fighting that thing isn't going to make Mictlan yours!
Priest Vucub:
Even your last ray of hope in that Crypter or your Tezcatlipoca means jack shit!
Priest Vucub:
For whose sake are you fighting exactly!?
Priest Vucub:
Is this an order from your king–from Izcalli!? You're going to protect the city just because the king told you to!?
Ocelotl:
—You, wrong. Not, for king.
Priest Vucub:
—Wha— You can speak?
Ocelotl:
Yes. Finally learned. That why I know, you too.
Ocelotl:
Not fight for king.
Ocelotl:
For city. For Mictlan.
Ocelotl:
We want live on in Mictlan.
Ocelotl:
Want become smarter. Want kids to laugh.
Ocelotl:
That why we fight. Not for god. Fight for our world.
Priest Vucub:
—
Ocelotl:
Break altar. Then sun will leave?
Priest Vucub:
After you'd finally gained the rights to the sun, you're going to return it to Chichen Itza...?
Priest Vucub:
(It's not that they don't understand what ORT is. They know that they're facing their end.)
Priest Vucub:
(But even knowing that, they'll protect this place!? Not for themselves, but for something else—!?)
Priest Vucub:
Ggguh... These lowly squirts who can't even have lived for more than 300 cycles!
Priest Vucub:
Damn it, why are you telling me that!? I'm different from you stupid apes—
Ocelotl:
Know that. You bad deinos. Betray friends. Escape here alone.
Ocelotl:
But not hate you. You always do best to live.
Ocelotl:
Among all the deinos who never see us. Only you see us as enemy.
Priest Vucub:
—
Ocelotl:
Very rigid. Must hurry. Have to hurry.
Priest Vucub:
Rrrrr....grrr...rrrrr...arrrrgghhh!
Priest Vucub:
Out of the way, that's not how it works! Dumb apes, do you not even understand how the mechanism works!?
Priest Vucub:
The altar is just a decoration. There should be a stone you stole from Chichen Itza, isn't there? The sun is drawn to that.
Priest Vucub:
Yes, exactly, that one. —Hand it over. I'll return it to where it belongs.
Ocelotl:
Relief. Now I can also go fight.
Ocelotl:
I give you this. Trade for carrying stone. You chosen by fate.
Priest Vucub:
What is this? One of your ape skulls? Well... I suppose it'll serve as good sustenance, at least.
Ocelotl:
The fortune of chosen already have here in heart. If you give it away, give to next champion.
Priest Vucub:
Tsk... Wait! At least tell me your name!
Priest Vucub:
You. Name. You have to have one. Even apes must have names!
Ocelotl:
Have one. Cuauhtémoc. Not god, but king—
Ocelotl:
Mighty father gave to me. It sound like bravery.
Priest Vucub:
Hmph, well have fun then going to your death. It's foolhardy, but I'm not going to mock your reasons.
Priest Vucub:
After all, I'm much the same as you. To think I'd be going to return the thing I allowed to be stolen.
Priest Vucub:
Such stupidity has surely never been seen in Mictlan before. Indeed, how incredibly aggravating—
Priest Vucub:
Curses. If only we'd had a little of your moxie.
Narration:
Muttering under his breath, the priest takes off towards Chichen Itza.
Narration:
Cuauhtémoc. That was the name of the last king of the Aztecs in Pan-Human History.
Narration:
He succeeded to the throne of the Spanish-occupied Tenochtitlan after the death of Moctezuma II.
Narration:
He was a brave young king who fought until the bitter end together with just a few hundred subjects. The meaning of the name is that of the “descending eagle”.
Kadoc:
Fujimaru! It's been half an hour, so rest! Get your breathing together! Do you want to die from hypoxia?
Mash:
Six kilometers between ORT and Mexico City! It will land there in five minutes!
Mash:
The Ocelomeh are trying to repel it, but their weapons just don't work against ORT...
Gordolf:
So it was hopeless after all! Just who knows what will happen if that thing regains its heart!
Da Vinci:
Hm? About that sun... It appears to be a moving a bit?
Fujimaru 1:
Hahhh... Hahhh... Really?
Fujimaru 2:
(Look at the monitor while catching breath)
Kadoc:
It is moving... Is this tiny source of heat the Solar Itinerancy? It's moving towards Chichen Itza...
Tepeu:
This biowave is Vucub, I see. He appears to be carrying the Solar Itinerancy.
Gordolf:
Holy smokes! Who knows what kind of change of heart he's had, but thank goodness for that!
Gordolf:
If the sun returns to Chichen Itza, we'll be able to defend it using the Storm Border!
Da Vinci:
Oh no, it won't work! He's not gonna make it! At his speed, he's going to be overtaken!
Da Vinci:
The Solar Itinerancy is about to be consumed by the supercell's massive sphere!
Da Vinci:
If that really is Vucub carrying it, then it's all over! The sun won't make it to Chichen Itza!
Tepeu:
Pterosaurs are known for their light build and high speeds, but carrying the Solar Itinerancy, he's travelling as fast as he can.
Tepeu:
ORT's rate of progress is greater than Vucub's. In about one minute's time, he'll be in the storm.
Gordolf:
Grrr, there really is no God down here in Mictlan!
Mash:
ORT has arrived at the edge of Mexico City. The Ocelomeh defensive perimeter has retreated into the city.
Mash:
Their resistance appears to be continuing...
Kadoc:
They intend to fight into the last, don't they?
Kadoc:
No matter who the invader may be, they'll protect their home. The same goes for any human of any era. It's just what we do.
Kadoc:
Hm...? No, wait. Isn't the heat signature in Mexico getting exceptionally high?
Mash:
Extreme amounts of magical energy detected from all parts of Mexico City! This—This is a Divine Spirit level Saint Graph reading!
Narration:
There won't be anyone there anyway. Why would there ever be anyone protecting those short-lived abodes?
Narration:
So, I thought I'd come here to disappear, watching as Mictlan breathed its last, in the middle of the abandoned city.
Tenochtitlan:
—No way.
Narration:
It was so lively that I could hardly believe my eyes. The cries of joy were so loud that I felt my ears hurting.
Narration:
Not a single one of them had fled the city. They held their weapons fast, united in the face of the enemy.
Narration:
“I want to stay here forever.” “I want to live in this beautiful city forever.”
Narration:
They were so overjoyed to have such a cause to fight for.
Narration:
There was still fear, of course. All who were headed for the battle lines were prepared to fight to the death.
Narration:
“There is no way I'll live to tell the tale. We will all go extinct here.”
Narration:
“But we will still fight. Even if not a single one of us remains. For the sake of the time we spent here. For the sake of the happiness we had here.”
Narration:
This battle was not one between species trying to eradicate one another. It was a battle to protect what was dear to them in the face of unprecedented cataclysm.
Narration:
They felt that purpose worthy of their lives. The final battle to protect their future home.
Tenochtitlan:
—Temple of the Two Gods, move to shoulder area. Convert city water streams into Magic Circuits. Inject Divine Core into Mamalhuaztli, Igniting Constellation.
Narration:
—You cannot be serious... Just, what are they doing, honestly?
Narration:
Do they have some kind of stupid fantasy of ascending to heaven if they die bravely in battle or something? I bet they do. That's how the Aztec world worked.
Narration:
If you fight and die, it doesn't matter who you are, you will be recognized. If you win in battle, it doesn't matter who you are, you will be in the right.
Narration:
However, that only counts when your opponent is another warrior like you. Those who die in accidents or from sickness all go into different kinds of underworlds.
Narration:
Those who die from old age or disasters are allowed to head to Tezcatlipoca's paradise.
Narration:
But Tezcatlipoca is no more. Even if they all die here, no god is going to save them.
Tenochtitlan:
—So... I guess it's up to me, right?
Narration:
Unbelievable. Did you think I was some sort of uptight and serious honor student?
Narration:
Stop kidding yourself. I just want to avoid unnecessary trouble. I just don't want to do something tough.
Narration:
I just despise things that don't bring me any benefit.... and yet—
Narration:
I can't even fight anymore. Just bending my neck is tough, and hard...and yet—
Tenochtitlan:
Ometeotl, Multigod Fusion System, approved. Cardiac City, launching—
Tenochtitlan:
YOU FFFFFFFFUCKING INVADER!! You're not taking another step into MY CITY—!
Da Vinci:
Is that Tenochtitlan's Noble Phantasm!? It's even bigger from when we fought it!
Da Vinci:
Or more importantly—I can't believe it! The city itself was her Noble Phantasm!
Fujimaru 1:
Incredible, she's stopped ORT in its tracks!
Fujimaru 2:
Now Vucub can escape safely!
Gordolf:
Ohhh, that gallant form of hers! It truly must be a bucket-wheel excavator!
Gordolf:
The largest of all construction vehicle colossi that mankind has ever known! The bucket-wheel excavator!
Fujimaru 1:
The bucket-wheel excavator!
Kadoc:
Yeah, right on, Fujimaru!
Kadoc:
The bucket-wheel excavators, monster machines spanning over 200 meters long!
Fujimaru 2:
A bucket-wheel excavator?
Mash:
Do you not know about them, Senpai!?
Mash:
About the bucket-wheel excavators, monster machines spanning over 200 meters long!?
Da Vinci:
Uh, no, that's completely off. And I bet Tenochtitlan would be mad if she heard you, even if I get what you're trying to say.
Da Vinci:
—Okay, we are getting a bit too caught up in this silliness! Gordolf, change course for Chichen Itza!
Da Vinci:
We'll chase after the sun while Tenochtitlan is buying us time!
Da Vinci:
The final battle will have to be in the Second Underworld. We'll just have to challenge ORT to an all-out battle there!
Tenochtitlan:
...!
Narration:
The momentum was in my favor only at the start. My ability to contend with it was only at the start.
Narration:
The saucer never stopped spinning, and so my pillar-arms were smashed to pieces, returning to their original stone form, before falling off.
Narration:
Ometeotl, the Multigod Fusion Machine, is me myself. The damage taken by the city comes straight back to me.
Tenochtitlan:
Aghh, agh— Grrrrggh, it hurts... it huuuuuurts...!!!
Narration:
My tears stream forth. My screams flow out. A feeling of rage-tinged regret telling me I should've just stopped, assaults me.
Narration:
If my soul weakens, the city will crumble.
Narration:
Pathetic. I couldn't even hold out for a single minute. There wasn't a single point to me trying to stand in the way.
Narration:
The only thing this stupidity has gotten me is more pain and a greater feeling of helplessness.
Narration:
I can't protect anything. I couldn't in the past, and I can't in this Lostbelt either.
Narration:
All the time I spent here only served to remind me of that. And just as I'm about to ungracefully collapse...
Tenochtitlan:
—Uu... Uuu.......—!
Narration:
My tears begin to roll down my cheeks. My sobbing wells up. Rage-tinged happiness surges forth. Why can't I run away?
Narration:
They are protecting the city. They're protecting me.
Narration:
They're protecting what I failed to protect in the past, when no battle even occurred to protect it.
Narration:
I was occupied by the invaders, then buried under the soil by the foreign culture's culture, as if I had never existed.
Tenochtitlan:
But I'm not buried yet... If there are people here in this city who still wish to live, then—
Narration:
Even if I can't stop you like this, and even if this single minute of resistance only extends to become two.
Tenochtitlan:
That still isn't reason enough for me to ever give up—!
Narration:
Again and again will I be constructed. Again and again will I protect their sun, and their dreams.
Tenochtitlan:
My name is Tenochtitlan! The magnificent city by the water, where warriors are honored!
Tenochtitlan:
The beating heart of the Aztec world that rises even after death—!
Tenochtitlan:
—Oh.
Tenochtitlan:
Mhmm... Sure, whatever. I guess that's was always a possibility, right?
Tenochtitlan:
ORT's...gone. It just went ahead and changed its course, and then flew off to wherever.
Tenochtitlan:
It probably didn't see us as...much more than a pebble on the side of the road, I bet. Talk about blasphemy, honestly.
Tenochtitlan:
But... that's fine. I mean, thanks to that... look.
Narration:
The sky is clear. Voices can be heard. Beautiful voices of happiness, sharing the victory among one other.
Narration:
Half of the city is destroyed, and only a few handful of people remain. Before long, Mictlan will come to an end.
Narration:
Still... I'm glad. I'm glad I was able to protect the world of these people.
Narration:
I only ever fought reluctantly, even to the bitter end. But if that meant I got to see what's now before me, then it was worth it.
Tenochtitlan:
So long then, my city, my people... Also, you meddlesome Nitocris.
Tenochtitlan:
As you can see—the regret in my heart is gone.
Tenochtitlan:
The dreams that arose in this city end here. The hummingbird falls from the sky, and so, returns to the lake of the moon...
--ARROW--
Fujimaru 1:
—(Huh...was I asleep...?)
Fujimaru 2:
(I'm awake, but...my consciousness...)
Gordolf:
We passed through the fifth layer! We've finally made it to the fourth, the Second Underworld!
Gordolf:
We've been chasing ORT up until now, but from here on out, we're going to try and outpace it!
Gordolf:
Don't start the attack yet! Wait for the order from the Storm Border!
Kadoc:
Our strategists already made a plan for the Supercell? This looks like it might improve our odds a bit.
Mash:
The sun is currently moving through the Second Underworld.
Mash:
We'll slow down ORT's progress and send it safely back to Chichen Itza.
Tepeu:
The sun won't be moving up from the third layer. We ought to consider the first and second layers as non-factors.
Tepeu:
This is the last part of the underworld where we can engage in battle. Our last bastion... Fujimaru?
Fujimaru 1:
Huh? What is it, Tepeu?
Fujimaru 2:
I'm fine. I can keep going.
Tepeu:
...
Tepeu:
Sorry, I'm letting my nerves do the talking. Please continue your battle preparations.
Tepeu:
As a noncombatant, it may not be my place to say this, but please do not push yourself too hard.
Fujimaru 1:
Your input is invaluable.
Fujimaru 2:
Thank you, Tepeu.
Gordolf:
Watch your tongues! We're entering the obsidian cordillera!
Gordolf:
Asking me to drive through this hellish mountain path!? Are you insane, Sion!?
Gordolf:
But Beni-Enma is waiting up there for us! We've got a plan to put into action!
Nemo Professor:
And that's what it i~s. This is the strategy we came up wi~th.
Nemo Professor:
It has an 80% success rate, in theory. Are there any problems with the preparations?
Beni-Enma:
Of courth there are! There ith a limit to what one innkeeper can do on her own!
Kingprotea Alter:
I agree with her. Who exactly do you think we are?
Kingprotea Alter:
I came all the way here from my own Underworld Border because you insisted, but aren't you asking a bit much?
Nemo Professor:
We sure are~. We're having it rough too, but we're out of options.
Nemo Professor:
If there was some way we could convince you~.
Kingprotea Alter:
Nuh-uh. No way. I won't do it. I'm going back, now.
Kingprotea Alter:
A Watcher dies when they leave their underworld. Though I'm the strongest, so I won't die so easily.
Kingprotea Alter:
But I would rather fight ORT in the First Underworld than help a stupid plan like that.
Kingprotea Alter:
Of course you'll all have been wiped out by then, right? Then I'll just beat it by myself.
Beni-Enma:
...Professor's strategy is reckless, but Protea just thounds like a loser...
Beni-Enma:
Unfortunately, thith operathion can't be done without her...
Beni-Enma:
There's only tho much I can do on my own... and when push comes to thove, I just can't...
Nemo Professor:
The Shadow Border has arri~ved. But it looks like negotiations have failed.
Nemo Professor:
Looks like a direct appeal is necessary. Master, if you would please?
Kingprotea Alter:
Oh, you finally made it. It must have been hard for a tiny human to climb all the way up here.
Beni-Enma:
You're right on time. Let uth hear what Mash and Fujimaru have to thay.
Beni-Enma:
Perhapth they have a better plan.
Fujimaru 1:
Thanks for standing by, you two!
Fujimaru 2:
The star players of the team!
Kingprotea Alter:
Forget what I said earlier, Beni-Enma. Let's just get this plan of theirs over with.
Kingprotea Alter:
It sucks, but I can't just sit by and watch.
Beni-Enma:
I agree. Beni is prepared for it.
Beni-Enma:
All my training ath a Watcher has prepared me for thith moment.
Fujimaru 1:
...?
Fujimaru 2:
...???
Kingprotea Alter:
Forget about it. Just sit in your little car and wait, okay?
Kingprotea Alter:
I'll probably step on you accidentally if I go practice my role.
Beni-Enma:
I'd love to cook you a delicious meal, but that ith going to have to wait!
Beni-Enma:
Be sure to go wash up. You have to keep good habith even if you are tired.
Nemo Professor:
Wow, they sure came around fast.
Nemo Professor:
Now, please stand by here for the Shadow Border.
Nemo Professor:
As soon as ORT reaches the Second Underworld, Beni-Enma and Kingprotea will intercept...
Nemo Professor:
Their target will be the supercell-generating organs identified by TRISMEGISTUS II.
Nemo Professor:
It's a catch-and-slash pla~n.
Kingprotea Alter:
Sigh. This plan was so awful that I just signed up in the spur of the moment...
Kingprotea Alter:
But any way you look at it, aren't I doing 90% of the work here? How can you make a girl do all the heavy lifting?
Beni-Enma:
You're the right perthon for the job. There are no men or women in the world of business.
Beni-Enma:
Everyone doeth what they can. And if it is what needth to be done, tho much the better.
Beni-Enma:
Tho that thnap decithon you just made was great!
Beni-Enma:
I wath worried since you were still an Alter, but I've grown to like you thith way!
Kingprotea Alter:
I'd rather you didn't.
Kingprotea Alter:
But shouldn't you transform too? You can only slay human sinners in that form.
Beni-Enma:
You're right. Now then...The sparrow's service hath ended.
Beni-Enma:
The food in the inner parlor may be delicious, but it is tasteless! The knife of flame is both sharp and vibrant!
Beni-Enma Alter:
Strictness to send a chill up one's spine. Crimson bird of prosperity, Beni-Enma! My shift has begun!
Kingprotea Alter:
(What a flashy intro!)
Beni-Enma Alter:
—The plan seems quite simple.
Beni-Enma Alter:
You grab the enemy and stop its rotation. I go bisect its organs.
Beni-Enma Alter:
A galactica supercell, was it? A storm of the stars is a big order.
Beni-Enma Alter:
My sword is about four ri in length. A storm like that can easily break us up.
Kingprotea Alter:
Yeah. Apparently the enemy is immortal. What do you think?
Beni-Enma Alter:
If it is a being that cannot die, then I can only grant it the concept of death.
Beni-Enma Alter:
For the exalted Old Man of the Mountain has taught me his angelic technique I can use only in this location.
Beni-Enma Alter:
It may only be the blades of my mountains touch, but I will be sure to slay them.
Kingprotea Alter:
Seriously? I don't believe this. Don't hit me by mistake. Watching you is going to give me nightmares later.
Beni-Enma Alter:
Would it be suited for a small house? Worry not, I do not carry any swords for cutting my allies.
Beni-Enma Alter:
—Our role is to wait for the right moment, and make it.
Beni-Enma Alter:
When the Shadow Border makes ORT flinch, we go to work.
Kingprotea Alter:
Yeah. I don't want to make them do more nonsense like reckless summoning, but we don't have a choice.
Kingprotea Alter:
Just bring ORT to a stop, Fujimaru.
Kingprotea Alter:
Everything after that is our job. We'll show you what it means to be a Watcher of the Underworld.
Kingprotea Alter:
...By the way, how far is one ri, exactly?
--ARROW--
Kingprotea Alter:
Your guard is down, ORT!
Kingprotea Alter:
Serial Phantasm, deployed. My fingers surround the world—
Kingprotea Alter:
Churning the ocean of milk! Releasing highly-concentrated liquid ether!
Kingprotea Alter:
I'm trusting that you know how to play! After all, having to catch the ball is the whole point!
Kingprotea Alter:
Uuuurryyyaaaah!!! Hold stiiiiiiiiill!!!
Kingprotea Alter:
Now! Do it, Beni-Enma!
Beni-Enma Alter:
Brilliantly done, Protea! Now I strike with the Great Red Lotus, the sword that knows the boundary of life and death!
Beni-Enma Alter:
As the mountains shake, winds blow down from the hot stones! Thunderclouds of the galaxy, be gone!
Gordolf:
Th-That shock... Did she do it!?
Mash:
Yes! We've confirmed the cessation of the galactica supercell!
Mash:
It won't change the speed of ORT's progress, but this will give us an edge in battle!
Da Vinci:
All right! First objective achieved! Everyone back onboard the Shadow Border!
Da Vinci:
Now we head to the third layer and pile as much damage onto ORT as we can!
Da Vinci:
According to TRISMEGISTUS II, if we manage to destroy up to 60% of ORT's outer shell...
Da Vinci:
A blast from the Storm Border's main cannon at point-blank range should finish it off!
Da Vinci:
This is our last push, so just hang in there a bit longer! Our all-out assault will end here, in the second underworld!
Fujimaru 1:
...Right! (This is the end... Gotta pull out all the stops!)
Fujimaru 2:
What about Protea and Beni-Enma!?
Da Vinci:
Don't worry, we heard from both of them.
Da Vinci:
“That wore me out. I'm going to rest in the ocean of milk, so go do your thing.” “I'll thee you off at the summit of the underworld mountains!”
Da Vinci:
They're both breaking off here so ORT doesn't crystallize them.
Tepeu:
Is the Storm Border's main battery ready?
Da Vinci:
Yeah. Thanks to all of Ereshkigal's hard work, they were able to run two engines in parallel to charge it.
Da Vinci:
The main gun can fire at any time. Now it's just down to how much of ORT we can shave off!
Gordolf:
Naturally! As soon as we reach the “ORT can now be destroyed” limit indicated by TRISMEGISTUS II,
Gordolf:
we're heading for Chichen Itza at top speed!
Kingprotea Alter:
Augh, I'm beat. It really is asking too much to mosey on down to another underworld.
Kingprotea Alter:
Just walking on the mountains here scratches my skin, and my so-called friends beat me up. It's just too much.
Kingprotea Alter:
I'll take the ocean of milk with me. See you later, Beni-Enma.
Beni-Enma:
Good work. Nice showing out there, Protea. Just as though you were in a pro thumo training program!
Beni-Enma:
If we had done thith in the First Underworld, you'd have pulled off a yokozuna-class harimanage!
Beni-Enma:
But are you really okay with thecking out here? Don't you want to thay goodbye?
Kingprotea Alter:
No need. If [♂ he /♀️ she] sees my invincible self looking this way, [♂ he /♀️ she]'s going to get even more depressed.
Kingprotea Alter:
[♂ He /♀️ She] doesn't care about wearing [♂ him /♀️ her]self out through constant summoning.
Kingprotea Alter:
[♂ He /♀️ She]'s used to that now, and I like to see [♂ him /♀️ her] grimacing in pain.
Kingprotea Alter:
...but I hate that forced smile of [♂ his /♀️ hers]. There are different ways to put on a brave face.
Kingprotea Alter:
[♂ He /♀️ She] doesn't want to see Servants heading off beating their chests every time they go off to face ORT.
Kingprotea Alter:
So I'm going to vanish here. Well? Isn't it better to have no regrets?
Beni-Enma:
—Then I will do the thame.
Beni-Enma:
Ath a Servant, I can't let Master see me being pathetic.
Beni-Enma:
So I'll wave goodbye to everyone here! Good thing we have no shortage of flint!
--ARROW--
Mash:
I've received reports that the sun has been returned to Chichen Itza.
Mash:
But its output appears to be decreasing. As it stands, one hour from now and it'll be night.
Tepeu:
Vucub's quick thinking, I suppose.
Tepeu:
With the altar and the Solar Itinerancy, the priest can to some extent make the sun do what he wants.
Tepeu:
He must've thought that in order to fool ORT, he'd make the sun harder to see by lowering its output.
Habetrot:
That old vulture's sure quick on his feet. Guess it wasn't for nothing that he was your rival, Tepeu.
Tepeu:
Calling us rivals isn't fair to him. In terms of being a priest, he was always far superior to me. He was always hardworking.
Gordolf:
What a beautiful sunset...
Gordolf:
Even if this sun is a mere fabrication, its magnificence is not outdone by the real one in Pan-Human History.
Gordolf:
I had never thought that my long dream of going on a safari rally would come true in such a way... You never know what life has in store for you.
Fujimaru 1:
Yeah... more of a Underworld Pilgrimage rally, wasn't it?
Gordolf:
Quite... and what are you doing trying to sound like me? You don't have to embarrass me, geez.
Fujimaru 2:
You sure never do... This is really beautiful...
Gordolf:
However... this is the last time.
Gordolf:
Both the last time we get to witness the end of the landscape of a Lostbelt, and the last time we get to bear witness to the end of a world.
Kadoc:
Incoming report from the Storm Border...
Kadoc:
98% of all native life in Mictlan has now been confirmed dead.
Kadoc:
Having run out of targets to attack, 97% of the Fantasy Tree seeds have self-terminated.
Kadoc:
At present, the only beings still alive are we from Chaldea and a small number of deinos.
Tepeu:
As well as ORT, of course. However, that is only the thing which will disappear from here on out.
Da Vinci:
Yeah, the Storm Border has entered into the firing sequence of its main cannon.
Da Vinci:
When ORT leaves the great plains and enters the sea of trees, we'll bring this battle to an end.
Da Vinci:
Whatever enemy awaits us after that, we'll just have to think about after we've returned to the Storm.
Tepeu:
Allow me to apologize on behalf of Kukulkan's troubling behavior... Her exact stance hasn't been clear since the very beginning, has it?
Mash:
N-No problem, that's not much of a problem, really...! I mean, Kukulkan has her own position to think about!
Tepeu:
I was joking. What exactly she is going to choose in her capacity as the Lostbelt King, I do not know, but...
Tepeu:
Well, at the very least, I doubt she'd try and wipe out you people from Pan-Human History.
Tepeu:
Personally speaking, I'd have hoped she could just move on from this Lostbelt and become part of your journey as a frie—Oh?
Fujimaru 1:
Tepeu?
Fujimaru 2:
I hear...something...?
Gordolf:
W-What!? What's going on!? I didn't hear about anything like this!
Kadoc:
The number of bio-readings is tremendous!
Kadoc:
Did something weird happen again!? Are the Fantasy Tree seeds gathering again!?
Mash:
No, this reading... It's the deinos. They're all coming in this direction.
Mash:
But...why? I thought they'd all dispersed into the forests, but—
Tepeu:
—Oh, so that's what happened, of course.
Koyanskaya:
Good grief. My dear deinos, it is most delightful to have you all back in the city, however...
Koyanskaya:
Being engaged in peaceful conversation as Mictlan is about to perish at the hands of an interstellar lifeform is quite something...
Koyanskaya:
Is this how all overmatured intelligent beings end up, perhaps? Quite different from the future I had envisioned...
Koyanskaya:
Was I perhaps too rash in taking the decision of sending my resting main body into the interstices of the cosmos?
Koyanskaya:
Now that I think about it, wasn't I just scammed? I suppose I really should have killed that sketchy daoshi when I could.
Koyanskaya:
Oh my, could that be Vucub? Why, he looks about ready to cause some commotion, does he not?
Priest Vucub:
And here you all are again, wasting time like the fools you are!
Priest Vucub:
Seeing as you've returned to Chichen Itza, you must have had some attachment to the city after all, didn't you!?
Priest Vucub:
Mictlan is going to be destroyed by that monster before the sun will even explode!
Priest Vucub:
There's not a single thing left alive from the fourth layer on down! Are you really just going to stay here and let the same thing proceed!?
Priest Vucub:
Show some fighting spirit for once! At least you did fight against the Ocelomeh, didn't you!?
Lonely Deinos:
Sure, I guess...
Anguished Deinos:
Say what you will, but it's a bit rich hearing it from the one who was a big part of why Chichen Itza was destroyed...
Sad-looking Deinos:
Doesn't matter whether we fight or not, our extinction is set in stone regardless. We can't find any reason to fight.
Sad-looking Deinos:
And if we can't do that, it would be a mistake to take action. Why use energy on something that will accomplish nothing?
Priest Vucub:
You dumb oafs—!
Priest Vucub:
Oh, never mind. But what did I expect? I shouldn't be disparaging when it's all of us.
Priest Vucub:
We will never change. Never. And thus we have our harmony and our peace.
Priest Vucub:
Mictlan is going to be destroyed, one way or the other. Whatever form that final moment may take, the fact itself will never change...
???:
Stuff like that does change depending on the feel, don't it? That's what living's all about, ain't it? You guys are too damn clever for your own damn good, aren'tcha?
Group of Deinos:
...! It's you—!
Dinosaur King:
Sorry. Took me a bit to regenerate. That asshole Izcalli shot me everywhere but the goddamn head.
Priest Vucub:
Dinosaur King!? Y-Y-You were still alive!? No, your highness was still in good form, I take it!
Dinosaur King:
Result's the same, so you won't have an opinion about it nor do squat, huh? The hell's wrong with you all? You some kinda sad-ass slaves or something?
Dinosaur King:
Goddamn dinosaurs, and yet you've lost all of your wild spirit. Apologize to everyone who's ever admired your kind in their youth, dammit.
Dinosaur King:
But what's it matter, huh? What if shit doesn't change the result?
Dinosaur King:
You guys were a highly intelligent and mighty species. You pretty much eliminated the concept of “wastefulness”.
Dinosaur King:
“If you do something wasteful, conflict will arise. If you do something wasteful, disparity will be born.”
Dinosaur King:
Malla's approach is sound enough, sure.
Dinosaur King:
You are beings who cannot justify taking action if your only reason for doing so is a selfish and individualistic dislike.
Dinosaur King:
But yeah, this is “the final day”. Even if you do something selfish, it's not like it's gonna have any effect on what happens tomorrow.
Dinosaur King:
It doesn't matter how many mistakes you commit today, because you won't have to reflect on it tomorrow anyway.
Calm Deinos:
It won't have any effect? No matter what actions we take?
Calm Deinos:
But then, wouldn't that just mean the outcome stays the same no matter—
Dinosaur King:
The outcome won't change, but the meaning will remain. Goin' off to die in order to struggle for your death isn't “wasteful”.
Dinosaur King:
Whether it's goin' to sleep each night and never noticing when the end will come, or heading out towards your own demise knowin' it'll be your last moment...
Dinosaur King:
They're both stupid and wasteful uses of energy, but long as you are using them, it's definitely meaningful.
Priest Vucub:
Meaningful...but for what? It doesn't seem like it would be meaningful for us...
Dinosaur King:
For something greater. You've been taught that ever since you were born.
Dinosaur King:
Right now, your story doesn't have a proper conclusion.
Dinosaur King:
Those stories about the other Lostbelts you guys were listenin' to so intently. The people there didn't just disappear all of a sudden.
Dinosaur King:
Even though their worlds had been completely screwed since their very origins, they were only “concluded” once Chaldea defeated them.
Dinosaur King:
And you guys didn't mock 'em for it either, because you found validity in them fighting towards the goal of coming to an end.
Dinosaur King:
Accepting your own extinction and resisting into the last are two different things. Basically comes down to where you wanna put your punctuation mark, don't it?
Dinosaur King:
Ain't nothing here's gonna be left for tomorrow, so ain't nothing wrong with doing somethin' stupid, is it?
Calm Deinos:
I see. That does make sense.
C：Once-lonely Deinos:
That's right. It really does make one think.
D：Not-so-anguished Deinos:
That's the king for you. He's on a different level to Vucub. Well, in that case, I guess we have no choice but to do business with NFF Services.
Priest Vucub & Koyanskaya:
Wh-Whaaaaaat!?
Deinos A fiddling with firearms:
I'll take this large rifle. Hm, the recoil isn't all that stable.
Deinos A fiddling with firearms:
The spread of its explosive power is not very good either. Is there anyone here who could modify it?
Deinos B fiddling with firearms:
Normal munitions won't work on ORT. How about we incorporate our biowaves into it? That might work.
Deinos C fiddling with firearms:
I'll be taking normal bullets. I will use two magnetically charged poles to propel the bullet.
Deinos C fiddling with firearms:
I always thought NFF Services' guns were a bit lacking. I'll modify, test, and stabilize these in 15 minutes.
C：Dinos A fiddling with a rocket launcher:
Don't use rockets that explode on impact. Use ones that explode after piercing armor. Like these.
E：Dinos B fiddling with a rocket launcher:
I might as well use something large if we're going to fight. Also, I think I'll add a bunch of smaller explosives inside of the main shot.
E：Dinos B fiddling with a rocket launcher:
I learned the general principles of that from Da Vinci. She also said something about it being against the whatever-convention. That must be rough.
Koyanskaya:
(They're civilizing at the speed of light! Are these people actually...the most dangerous mankind of all!?)
Group of Deinos:
But wow, NFF Services sure is great. Up until now we'd had some doubts about the purpose of Koyanskaya's existence.
Group of Deinos:
But she truly is the incarnation of salvation, or, discovery, I guess. Please show us more weapons. More.
Koyanskaya:
Hehehe, this might be some really dangerous evolution, but being so desired is far too good to deny it.
Koyanskaya:
It would appear I have become your object of worship, have I not? Your goddess, perhaps?
Group of Deinos:
No, you're just a convenience. We have our own god, sorry to say.
Koyanskaya:
Tch, is that so? This deity feels disheartened...
Priest Vucub:
Grrr, uugh... Rrrghrrrghgrrrgh.
Dinosaur King:
What's up, you feelin' left out, Vucub?
Dinosaur King:
Well, I get how you feel. That half-assed humanoid thinking of theirs really weirds me out. You know, how they're all in solidarity or whatever.
Priest Vucub:
I-I would never think that! As if I'd ever want to go and mingle among them. Ugh, disgusting!
Priest Vucub:
I'm different from this spineless bunch who changed their entire thinking after one little speech from the king!
Dinosaur King:
That ain't true. You're the same as them.
Dinosaur King:
These buggers came back here because, in reality, they'd been itchin' to do “something” very badly.
Dinosaur King:
And that “something” ain't exactly simply battle, or some wish to clamor for their existence.
Dinosaur King:
“This is how far we came.”
Dinosaur King:
That's what they're trying to prove, as life, as a species. That's what's gonna spur you all on. No matter when it may be.
Priest Vucub:
—Hmph. Is that so? Well, why don't they, then? It doesn't concern me.
Dinosaur King:
The fuck you say? What're you taking it so easy for? Get ready. You're my legs, aint'cha?
Dinosaur King:
The hell do you think I became your king for, huh? We're goin' to war together, Vucub.
Dinosaur King:
And I mean, c'mon, these dudes don't know the first thing about battle!
Dinosaur King:
How the hell's this party gonna get started if we hotheaded assholes don't take charge?
Fujimaru 1:
They're passing the Shadow Border...? And towards...
Fujimaru 2:
the fourth layer from where ORT is coming from?
Mash:
They're all waving to us as they pass by— smiling—
Kadoc:
50... 60... It's all the deinos who survived after what happened in Chichen Itza. They've all been equipped with firearms...
Kadoc:
But wait, don't tell me they intend on attacking ORT...?
Da Vinci:
—
Sion:
Storm Border calling to Shadow Border. We believe they just passed you.
Sion:
They are all armed, but they have no intention of attacking us.
Sion:
They are headed out to battle against ORT. We've received a message from the Dinosaur King.
Sion:
“We ain't got no need for reinforcements. You in Chaldea should carry out your own responsibilities.”
Sion:
Please, link up with us as previously planned.
Sion:
The firing sequence of our main cannon is about to finish.
Sion:
Around the same time you arrive at the Storm Border... ORT will be in attack range of Chichen Itza.
Sion:
The success of the ORT operation will be heavily influenced by your ability to return in time. That's all.
Mash:
—
Gordolf:
That's ludicrous! I'm going to pretend I never heard this absurd story! Them being armed with guns must have been some kind of mistake!
Gordolf:
You're telling me that the gentle, wise, and practically ideal mankind would do that? They may have looked different, but that's the form of mankind we should all strive for!
Gordolf:
So why... Why would they—
Gordolf:
Why would they fight!? They don't need to fight, do they!?
Gordolf:
We'll deal with ORT by ourselves! That's what we've come all this way to do!
Gordolf:
There's not a single reason for why they should have to spill blood! Or is there!?
Da Vinci:
Gordolf...
Tepeu:
Gordolf, please step on the gas pedal. There's still some time to spare, but just in case.
Tepeu:
Also, I'll be taking my leave here. I'm very grateful for our time together.
Tepeu:
Oh, but could I perhaps borrow some kind of weapon? Something simple, like a knife, would be fine.
Fujimaru 1:
You too, Tepeu?
Fujimaru 2:
Why?
Tepeu:
Everyone else is headed for battle. I alone cannot stay here while they do that.
Tepeu:
I'm sure in your eyes this looks like nothing more than dying in vain, or a show of pointless resistance.
Tepeu:
That's what I think too. This is an avoidable battle. And it's a battle that should be avoided, most likely.
Tepeu:
But this is about principle, newly born as it may be. If I ignore this, I'll cease to be a deinos.
Fujimaru 1:
...
Da Vinci:
Would this be okay...? It's a submachine gun kept for emergencies.
Da Vinci:
You're one of the smaller deinos, so I think you'll be able to use it.
Tepeu:
Of course. I know how to use it. I will disengage the safety outside the vehicle. It's best to observe etiquette.
Tepeu:
So long then.
Mash:
Please, wait!
Mash:
Don't do this, Tepeu!
G：Mash:
We don't have any right to stop you. I know that...
G：Mash:
But, even so, I cannot agree to this! And that goes not only for you, Tepeu!
G：Mash:
The deinos never took to conflict, never showed any hatred, and never discriminated.
G：Mash:
So why? Why now of all times are you all headed to the battlefield!? To someplace where it's practically guaranteed you'll accomplish nothing but die! Why!?
G：Mash:
We have seen so many different worlds at this point. And no matter how aberrant they were...
G：Mash:
No matter how sinful they were, not a single one of them, and not a single person in them, deserved to die.
G：Mash:
And even among all these—the deinos were really just...so wonderful—
G：Mash:
So why—why are you headed out to lose your lives, not in the extinction of your species, but in a completely hopeless and meaningless battle!?
Tepeu:
—I'm surprised. I wasn't aware you were someone capable of such anger.
Tepeu:
Or maybe, the fact that someone as peaceful as you would shout so much has more to do with how hard all the things you've went through until now have been.
Tepeu:
Mash. You're right that we deinos don't see anyone as more “special” than another.
Tepeu:
Everyone had the same worth; we were all equals. And as a result, there never was any conflict.
Tepeu:
But the same could not be said of me. I did discriminate for the one I loved.
Tepeu:
When you heard Ixquic talk about the nature of the “ideal people” that you had long imagined, your face lit up.
Tepeu:
But near the end of that conversation, you were faced with a contradiction, were you not?
Tepeu:
Humans are all equally precious lives. Nobody should be treated as more special than the other.
Tepeu:
In which case—why should you ever feel grief over someone's death? For everyone to be equal means there's no discrimination, after all.
Mash:
Yes... Every one of Ixquic's words were true—
Mash:
When I heard that “everyone is precious”, I was deeply touched, and yet, the conclusion that followed tripped me up.
Mash:
You have to treat the death of someone dear to you as equal to the death of someone you've never met.
Mash:
But back then, I—
Tepeu:
Yes. That's how our species differs, Mash.
Tepeu:
Mash. Differences exist. It's something which comes to be. Life is not all the same.
Tepeu:
It's all right that you would feel sadder about the misfortune of someone close to you rather than someone you have little to do with.
Tepeu:
You humans sought something to connect with–something which could allow you to shine. And so it was that mankind prospered.
Tepeu:
It's rather cruel to say, but a “world of equals” would just become the same as ours.
Tepeu:
A world where those who are special are neither acknowledged nor noticed... A world where it's not possible to save even a single friend...
Mash:
Tepeu... um, is the person you couldn't save, um, perhaps...
H：Tepeu:
Yes. I wanted to save her.
H：Tepeu:
I wanted to save that girl who had spent 6 million years rooted in the same spot, not a single other of her species with her, and whose only role was to keep watching over Mictlan.
H：Tepeu:
And because of that, much tension occured between us. Frustrated, I gave up, chose to forget it all, and lived my live away from others as a hermit.
H：Tepeu:
I couldn't change anything... I accepted that I would just have to live out my own life as a lone deinos.
H：Tepeu:
But then you showed up, my friends.
H：Tepeu:
All the stories you had of Pan-Human History sounded dangerous, yet at the same time, wonderful.
H：Tepeu:
I experienced so many things. There was the shock I felt when you first wandered into my cave. The trusting voices of you together with Habetrot.
H：Tepeu:
The sincerity and lightheartedness of Fujimaru's temperament.
H：Tepeu:
The sound of Marine's excited footsteps. The fearless smirk of U-Olga Marie.
H：Tepeu:
The shady language of Father Kotomine. The cleverness and youthfulness of Da Vinci.
H：Tepeu:
There is so much more, but if I kept going, it would never end.
H：Tepeu:
I went off ostensibly as your guide, but you were the ones who guided me to a new world instead.
H：Tepeu:
It was so much fun. And fun is something good.
H：Tepeu:
It is not something bad. Wouldn't you say so too? Well, provided you keep to your morals. Hahaha.
H：Tepeu:
So please, don't see your own world and your own actions as something bad, and be burdened by it.
H：Tepeu:
I told you, didn't I? Every single deinos is rooting for you.
H：Tepeu:
We neither resent you, nor envy you.
Mash:
I-I—yes... ...Yes!
Tepeu:
Well... there is a new thought I've been having, however...
Tepeu:
I'm sure this planet has never had a mankind who prospered for 66 million years. That said...
Tepeu:
I also do find it very sad that nothing here changed for those 66 million years as well.
Tepeu:
With that much time, it should've been inevitable that we'd accomplish something. And yet, we didn't build so much as a single thing.
Tepeu:
Would you really–really call that “peaceful”?
Tepeu:
That kind of nature is in and of itself not the correct answer for sapient beings. All we did was not do anything wrong.
Tepeu:
Humans cannot make the correct choice, and even if you take the best choice possible given the circumstances...
Tepeu:
After the fact, you will surely realize that there was a better option.
Tepeu:
Anything which has sapience will never arrive at a categorical “correctness”. Humans will always chose the “wrong” answer.
Tepeu:
The deinos never understood this. They never needed to.
Tepeu:
But now, finally, we've been able to make the wrong choice.
Tepeu:
It took us 66 million years, but we've finally became the same kind of mankind as you are. One which strives towards the cosmos above.
Mash:
The same, that's just... We shouldn't be something for you to strive towards...
Tepeu:
I suppose we should just take both of our strengths and put them together, then? The best of both worlds, as impudent as that may be.
Tepeu:
Oh, I shouldn't take any more of your time.
Tepeu:
I've already left a message behind with Fujimaru at Chichen Itza.
H：Tepeu:
Thank you for everything, Mash.
H：Tepeu:
The way you lowered your weapon and greeted me when we first met in that cave was something I always loved about you.
G：Mash:
Me too... I'm–I'm so glad you returned my greeting with such a polite bow!
G：Mash:
Farewell, Tepeu...! And thank you so much for guiding us!
--ARROW--
Narration:
Across the reddened plains, the last of the deinos ran.
Narration:
Some fell before even getting close. Some fell trying to save their comrades...
Narration:
Some fell while in the middle of attacking the enemy's shell...
Narration:
Some fell after turning back against the flying saucer even as it had passed over them, biting at it into the bitter end, despite not inflicting so much as a single injury.
Narration:
One fell streaking across the sky like a lightning bolt, killing one of the saucer's lives, before having his limbs torn off in return and plummeting to the ground.
Narration:
And just like that, the enemy passed over the great plains, with the charge of the deinos having come to an end.
Narration:
The mighty deinos did not die immediately even with half of their bodies torn to pieces.
Narration:
Their tattered bodies laid still upon the ground, and though they had accepted the impending end of their lives...
Narration:
There they still lay, with a vague look of longing, staring at the red sun that had long since left them behind, far off in the distance.
Kukulkan:
—
Dinosaur King:
And even in the bitter end, you ain't gonna save a single soul. You mighta been able to turn the tables too, given who you are.
Dinosaur King:
How's it feel looking upon the sight of the species you've protected 'til now die out? Got nothing to say? Tch, whatever then.
Dinosaur King:
Well, it was fun enough for me, so that's nice. That damn Vucub stopped listening to me at the end, and started humming some tune.
Dinosaur King:
Just couldn't help but hum along. Ride of the something-or-other.
Kukulkan:
—Did you...put the deinos up to this? Instead of a gentle extinction, you'd rather they experienced a hellish bloodbath?
Dinosaur King:
Correct. That's Tezcatlipoca's duty. Fight and fall. It's about the only way I can rep my divinity.
Dinosaur King:
Still, I don't think they're satisfied quite yet. 66 million years of monotony. A real pain in the ass, that.
Dinosaur King:
And if battle ain't enough to satisfy 'em, then what can I do? Guess I lose this time around.
Dinosaur King:
See you around, Birdie. If we meet again, let's have us a real shoot fight.
Kukulkan:
—
Fujimaru 1:
Advance team has returned!
Nemo:
We welcome your return. Well done keeping the attack up on ORT all the way until you got here.
Nemo:
Thanks to your efforts, the possibility of defeating ORT has now been established. At present, the operation is about to enter its final stages.
Nemo:
The loading of our main cannon, the Hume-Barrel Rayproof, is nearly ready.
Nemo:
When the distance between us and ORT reaches 30 km, we will activate the fifth and sixth virtual Triton Engines.
Nemo:
Once the electricity supplied from Imaginary Number Space has stabilized, we will be ready to fire.
Nemo:
Until then, you will have to stay here in the control room.
Nemo:
In fact, we no longer expect there to be any close combat. Either our one shot hits, or it doesn't. That's all it comes down to.
Gordolf:
Could you please not say such scary things so casually? How's it going, have you been able to start up the fifth and sixth engines yet?
Gordolf:
If you were to all of a sudden announce at this critical juncture that you can't, I don't know what I'd do.
Sion:
I do very much wish we could do that right now, but the main cannon has an effective range.
Sion:
According to TRISMEGISTUS II's calculations, unless ORT has entered within a 10 km range of us, we won't be able to inflict a decisive hit.
Sion:
This is a monster which will regenerate as long as just a few of its cells remain. We need to disintegrate it with one single instantaneous attack.
Da Vinci:
Hmm, and therefore, you cannot go full power too early... I understand that might be the case, but...
Da Vinci:
What would we do if ORT has the capability of attacking us from a range greater than 10 km?
Sion:
—
Gordolf:
What's with that in-that-case-we'll-leave-up-to-the-heavens look!
Gordolf:
Is there really nothing we can do to defend ourselves in case it launches a preemptive attack?
Nemo:
There isn't. We cannot make any sharp maneuvers with the ship once it has deployed the main cannon.
Nemo:
We'll just have to rely on physical protection provided by our magecraft, as well as the electromagnetic barrier of our hull. And of course, we have finished all the arrangement for these to work.
Nemo:
If ORT happens to surpass our assumptions, we're done for. You'll just have to accept that, Gordolf.
Nemo:
We've expanded all the manpower we can. The cards have already been dealt. Now we just have to sit down, and play out our hand.
Gordolf:
Grrr... if the Captain is that insistent, I suppose there's nothing else we can do.
Gordolf:
So be it! To your seats, everyone! This is the last leg, whether we want it to be or not.
Gordolf:
If there's something you need to do, you'd better get it done now! ORT is not going to wait for you to go the toilet!
Nemo Marine:
ORT has passed through the great plains! It will arrive at Chichen Itza in 33... 32... 30—
Nemo Marine:
It's passed 30! Engine team come in, engine team come iiiiin!
T：Nemo Engineer:
Awright! That's what I've been waiting for! First and second engines, virtual fifth and sixth engines, parallel operation started!
T：Nemo Engineer:
The third and fourth engines are being used for defense, so we ain't gonna be able to fire more than once! Be sure to hit, Marines!
Nemo Marine:
No problem! The target is far larger than when we used it against the Alien God! Not gonna miss this ooone!
Mash:
The time has finally come...
Mash:
The Storm Border has the sun to its back, so ORT is headed straight in our direction.
Kadoc:
Now... as long as ORT doesn't have any means of attacking us from further than 10 km away, we're fine...
Meunière:
Distance to ORT, 23...21...19...— You're kidding me, isn't it speeding up?
Meunière:
Is it intent on ramming us?
Meunière:
There's no way, even ORT shouldn't be able to close 10 km in a matter of seconds—
Nemo Professor:
Yup, emergency time~. Cell count on ORT's insides is increasi~ng.
Nemo Professor:
The usual metal tentacles, ye~ah. Says here they can stretch as far as 20 kilo~s.
Gordolf:
So not ramming, but tentacles!? Oh god, what's going on!?
Gordolf:
Those disgusting things are extending towards us! They're coming! Captain, take evasive maneuvers!
Gordolf:
We've fought against that thing enough to know by now! Our hull is not going to stop it!
Gordolf:
Once they connect, we'll start fusing with it!
Nemo:
Set electromagnetic barriers to maximum output! Stop them before they hit the hull!
Nemo Marine:
We're holding it off, but it just keeps getting stronger! If we don't do something, the third engine's gonna overheeaat!
Nemo:
No problem! Just hold it off for five seconds! That's enough time for us to shoot them down!
Fujimaru 1:
Can we shoot them down...?
Fujimaru 2:
Can't we do a U-turn after firing some spiritron torpedoes?
Nemo:
Well, it's possible, but it would damage the ship, so that's only our last resort.
Nemo:
And more importantly, right now there are still some allied forces for us to rely on! We'll just have to trust in her abilities.
Nemo:
Relaying QP to Type 79 Tamamo Tank! Remittance has been approved! Lift up, and commence open combat!
Koyanskaya:
Deal concluded. I was expecting you. All the materials I received have gone into building this moving turret—
Koyanskaya:
The Type 79 Iz Tula Seven Drive – Mk. Mictlan! Allow me to take good care of the gentlemens' valuable assets!
Gordolf:
Ahhhhh! Just when I thought she'd gone off!!!
Koyanskaya:
Come on then, my precious little interns! Be sure to do your work according to the manual♡
1st Deinonychus brother:
Got it! Hey, orders from our girl Koyan's comin' in, boys! Get in position, bros!
3rd Deinonychus brother:
Gotcha! Finally, we'll be able to be of help to Fujimaru!
3rd Deinonychus brother:
The forced labour that Koyan secretly imposed on us in the forests after we were recruited by her will finally pay off!
7th Deinonychus brother:
Are these communications reaching the Storm Border? They are? Oh damn! Then they can hear us!
7th Deinonychus brother:
Told ya we'd do a comeback in overtime, didn't we? We'll be taking the first goal!
Fujimaru 1:
It's Death Rolling!
Fujimaru 2:
Hahaha... hahahahaha!
Mash:
You're—you were still all alive!
T：Deinonychus brother:
Yeah, it was a real close one, that. But you know, pretending to be down's our speciality! And missy Mash, the fact that you're still all right's great to hear!
T：Deinonychus brother:
Now we blast 'em! Blast 'em with all we've got!!!
T：Deinonychus brother:
We'll intercept those gross-ass things, don't you worry!
Meunière:
ORT has passed beyond the 20 km point! 18... 16... 14—20 seconds until it enters effective range!
Nemo:
Open anti-threat response valves! Set magical energy circulation to maximum! Send the entire spectrum of it onto the blade on our prow!
Nemo Marine:
Deactivation of the firing angle correction system, SHEBA's accuracy safety locks, has been confirmed! Aim locked on enemy space invader entity ORT!
Gordolf:
Oohh... It's working, it's really working!
Meunière:
It has entered effective range! Captain!
Nemo:
MAIN CANNON, FIRE!!!
Nemo:
—Wha—
Da Vinci:
A space storm—!? But... I thought we had gotten rid of the exogenous organs?
Nemo Professor:
Indeed, this is bad~.
Nemo Professor:
The amount of matter and generated gravity has now increased by twice that from before~. Could it be those are its new generation of orga~ns? (Sob)
Nemo Professor:
It would appear it didn't regenerate, so much as recreate itself with a whole new conce~pt!
Nemo Professor:
And in the aftermath, it expelled all aged and unneeded cells, reforming its spider-shaped corneum once more!!
Fujimaru 1:
—(Speechless)
Fujimaru 2:
So you're saying we have to do everything all over again!?
Nemo:
No, it didn't protect itself perfectly! All it did was distort the Rayproof's firing trajectory!
Nemo:
Sion, calculate a trajectory that will directly hit even through that gravity field! Engineer, get the second shot ready, and hurry!
Nemo:
If it closes the distance to us, we're finished! We cannot retreat! If it reclaims the sun, we won't have a single chance of victory!
T：Nemo Engineer:
I'm tellin' ya, it's impossible! Even if I push 'em to their break points, it'd take at least 2 minutes!
Meunière:
ORT is approaching with its space storm still active! Distance, 9—8—7—
Nemo Marine:
Effects of space storm growing massively! We won't be able to keep the ship stabllllle!
Nemo:
Urgh...!
Fujimaru 1:
Captain...!
Fujimaru 2:
(I'll go out!)
Nemo:
Under no circumstances do I want to hear you say that you'll go out!
Nemo:
It's cosmic ray hell out there! Even with your Mystic Code, your survival cannot be guaranteed!
Nemo:
We need to—need to—
Nemo:
(We can retreat and leave Mictlan behind... But if we do that, we won't get another chance!)
Nemo:
(How pathetic, even after being granted more than enough preparation time, we'll still won't be able to accomplish a single thing—
Nemo:
(If only we could somehow buy enough time for the second shot—)
Rasputin:
I understand the sentiment. You are just one step away from victory, after all. So, that's where I have a proposal to give. How about it, gentlemen?
Fujimaru 1:
R—Rasputin!?
--ARROW--
Rasputin:
Now, now. I understand your surprise, but please refrain from attacking, Heroic Spirit Nemo.
Rasputin:
Although time is stopped, of it we have very little.
Rasputin:
You see, Tachyon Jail–one of the seven Super Authorities possessed by the Alien God– won't hold up for much longer.
Sion:
Tachyon manipulation... So time isn't stopped, so much as we're acting faster than time can keep up, I take it.
Rasputin:
That's right, Sion. And for the record, the name of this Authority is something the Alien God herself decided on.
Rasputin:
Just so we are clear, it wasn't me.
T：???:
I didn't send you there to engage in idle chatter! Get to the point, Rasputin!
Fujimaru 1:
I know that voice..
Fujimaru 2:
It's U-Olga Marie!
Mash:
Director! You came back for us!
T：U-Olga Marie:
—Hmph. Didn't I tell you? I do not intend to watch the Earthlings breathe their last in this Lostbelt.
T：U-Olga Marie:
The mankind of Pan-Human History will only receive their due administrative measures within Pan-Human History.
T：U-Olga Marie:
—Even if that is upon a bleached world.
Rasputin:
Is that so? I will make it brief then.
Rasputin:
Presently, as a result of Daybit Sem Void's schemes, the Alien God's heart is being used by ORT.
Rasputin:
It is a matter of principle for our god to not simply leave this unresolved if she is to return to Earth's surface.
Rasputin:
The Alien God has therefore decreed you may fight together with her.
Fujimaru 1:
—Yes! We'll do it!
Fujimaru 2:
What do you want us to do!?
Gordolf:
Ungh, you idiot, you can't just agree to their terms without first hearing them!
Da Vinci:
But right now we don't have another choice! Fujimaru is right!
Da Vinci:
Father, you said we may fight together, but what do you mean, specifically?
Rasputin:
We will maintain this localized accelerated space-time, as well as provide electric power for the Rayproof's second volley.
Rasputin:
In exchange, you will destroy the main ORT entity, as well as provide us with the rights to use the Rayproof.
Kadoc:
C'mon, “destroying ORT” is easy for you to say! If we could do that, we'd have done so already!
Rasputin:
Of course. ORT's speed of regeneration outpaces all conventional means of destroying it. Therefore, attacking ORT in ordinary space-time is inefficient.
Rasputin:
However, how do you think it would go in this accelerated space-time?
Sion:
It'd work! It would prove enough to destroy ORT now that it's so close to breaking apart! We could deliver the final blow!
Mash:
But how are you going to provide us with electricity?
Rasputin:
I was thinking something like this could happen, so I made some covert modifications to the Storm Border's charging systems.
Rasputin:
In theory, it should serve as a pipeline to provide magical energy from the outside directly to the engine.
Nemo Professor:
Yeah, I noti~ced.
Nemo Professor:
I thought Da Vinci added that, so I ignored it, but it appears to have been secretly constructed by Mr. Kotomine~.
Fujimaru 1:
Wait, "secretly"?
Fujimaru 2:
Depending on how you use it, that's...
Rasputin:
Nothing more than an insurance policy, Fujimaru. Let's not fret the details during an emergency.
Rasputin:
You gentlemen will destroy ORT, and once it has ceased activity, the Alien God will deactivate this accelerated space-time...
Rasputin:
...use every last bit of magical energy for the Rayproof, and in an instant, erase ORT from the surface of this planet, once and for all.
Rasputin:
That is our proposal. I hope it's proved convincing enough?
Rasputin:
Though it would of course mean that your Master will have to sortie onto the deck of the ship and engage in a Servant battle.
Fujimaru 1:
—I'll do it!
Fujimaru 2:
Let's go, Mash!
Mash:
Yes! I couldn't ask for something better!
Rasputin:
Then may your sincerity be displayed through action. May God bless these brave youths in their battle.
Gordolf:
Arghhhhhh, of course this is how it'd turn out in the end!
Gordolf:
Very well, go on ahead, Fujimaru and Mash Kyrielight!
Gordolf:
Whatever's happening to the flow of time doesn't mean that the space storm is gone! Make it a brief final battle, and come back as soon as you can!
Da Vinci:
We'll provide all the support we can! Let's reroute all of TRISMEGISTUS II's calculations towards the summoning system!
Da Vinci:
With that, we should be able to emulate some of the Servants that have had their Recorded Boundary destroyed!
Da Vinci:
In every sense of the word, this will prove the final battle between the Earthlings and ORT!
Da Vinci:
Hold nothing back! Go show Olga Marie your maximum power!
--BATTLE--
Fujimaru 1:
It's finally done!
Fujimaru 2:
U-Olga Marie!
U-Olga Marie:
—You did as the terms stipulated. Now stand back, I shall do the rest.
Fujimaru 1:
You bet. We might get blown off, so we'll head in—
U-Olga Marie:
Oh. No, I didn't mean that you should go back into the ship! I meant you should find somewhere safe on the deck!
U-Olga Marie:
Why would you ever not behold the heroism of the one who rules the planet? Now you'd better spectate it right there, directly and properly!
Fujimaru 1:
—But of course. I got it, I got it.
Fujimaru 2:
Thanks, I'm happy we got to meet again.
U-Olga Marie:
...Well, I suppose so. Your color stayed the same all the way through, didn't it...
U-Olga Marie:
Opportunities like these don't come often, so I may as well use the Earthlings' toys! Supply of magical energy provided! Rayproof, instantly charged!
B：U-Olga Marie:
...
B：U-Olga Marie:
...
B：U-Olga Marie:
Hey! There's something you've got to say, isn't there!? There won't be another chance!
Fujimaru 1:
Blow it all to hell, Olga!
B：U-Olga Marie:
This isn't some kind of entertainment show! I guess you Earthlings are all a bit evil after all!
Fujimaru 2:
No, I wouldn't want to steal the moment...
B：U-Olga Marie:
Cheering is necessary! You're so stupid sometimes, Fujimaru!
B：U-Olga Marie:
But well, I guess that's fine. I'm only here to fulfill my vow anyway.
B：U-Olga Marie:
By the way, you still don't get why I would go so far to help you out, do you?
B：U-Olga Marie:
You didn't kill Kingprotea in the First Underworld. You didn't kill Beni-Enma in the Second Underworld.
B：U-Olga Marie:
You didn't ostracize your opponents just because they were monsters.
B：U-Olga Marie:
That's why I'm helping. I find your way of doing things so tiring, but you should keep cherishing it all the same.
B：U-Olga Marie:
One last thing... I was always afraid of asking this, but it's now or never.
B：U-Olga Marie:
Well? Who is Olga Marie? Was I...Chaldea's Director?
Fujimaru 1:
—She's...
Fujimaru 1:
Yeah. You were an awkward, yet excellent director.
B：U-Olga Marie:
...I see. That sounds like a good dream.
B：U-Olga Marie:
Good grief. I really wish I'd been able to do better.
Mash:
Annihilation of ORT visually confirmed! You did it, of course you did, Olga Marie—
Mash:
—Director?
Fujimaru 1:
—
Mash:
Come in, control room, please respond! Scan our surroundings, please!
Mash:
I... I can't see Director Olga Marie anywhere! She must've been blasted above ground from the—
Da Vinci:
Mash... I'm sorry, but...her readings are completely gone.
Da Vinci:
We confirmed the destruction of her Saint Graph when she fired the Rayproof.
Da Vinci:
Thinking about it... This was the natural outcome...
Da Vinci:
If she did something like that without a heart, Alien God or not, she'd—
B：U-Olga Marie:
Hey! There's something you've got to say, isn't there!? There won't be another chance!
Mash:
No—No way... We finally met again, finally talked, laughed together, and yet—
Mash:
Senpai... Senpai!
Fujimaru 1:
—Yeah... but—
Fujimaru 1:
She saved Earth...just like she'd promised.
--ARROW--
Mash:
...
Fujimaru 1:
—Let's get back to the control room, Mash.
Mash:
Yeah, we should... The battle has concluded.
Mash:
I don't have any energy left to give, and neither does the Storm Border.
Mash:
And more importantly, I'm worried about your health, Master. We haven't ever had a battle stretch on for this long before.
Mash:
You should have a medical check done immediately, and then get some rest.
Fujimaru 1:
Yeah. I have to confess that I can't really walk anymore.
Fujimaru 2:
Could you...lend me your shoulder?
Mash:
Of course! Let's get back and celebrate our triumph!
Nemo Marine:
Wait-wait-wait! There's some kind of craaazy summoning formula being activated!?
Nemo Marine:
Did someone summon a Servant!? TRISMEGISTUS II is telling us to clear the area immediatelyyy!
TRISMEGISTUS II:
“Misappropriation of Pan-Human History mirror image.”
TRISMEGISTUS II:
“Summarization of 300 million years of Lost History.”
TRISMEGISTUS II:
“Confirmed that these have been used in the formulation of virtual Heroic Spirit entity.”
TRISMEGISTUS II:
“Biological classification: One Radiance Thing Grand Servant: Class Foreigner.”
TRISMEGISTUS II:
“ORT is being summoned.”
Fujimaru 1:
—What?
Mash:
—Summ...oned?
Mash:
Right before it was destroyed— it learned our summoning spell—
Mash:
Formulated a virtual future, and then summoned itself once it had been designated a Heroic Spirit—?
Fujimaru 1:
We've encountered countless threats through our journey...
Fujimaru 1:
But that thing...is a monster like no other.
Meunière:
Prow surface plates are detaching! Warpage has reached secondary internal hull, which is now malfunctioning!
Meunière:
Emission of ionized particles... It's a solar storm! The impact doesn't quite compare to the supercell, but...
Meunière:
At this close of a range, we won't be able to either dodge or defend against it!—Old man!
Gordolf:
I'm well aware! Full speed ahead! Sharp ascent, or emergency pivot, I don't care which! Nobody is going to be fighting any further!
Gordolf:
Tezcatlipoca's future was right! Doing anything against that thing is not humanly possible!
Nemo Marine:
We caaan't! We can only just about floooat! We've got nothing leeeeft!
Nemo Marine:
Captain, Sion, what do we doooo!?
Nemo:
Save the whining! All Marines, run to the turrets!
Nemo:
We can't say yet if this ORT is the same as the one from before! Try the spiritron torpedoes! Manually, if need be!
Sion:
You on the deck, hurry up and get in! ORT (Humanoid) will make contact in ten seconds!
Mash:
Master! Take my shoulder!
Fujimaru 1:
—(She won't make it if she's carrying me!)
Fujimaru 2:
It's fine, leave me!
Mash:
I wasn't asking!
Nemo Marine:
New Saint Graph reading, detected! Wow, it's came at mach speed, but didn't cause any sonic booms!
Nemo Marine:
It somehow flew over here without breaking the sound barrier! What the heck! What the heck!
Da Vinci:
That's—
Kukulkan:
Phewww! Made it in time! Sorry for how incredibly late I was!
Kukulkan:
(Oh, wait... What am I saying? I have to act more dignified here!)
Kukulkan:
—Cease, thou being called from the void.
Kukulkan:
Thou who ate the Cosmic Tree and served as the keystone of Mictlan for 6 million years.
Kukulkan:
Companion mine. The one feared by all. Although it may be our extinction so to do, I shall punish thee nevertheless.
Kukulkan:
Pan-Human History needs no scars done by thy claws! In the name of the Sun God Kukulkan, I shall annihilate thee here!
Doctrine of the Sun:
—I'm shocked at how well you fought. Are you still alive, Tepeu?
Tepeu:
Ah... So you were watching? How naughty of you.
Tepeu:
I didn't have even the slightest amount of battle experience up until now.
Tepeu:
As new as it was to me, it made me see myself in a new light considering how well I moved there, but...
Tepeu:
Yes, this really does hurt. Dying is painful...and scary...isn't it?
Tepeu:
But just getting to know that is enough to give my battle meaning.
Tepeu:
I was so close to making a terrible mistake, caught up as I was in my impossible dream.
Tepeu:
Truly—
Tepeu:
I'm so happy that I didn't make her experience something like this, no matter how good of a reason I may have had.
Doctrine of the Sun:
Is that so? I'll make sure to commit those important thoughts to memory.
Doctrine of the Sun:
And with that, my role comes to an end as well. The last Ocelotl just died a few moments ago.
Doctrine of the Sun:
The deinos who scattered into the forests have entered their final slumber. The lot of you here were the last of them.
Doctrine of the Sun:
After seeing you off in your last moments, I will cease activity too.
Doctrine of the Sun:
ORT will head toward the surface, and the planet will shatter. Malla will then wait for new life to spring on the broken surface.
Doctrine of the Sun:
That is the cycle of extinction. —You all did a great job.
Tepeu:
Why, thank you. I'm also on the verge of death. I'll be gone before the sun disappears. Oh well.
Doctrine of the Sun:
Is that all...?
Doctrine of the Sun:
You are the last deinos. Do you not have any requests? I'll do my best to accommodate them.
Tepeu:
Hahrghgrghh! (Vomits up blood)
Doctrine of the Sun:
Tepeu!?
Tepeu:
It's nothing. It turns out laughing with one of your lungs missing is not a good idea.
Tepeu:
You have gotten rather expressive. You're not at all like before.
Tepeu:
Both when you saw the future at Mexico City, and when Chichen Itza was attacked, you didn't so much as move a single muscle.
Tepeu:
I had thought that you could not feel the emotion of sadness—
Tepeu:
But you simply didn't have the capacity to let your emotions show yet. You didn't know what kind of expression was appropriate.
Tepeu:
But now you do so very naturally. At first it was just an imitation, but now it has become your own face.
Tepeu:
Ixquic said the same, did she not? That it's fine to grieve for something sad?
Doctrine of the Sun:
How could I ever... Doing so would make me truly awful and inhumane.
Doctrine of the Sun:
I didn't save you. I was nothing more than the arbiter seeing you off.
Doctrine of the Sun:
How could someone like that grieve over your deaths? That would be truly unforgivable of me, wouldn't it?
Tepeu:
Who wouldn't be able to forgive you? We deinos? Or Malla?
Tepeu:
It doesn't really matter either way, does it? Those feelings aren't yours, after all.
Tepeu:
Why don't you just set yourself free already, Kukulkan? You've been trying so hard not to all this time, haven't you?
Tepeu:
Don't worry about us. Please just do whatever you want to.
Tepeu:
No, in fact, you mustn't leave the cleaning up of our world to someone else. Your problems should be taken care of personally.
Doctrine of the Sun:
Wait!? You knew all along, Tepeu!?
Tepeu:
Of course I did. It was obvious from the start.
Tepeu:
That's why I'm fully aware that you want to go help them right now, but can't because your feelings of guilt are holding you back.
Tepeu:
If you're going to sleep either way, please do so after you've gotten that load off your mind. I'm on my last legs, so I'd like to at least be sent off with a smile.
Doctrine of the Sun:
—Is that okay? Is it really okay for the Doctrine of the Sun to do whatever it wants this late?
Tepeu:
Of course. And while I don't want to say “in recompense”, I do have one request.
Tepeu:
Please give us...one final dream.
Tepeu:
We, who could never birth even a single story, want to see you in a form so dazzling it will make us doubt our very eyes.
Tepeu:
That would—
Doctrine of the Sun:
That would...?
Tepeu:
—That would grant us, who left not so much as a single thing behind... ...our one and only legend.
Doctrine of the Sun:
Yeah... Even after witnessing the Heroic Spirits of Pan-Human History, I could never find it in me to help them.
Doctrine of the Sun:
My beloved will always be you deinos. You who lived in Mictlan.
Doctrine of the Sun:
You, who treasured me, and called me your friend, despite me being a false sun.
Doctrine of the Sun:
So if it would in some way prove as salvation—
C：God of the Sun, Kukulkan:
Then I will gladly become a Lost God.
C：God of the Sun, Kukulkan:
I am Kukulkan. The Feathered Serpent. And as the Golden Sea of Trees Incarnate, I shall go steal my own heart—!
Narration:
The deinos lying upon the ground looked up at the streak she left on the skies.
Narration:
Almost as if looking upon an as-of-yet-unknown, but nostalgic, and beautiful star.
Narration:
Even at the verge of death as they were, they let out cries of joy as they saw the streaking star off.
Narration:
They reflected upon the joys of life, and could finally feel regret as they began to embrace death.
Narration:
For them, the future of Pan-Human History was a lost history, and yet, as they at long last closed their eyes, they felt as if it were their own.
Narration:
For even if the 5th mass extinction might have come, the sun born in the underground would surely light up the world once more.
Narration:
Upon the sunset sky flew now wings of gold.
Narration:
And so it was that a god was born in the Lostbelt bereft of stories.
Fujimaru 1:
Wait, isn't Kukulkan super amazing!?
Fujimaru 2:
Wow, she's like a Latin American god from space!
Kukulkan:
I know, right?!
Kukulkan:
I've been collecting stories about Pan-Human Quetzalcoatl since waaay back!
Kukulkan:
And she'd always wear feathered accessories and a cape! ¡Any fan would do the same!
Kukulkan:
But never mind that! Please take this a bit more seriously, little Chaldeans!
Fujimaru 1:
Little Chaldeans!?
Fujimaru 2:
Oh, trying to present yourself with godly dignity!
Kukulkan:
ORT used the traces of its own corneum as a catalyst to summon a Ghost Liner of itself.
Kukulkan:
Its only purpose is to serve as a mechanism for prolonging this Lostbelt. It's not even alive anymore.
Kukulkan:
But everything that Mictlan has spawned, Mictlan must also take responsibility for!
Kukulkan:
So even if it would mean the disappearance of my world, I cannot leave that thing be!
Kukulkan:
So once more, and only once, let us fight together!
Kukulkan:
Kukulkan's wings, though lost history they may be, exist for the sake of those who dream of the future!
--BATTLE--
Fujimaru 1:
The light—
Fujimaru 2:
Is converging
Kukulkan:
—
TRISMEGISTUS II:
“Reporting: Collapse of virtual Heroic Spirit entity's Saint Graph observed.”
TRISMEGISTUS II:
“Warning. Advent of invasive alien life form observed.”
TRISMEGISTUS II:
“Lost records are embedding into the space-time continuum.”
TRISMEGISTUS II:
“Inflation caused by paradox effect confirmed.”
TRISMEGISTUS II:
“Invasive entity: Starcell.” “Ontological interval redefined to year 14.6 billion in observable universe time.”
TRISMEGISTUS II:
“ORT manifesting.”
Fujimaru 1:
—How?
Fujimaru 2:
Is this just an opponent that cannot be defeated no matter what...?
Kukulkan:
No. It might've just been a variant of ORT born in a Lostbelt, but you Chaldea did repel that invasive entity.
Kukulkan:
The reason ORT can't be annihilated is because its body still remains in the sun.
Kukulkan:
—I'll take care of it. This is where my real duty comes in.
Kukulkan:
Invaders that flew in from the void... The two of us were co-existent, weren't we, ORT?
Kukulkan:
By consuming the Fantasy Tree, you managed to extend the time you were active, and by us using your heart, we managed to keep the world alive.
Kukulkan:
Destroying you here would mean destroying the Lostbelt as well.
Kukulkan:
Nevertheless...
Kukulkan:
I cannot allow the future shown to me atop the sun altar by Tezcatlipoca's vision to be forced onto Pan-Human History.
Kukulkan:
—I'm very grateful for our time together.
Kukulkan:
I shall now speak the consensus of Malla: Mictlan...ends here.
Kukulkan:
The life nurtured for the duration of 66 million years, and its answer—
Kukulkan:
“It was good. However, there was another way.”
Kukulkan:
We halted the progress of the species who live on this planet. We have acknowledged as much.
Kukulkan:
Extinction comes equally to all.
Kukulkan:
No matter your environment, no matter your ecology, as long as you are alive, you cannot escape it.
Kukulkan:
—And know this well!
Kukulkan:
This sun is your heart; the embryo which birthed and formed me!
Kukulkan:
My name is Kukulkan! The one born of the sun! And thus, we are one and the same!
Kukulkan:
So now it is that I return this body to the sun it whence came! Interstellar Voyage Engine, activate!
Kukulkan:
Wind cometh from the heavens. Stars falleth from the cosmos.
Kukulkan:
—None else but ORT may defeat ORT!
Kukulkan:
Your time has come to an end, Ultimate One! There is nothing upon this planet for us to consume!
Narration:
And so, the sun burned out, its final duty concluded.
Narration:
The Sea of Fantasy Trees vanished, having never become more than a supposition, and upon the plains remained a deinos whose death was fast approaching.
Stargazer Deinos:
Ahhh—The stars...
Narration:
For his last ten seconds, the sage gazed upon the cosmos in the now sunless underground.
Narration:
It had been nothing more than a world of fantasy, a time which had exceeded its due, ordinarily meant to be pruned.
Narration:
In time, the memories of it will have faded from everyone's minds, to be forgotten forever.
Narration:
The 66 million years of the deinos. Those all too numerous months and years. The empty history of which not even remnants will remain.
Stargazer Deinos:
Still... it was in those beautiful moments that our lives played out.
Narration:
Even if perhaps it is without a happy ending, and even if it is nothing more than made-up story...
Narration:
Even if it is a fantasy... Even if it is a fiction...
Narration:
Still, something once created will never disappear. Dreams once born forever etch themselves into the boundary.
Narration:
They will remain, for all time, in this universe.
Stargazer Deinos:
Even if perhaps there is nobody to recite them... Even if perhaps they never produced anything of value.
Stargazer Deinos:
—Even if perhaps—this warmth will fade—
Narration:
Anything that has taken place can never be meaningless. So thought the sage, a smile on his lips.
Koyanskaya:
No way, she clocked a complete victory by involving even the sun herself!?
Koyanskaya:
(Sigh) Really? The Lostbelt king ending their own Lostbelt? How am I supposed to uphold my dignity when faced with an answer as exemplary as hers?
Deinonychus brother:
What part of that would make ya lose your dignity, Koyan? Is it 'cause you weren't of much help?
Koyanskaya:
Are you perhaps blind, you buffoon!? I was of great help! And regardless, NFF Services is never meant to occupy a central role.
Koyanskaya:
Our purpose is to assist the lives of others from the shadows, allowing them to reach success.
Koyanskaya:
As such, I did just so. The longer my customers survive, the better my profits.
Koyanskaya:
Chaldea still have much entertainment that they are obliged to provide to me.
Deinonychus brother:
I see, so you're a dealer of death. Real dastardly approach, I'll say. So that's why you ain't got no dignity, huh?
Deinonychus brother:
I mean, your role had already ended, but you just showed up anyway. But Koyan, you're sparkling and almost about to disappear, y'know?
Deinonychus brother:
You actually gonna die here?
Koyanskaya:
No need to worry, I am simply being unsummoned♡ I have no obligation to support them into death, you see.
Koyanskaya:
Unlike me however, your fates do end here. What do you intend to do? Mictlan will very soon disappear, after all.
Deinonychus brother:
Good question. Though, we are in Chichen Itza and all...
Deinonychus brother:
So I guess it's gotta be xoqqer!
Deinonychus brother:
There're only 4 of us brothers left, so the ritual will have to be 2 on 2. Actually, let's call it a match, instead!
Deinonychus brother:
We'll do what we wanna do, all the way until the world comes to an end! 'Cause that's what we live for!
Koyanskaya:
...Well, I suppose I shouldn't have expected anything different. Much like how a wild horse will roam upon the fields until their last moment is at hand.
Koyanskaya:
To chase after happiness on your own, without having it forced upon you by anybody else, is what it means to be alive.
Deinonychus brother:
Roger that! Cya then, Tochtli! Ain't got much time to spare here, so we'll be off!
Koyanskaya:
—Well then, I suppose I shall take my leave. Let's say a job well done.
Kukulkan:
Weeelp, guess I did end up making the sun explode after all☆
Kukulkan:
Had enough left in it that it blew up all of the Fantasy Trees in Mictlan. Oh well, nothing that could've been done about that.
Kukulkan:
With this, Mictlan will disappear, but it's not as if I did it for Pan-Human History or anything.
Kukulkan:
I'm simply a free-spirited alien, so don't go getting the impression that I've come to terms with mankind, because that'd be wrong, okay?
Fujimaru 1:
You being an ally of mankind isn't wrong.
Fujimaru 1:
It's actually just a straight up fact, isn't it?
Mash:
Agreed! Kukulkan wasn't our enemy even a single time!
Mash:
She was a Lostbelt King with an astounding 100% Ally-Ratio who you could count on right up until the very end!
Kukulkan:
Wait. That's a bit much, isn't it...? There must've been at least once where I felt like this mysterious being who you couldn't know if they were friend or foe...
Kukulkan:
Actually...we never did fight, did we? Not even once. ¡That's a real shame in its own way!
Kukulkan:
But well, I suppose that's just how it turned out! I mean, just listen to what Kadoc told me!
Kukulkan:
“Kukulkan might be the Lostbelt King, and might want to keep Mictlan safe.” (Pose)
Kukulkan:
“But that doesn't mean that she indiscriminately despises her enemies.” (Pose)
Kukulkan:
How am I supposed to attack you when that's what you think of me!?
Fujimaru 1:
I wasn't doing the dramatic poses!!
Fujimaru 2:
(Is Kadoc a gossiper?)
Kukulkan:
In all honesty, I'm this close to just capturing all of you so we can spend more time together, but I am the god of this Lostbelt, so...
Kukulkan:
I can neither keep you here, nor come with you.
Kukulkan:
I am Kukulkan, the one who served as Mictlan's sun, and the god who created then destroyed this world.
Kukulkan:
I think that with my duty fulfilled, I want to watch over the Sea of Trees as it sinks into darkness, before fading for good.
Mash:
...
Kukulkan:
That said, I did get to finally debut as a real god, soooo...
Kukulkan:
Once you've all returned to the surface, who knows? ¡I might even be possible to summon as a Servant!
Kukulkan:
That is how the system of Pan-Human History works, isn't it? Whatever it may be, all intellectual properties are shared among you!
Kukulkan:
I mean, you are the mankind who will, by the accumulation of boundless resources and wastefulness, eventually be able to arrive at the final destination.
Fujimaru 1:
Maybe...
Fujimaru 2:
I'll try my best to make it so, at least.
Kukulkan:
Well, that's enough from me—actually, wait. I almost forgot.
Kukulkan:
Lastly, I'd like to convey the consensus reached by Malla, even if they've all died out by now.
Kukulkan:
“We're rooting for you with every fiber of our being.”
Kukulkan:
And that's not because you saw Mictlan off in its last moments.
Kukulkan:
It's because rooting for the relayer who is still running is something that comes naturally to all life.
Kukulkan:
—And with that...
Kukulkan:
May you go as far, and grow as much as you possibly can.
Kukulkan:
And I pray that on your travels there, you also will experience as much happiness as you possibly can.
Kukulkan:
Be it in the past, present, or future, that was always our dream.
Kukulkan:
The journey of life continues, stretching into the eternity beyond, its path lit with the brilliance of gold.
Mash:
Kukulkan's left us...
Fujimaru 1:
The Sea of Trees...grows darker...
Fujimaru 2:
...
Mash:
Together with the destruction of the sun, the gravity in the surroundings is beginning to change direction.
Mash:
The Storm Border is ascending toward the first layer–no, toward the surface.
Mash:
It's hard to say goodbye, but I'm afraid we'll have to—Senpai?
Mash:
Senpai!?
Section 23: The Fifth Sun
Fujimaru 1:
—Where am I?
Fujimaru 1:
—Oh right, it's the place I was at before I woke up in the cave.
Fujimaru 1:
I can't see anything, or anyone.
Fujimaru 1:
Still, it's strangely fulfilling.
Fujimaru 1:
—I'll go meet him.
Narration:
One version of the Aztec myths states that the dead are divided between those who die in battle and those who die a natural death.
Narration:
Those who die in battle are led to the 12th of the 13 heavens, the paradise of Teteocan.
Narration:
In the east of Teteocan is Tlahuiztlampa, where both those who die in battle, as well as those who are ritually sacrificed are headed after death.
Narration:
In the west of Teteocan is Cihuatlampa, where women who die in childbirth are headed after death.
Narration:
In the south of Teteocan is the realm of radiance, Huitztlampa, where children are headed after death.
Narration:
In the north of Teteocan is Mictlampa, the realm of stillness and rest.
Narration:
The god who rules over Mictlampa is Tezcatlipoca. The god of war and death. The almighty deathbringer and demander of sacrifices.
Narration:
In contrast, the underworld exists divided into nine layers.
Narration:
Here, the souls of people who have died a natural death undergo trials to be whipped into shape so they will become strong enough to return to the ordinary world.
Narration:
It is known as Mictlan, though the one from Pan-Human History.
Narration:
It is the realm of the wily god Mictlantecuhtli and his wife, Mictecacihuatl.
Narration:
These are the only “gods of death” who are associated purely with death, and nothing else.
Narration:
For the people of Mesoamerica, the world of death was always near, and as such, all gods were associated with it.
Narration:
Life is something for which death will inevitably come.
Narration:
How this death is interpreted and overcome is in the discretion of each individual god.
Narration:
Seeing it from that perspective, there is no god as difficult to understand as Tezcatlipoca.
Narration:
As the god of war, he seeks warriors who are victorious in battle. For battle is the greatest thing of all.
Narration:
However, the souls of warriors are not led to his realm, but rather to Tlahuiztlampa in the east.
Narration:
He sows the seeds of war, and yet, it is another god who receives the harvest of souls.
Narration:
The realm of stillness and rest: Mictlampa, the paradise of Tezcatlipoca.
Narration:
Presently, it is not clear which of the dead were beckoned into this realm.
Narration:
All we know for certain is that it is not an underworld such as Mictlan or Xibalba.
Narration:
Perhaps it is the case that all those who are beckoned to this realm went through a battle worthy of rest...
Daybit:
And that's how it went down. Chaldea stopped ORT, Tezcatlipoca.
Daybit:
The future you saw faded into phantasmagoria. Those who speak lies ought be punished, be they god or not.
Daybit:
I'll go get Quetzalcoatl. His realm was in the west, if I'm not mistaken.
Tezcatlipoca:
Anything but Birdie's goddamn Macana, c'mon man. My skull's gonna feel it for forever. That thing's worse than any hangover, for real.
Tezcatlipoca:
Sides, I wasn't lying. ORT did destroy Mictlan, yeah?
Tezcatlipoca:
I mighta embellished what'd happen afterward just a liiil' bit, but just didn't have enough of a budget to see it through, y'know?
Tezcatlipoca:
Hey... we got a visitor. Seems who you've been waitin' for's here, Daybit.
Fujimaru 1:
Tezcatlipoca.
Fujimaru 2:
Daybit.
Daybit:
I wasn't exactly waiting for [♂ him /♀️ her]. I was thinking it was maybe a 50/50%. This is just a detour, anyway.
Tezcatlipoca:
C'mon, 'course [♂ he /♀️ she]'d come. [♂ He's /♀️ She's] gotta take back the weapon [♂ he /♀️ she] pawned off to me.
Tezcatlipoca:
Well, if [♂ he /♀️ she] wants be a Master from here on out, that is. Ain't that right, [♂ boy /♀️ girl]?
Fujimaru 1:
Yeah. If this is the boundary between life and death...
Fujimaru 2:
I'll take my Master rights back with me to my own world.
Daybit:
Wait. Tezcatlipoca, Fujimaru's Master rights hadn't been returned yet?
Daybit:
[♂ He /♀️ She] was able to summon, at least.
Tezcatlipoca:
Well, summoning, sure. With [♂ his /♀️ her] Command Spells, [♂ he /♀️ she] managed to utilize the Underworld Borders, and turn the bonds [♂ he /♀️ she]'d made up until then into weapons.
Tezcatlipoca:
I gave these Command Spells to Camazotz, and it's certainly true that Fujimaru took 'em back from him.
Tezcatlipoca:
However, I never gave away the Master rights. I've had 'em on me ever since I bought 'em.
Daybit:
Which means... [♂ he /♀️ she] wasn't in perfect fighting form?
Daybit:
Thinking about it, I did feel as if there was something lacking given [♂ he /♀️ she] was the [♂ man /♀️ woman] who saved the world...
Daybit:
Right. Let's fight.
Daybit:
We are in Mictlampa, the realm of neither life, nor death.
Daybit:
Here, the debt you incurred to return to life doesn't hold any sway. You can fight in perfect form, as a Master.
Daybit:
The winner is returned to life. The winner has their payment returned.
Daybit:
In your case, that would be your Command Spells. As for me—What would it be, Tezcatlipoca?
Tezcatlipoca:
Course it'd be coming back to life and tryin' again. Hell, might as well take us back all the way to the time you summoned me.
Tezcatlipoca:
And then you'd better make damn sure ORT destroys the planet. Though, second time comes with Chaldea included, obviously.
Daybit:
I'd have to do that year over again? All 516,600 minutes—no, that's not quite right.
Daybit:
I don't mind. It's only a period of about 30 hours.
Fujimaru 1:
So you still won't give up?
Fujimaru 2:
Why would you go to such lengths to destroy Earth?
Daybit:
Strange question to ask. We're the same, you and I.
Daybit:
It's not about responsibility. We're doing it because we want to. Self-satisfaction, I suppose.
Tezcatlipoca:
Hah! What kinda crazed warrior would be trynna shatter Earth outta self-satisfaction!? Guess the two of you really are birds of a feather!
Tezcatlipoca:
So be it. Whoever wins this battle will be banished from my realm.
C：Tezcatlipoca:
This is the last rite of passage Aztec mythology has. Give it your all. As long as you do that, I won't mock whoever the loser may turn out to be.
Tezcatlipoca:
Those who flee, those who dare not kill, and those who doubt their cause. I will never acknowledge such cowards as warriors.
Tezcatlipoca:
Your hatred of death is excessive. Nevertheless, given how long you've survived on those convictions, I have no choice but to acknowledge you.
Tezcatlipoca:
—[♂ Man /♀️ Woman] of Chaldea. If your soul is that of a warrior's, then it is as a warrior I shall respond.
Tezcatlipoca:
I welcome all warriors.
Tezcatlipoca:
For the Aztecs, glory is only granted to victorious warriors, something I too endorse. However...
Tezcatlipoca:
Battles have both winners and losers. The efforts, bravery and determination of the losers are not reflected in such an arrangement.
Tezcatlipoca:
And that is something I cannot overlook. For those who die in battle ought be rewarded equally.
Tezcatlipoca:
As such, mine is the realm of the defeated.
Tezcatlipoca:
It welcomes the souls of those who fought bravely, yet were tragically defeated, destined to be forgotten by all.
Tezcatlipoca:
These are the ones whose feats I acknowledge, and so I grant them the rest and peace they are worthy of.
Tezcatlipoca:
So—which one will it be, Fujimaru?
Tezcatlipoca:
Will you lose, pass over to the paradise beyond the horizon, and so earn your rest?
Tezcatlipoca:
Or will you win, and return to your battle once more.
Tezcatlipoca:
This is the truth, and the battle to destroy Mictlan. If you are victorious, the seventh Lostbelt will be gone for good.
Tezcatlipoca:
Together with the sun of dawn–Nahui Olin, the Fifth Sun–the story of Mictlan will come to a close.
Tezcatlipoca:
Show me your resolve. It is time for you to choose between life and death on your own terms.
Daybit:
Regardless of what [♂ he /♀️ she] chooses, whether [♂ he /♀️ she] can obtain it or not is a different story. I will put [♂ him /♀️ her] to rest.
Daybit:
Chaldea's excessive abuse of the Human Order won't be good enough against the Alien God.
Daybit:
CHALDEAS–no, Marisbury is not an enemy of mankind.
Daybit:
Marisbury is an enemy of the universe. And if I'm the only one who could manage to see that—
Daybit:
Then by destroying the planet, I will make sure that the bad name that would befall humanity never happens.
Daybit:
You would save the world. I will save the universe.
Daybit:
Even if our objective of saving mankind is the same, as long as our methods are different, we will have to confront each other.
Daybit:
Ready yourself, Fujimaru. Neither of us has a handicap now.
Daybit:
I hereby challenge you to battle not as a Crypter, but as a Master.
Daybit:
Besides, this is will be the last time. Let us see how it'll be to carry out the battle I simulated so many times in that Coffin.
--BATTLE--
Daybit:
Sure enough... if we fight as Masters, you do come out on top.
Daybit:
Also, how come I had no Servants outside of Tezcatlipoca?
Daybit:
Shouldn't the “almighty god” at least have some followers? I would have hoped you'd at least been able to chain summon Jaguar Man or something.
Daybit:
Either way, the outcome is clear. The loser should make a hasty exit.
Fujimaru 1:
Wait—
Fujimaru 2:
Was ORT really the only way you could fight the Alien God?
Daybit:
...It was. I'm not able to build up trust with others like you are.
Daybit:
After I joined the A-Team and understood the truth behind CHALDEAS, it was already too late.
Daybit:
The completed CHALDEAS is a planet unto itself. Nobody can destroy it.
Daybit:
I tried to threaten Marisbury into stopping his plan, but he took his own life instead.
Daybit:
All he said was: “My life or the Securing of the Human Order–which one should I protect? What a silly question.”
Daybit:
At that moment, I had no choice but to play along with his plan. If I wanted to be able to destroy CHALDEAS, I couldn't do it as an outsider.
Daybit:
My prediction was that the chance to destroy it would only befall those who stayed part of Chaldea until the end.
Daybit:
In other words, you people. I chose to remain as a Crypter, but—
Daybit:
Who could've thought that a new Chaldea would fight against the old Chaldea?
Daybit:
Novum Chaldea, was it? Not a bad name.
Fujimaru 1:
—!
Fujimaru 2:
Wait, Daybit!
Tezcatlipoca:
Don't stop him. You really tryin' to rob the loser of even his right to leave the stage?
Tezcatlipoca:
C'mon... just see him off, alright? Right now, couldn't be anyone more worthy of Mictlampa.
Tezcatlipoca:
Don't worry. My paradise's kinda like the spa of dreams and all, but it ain't forever.
Tezcatlipoca:
After he's rested, I'll have him get back into battle. And then he'll actually be on the winner's side.
Tezcatlipoca:
Basically just a stop off on the road, this place. One to prepare you for the next battle, yeah?
Fujimaru 1:
—You're—
Fujimaru 2:
Wait, wait! My Master rights aren't back yet!
Tezcatlipoca:
Oh yeah, right. Forgot.
Tezcatlipoca:
Here, they're yours.
Tezcatlipoca:
I bought 'em offa ya in this form, so, you know, seemed appropriate I'd give 'em back to you in it too.
Tezcatlipoca:
See ya, I'll be off now too.
Tezcatlipoca:
Real shame we had to be enemies this time 'round, but... no, maybe it was better we were, actually.
Tezcatlipoca:
I ain't nobody for patience. Had we been allies, I'd have put a bullet through your skull soon as you turned away from me.
Tezcatlipoca:
Basically, I'm a guy who takes the side of everyone in battle. Now here, I bet on Daybit especially.
Tezcatlipoca:
Cause y'know, had one hell of a scope to what he wanted to wreck.
Tezcatlipoca:
I'mma a guy who's seen countries destroyed more times than I can count, so well, can't help but be excited at that.
Tezcatlipoca:
But don't get the wrong idea. There ain't no battle in which everything is destroyed.
Tezcatlipoca:
You did put an end to Mictlan, but you sure didn't destroy it.
Tezcatlipoca:
You've heard extinction is something that repeats in Aztec mythology, yeah?
Tezcatlipoca:
Then you should also know that something comes back to life afterward.
Tezcatlipoca:
Even if countries and civilizations are destroyed, there's a thing that lives on, and that thing nobody can get rid of.
Tezcatlipoca:
Know what that is?
Fujimaru 1:
Records...?
Tezcatlipoca:
It's time.
Fujimaru 2:
That "something greater" the Deinos were talking about.
Tezcatlipoca:
Yeah, that's correct, [♂ boy /♀️ girl]. What the Deinos served was time.
Tezcatlipoca:
If the Deinos come over to my paradise, this is what I'll say to 'em: “You guys had one hell of a friend.”
Tezcatlipoca:
I know you people like to think of time as something you measure. That it accumulates. That it's got significance just 'cause of that.
Tezcatlipoca:
But even if you or your countries are destroyed, time will never disappear.
Tezcatlipoca:
Humans usually have this idea that they're passengers through time.
Tezcatlipoca:
But actually, time's the passenger, and humans are kinda like a river that carries it forth.
Tezcatlipoca:
You better put this to memory, Fujimaru. Humans aren't the only ones who whittle away at time.
Tezcatlipoca:
There's the time observed by humanity. The time recorded by machines.
Tezcatlipoca:
The time that wears away at matter. The time that cools down the planet.
Tezcatlipoca:
So long as they're all still around, our world's indestructible.
Tezcatlipoca:
It has no end. Even if things disappear, and even if this planet loses its purpose...
Tezcatlipoca:
Time will always keep on going toward the future.
Section 24: To Antarctica
Fujimaru 1:
—
Mash:
Are you awake, Senpai? I just woke up as well.
Mash:
The battle in the seventh Lostbelt has concluded. We were taken to the medical bay after collapsing on the deck.
Mash:
I just finished a one-hour check of your vitals while you were sleeping.
Nemo Nurse:
Yes. Neither of you have shown any abnormalities, and no cellular damage from the cosmic radiation.
Nemo Nurse:
You can go back to your rooms with peace of mind. Your belongings and Mystic Codes are waiting there.
Nemo Nurse:
But first, there's the control room. Commander Gordolf has asked for you.
Fujimaru 1:
Understood. And thank you, Nurse.
Nemo Nurse:
Not at all. The reason I can conduct these medical treatments is because the two of you have fought...
Nemo Nurse:
...to keep the Storm Border safe and sound. Please hold your heads up high on your way to the control room.
Nemo Nurse:
Oh, but take care not to overdo it. Your strength has returned, but the gist of your fatigue still remains.
Nemo Nurse:
Make sure you get a good night's rest once your debriefing with the commander is finished, all right?
Mash:
Yes! Thank you so much for the treatment. If you'll excuse us...
Gordolf:
Mm. Your medical exams are finally over. It seems that nothing is amiss, then.
Gordolf:
I wasn't worried about your welfare at all, unlike the rest of the staff.
Gordolf:
They should get that out of their systems before I issue my proclamation to all hands.
Da Vinci:
Not this aga~in. Just who was it again that was requesting updates every five minutes from the medical bay?
Sion:
I'm sure we weren't the only ones constantly listening for reports from the medical bay.
Sion:
Weren't you, Kadoc?
Kadoc:
Please leave me out of it. Kyrielight aside, why would I bother worrying about Fujimaru?
Kadoc:
[♂ He's /♀️ She's] just going to stroll in anyway with an oblivious look on [♂ his /♀️ her] face. There's no point worrying about [♂ his /♀️ her] Magic Circuits.
Nemo Marine:
Here, here! We're all connected to Nurse too, so there's no need to even open a comm liiine!
Nemo Marine:
That goes for Captain, too!
Habetrot:
Obviously, I'm not part of the club. I dunno the first thing about working machines.
Habetrot:
But if Mash is safe, then isn't it obvious that Fujimaru must be too?
Habetrot:
That's why I kept a stiff upper lip. Right, Fou?
Fou:
Fou, foou!
Fujimaru 1:
Fou would have to know!
Fujimaru 2:
(I see... Then the seventh Lostbelt really is...)
Meunière:
Indirect evidence is really something. Everyone's getting their turn to prove the point.
Meunière:
So the only one fidgeting around about this like a kid was the old man, right?
Gordolf:
Hngh, are you keeping up your ridiculous ensemble even at a time like this...? None of you are even making eye contact!
Gordolf:
Honestly... Then it means I was the only who didn't have faith.
Mash:
...?
Fujimaru 1:
Faith in what?
Fujimaru 2:
I don't really get it, but I appreciate the sentiment.
Gordolf:
...Hmph.
Gordolf:
U-Olga Marie, whose signature disappeared with the firing of the Rayproof. As well as the Alien God's true colors.
Gordolf:
You would have to discuss important matters upon your awakening.
Gordolf:
I had my reservations on whether you'd both be too emotionally scarred to get back to your feet...
Gordolf:
It's hard to believe you'd look the same as ever. Our Master has become remarkably tough.
Mash:
No, Commander Gordolf, that isn't the case.
Mash:
It's because everyone has stayed the same that Senpai and I can keep moving forward the way we do.
Fujimaru 1:
That's true.
Fujimaru 2:
So, as usual, I'd appreciate if you'd wrap everything up.
Gordolf:
I see... Well then, I'll take charge of things.
Gordolf:
The Fantasy Trees of the seventh Lostbelt have been purged, and the geological strata where the underground world was located has normalized.
Gordolf:
As for the Crypter, Daybit Sem Void, as well as his Servant, Tezcatlipoca...
Gordolf:
We've confirmed the vanishing of both their signatures some time ago. With this, the pruning of the seventh Lostbelt is judged to be complete.
Gordolf:
Mission accomplished. Well done as always, to one and all.
Gordolf:
However! No sooner have we realized the pruning of every Lostbelt are we thrust before a new challenge!
Gordolf:
The “Alien World” is CHALDEAS—
Gordolf:
In order to verify the truth behind the words Daybit left behind...
Gordolf:
The Storm Border hereby sets course for the Antarctic, and for Chaldea Base!
Gordolf:
For all of you, I'm sure it will be like revisiting an old home. However, I would hope you all brace yourselves duly for it.
Gordolf:
This may only be my hunch, but the answers to all our mysteries must be in Antarctica.
Gordolf:
What purposes do the Fantasy Trees serve? What was accomplished by bleaching the Earth?
Gordolf:
And—what was the true intent of the late Director, Marisbury Animusphere, in having created CHALDEAS?
Gordolf:
Whatever the facts may be, what we need to accomplish has not changed!
Gordolf:
The future of Pan-Human History rests on our shoulders!
Gordolf:
We of Novum Chaldea shall bring to light to the mysteries of Chaldea!
Everyone:
Hoorah!!!
Gordolf:
Mm. A fine show of spirit. I'm quite proud myself, as Commander.
Gordolf:
But wait a moment, shouldn't everyone be utterly exhausted from the all-out battle against ORT?
Gordolf:
I should say that I'm about to burn out. My body and mind simply need rest.
Gordolf:
Why don't we all mutually take a break? The body is a temple, after all.
Nemo:
Good. The Marines have all retired to their quarters.
Nemo:
The Storm Border can stand by for a while in this sector on autopilot.
Nemo:
I should adjourn to the captain's quarters as well— Fujimaru?
Nemo:
Shouldn't you be on your way to the cafeteria? I expect Mash and the others are waiting on you.
Fujimaru 1:
—Yeah, first thing's first.
Fujimaru 1:
This is for you, Captain.
Nemo:
What is it?
Fujimaru 1:
Well, you see—
Tepeu:
Please wait at the Border while I prepare for the journey. We can meet at the gate.
Tepeu:
I have never gone beyond the seventh layer. I very much look forward to this next adventure together.
Tepeu:
Ah yes, one more thing. I have a small favor to ask...
Tepeu:
This is for Captain Nemo. A xoqqer ball I crafted for Marine.
Tepeu:
I thought I should set it aside as a memento, but it is likely that I shall never return here again.
Tepeu:
My feelings were that I had done something inconsiderate to Marine, but now it's too late.
Tepeu:
I mustn't forget the trust he showed me, or the support he lent me...
Tepeu:
Most of all, I mustn't forget the strength he showed at the very end.
Tepeu:
So please, I would ask that you hand this over on my behalf.
Tepeu:
Though we were from different worlds and different humanities, we shared in each other's smiles as proof of our friendship.
Nemo:
—
Fujimaru 1:
Nemo!?
Fujimaru 2:
Captain!?
Nemo:
...No, it's nothing. Don't mind me. I'm probably just looking a little more miserable than normal.
Nemo:
...It's okay, I've calmed down. So that's what Tepeu left for you?
Nemo:
I'll take it gratefully. I don't know much about it, but the Marines do love football.
Nemo:
Go on to the cafeteria. I'll join you as soon as I finish my rounds.
Fujimaru 1:
Sure. I'll see you then.
Nemo:
...No, I won't ever forget it.
Nemo:
Even if your people's world, and this gift, have to disappear along with the Lostbelt...
Nemo:
Your 66 million year journey under the earth. A paradise more peaceful and lush than any other.
Nemo:
Farewell, wise Tepeu. On “my” behalf—thank you for sharing in those smiles.
Romani Archaman:
...
Rasputin:
What a surprise. I'm honored to have you see me off, Romani Archaman.
Rasputin:
“If mankind is able to excise all seven Lostbelts, then I will finally acknowledge you as an enemy.”
Rasputin:
So, how do you feel now that your words have been fulfilled?
Rasputin:
Even if the “enemy” you mentioned came to mean “an enemy of CHALDEAS” in this case.
Romani Archaman:
Indeed. I was wondering whether or not those who bear the name of Chaldea could see CHALDEAS as their enemy.
Romani Archaman:
I thought it would be impossible. It's in the nature of humans to conceal the darker side of their organizations.
Romani Archaman:
However—
Romani Archaman:
They do not seem to be the Chaldea I know. This “Novum” Chaldea...
Romani Archaman:
I suppose they're a brand-new Human Order Security Organization, one meant to demolish Marisbury's Grand Order.
Rasputin:
I see. This is a grim state of affairs.
Rasputin:
The Alien World's plan was only ever to have them excise all of the Lostbelts.
Rasputin:
Never had I thought that a rival organization would be formed after the fact. I must make haste in order to seek instructions from the Alien World.
Romani Archaman:
Are you not going to try to recover the Alien God you lost?
Romani Archaman:
As far as I could tell, even if her Saint Graph had shattered into pieces, some small parts of it did remain.
Romani Archaman:
If you managed to scrounge up all of it, you would be able to restore her, even if only as a defective and soulless shell of her former self.
Rasputin:
That would not be my task. Personally, I think it would be best to let her rest, but—
Rasputin:
Let's see... were it up to the other available Apostle— the Count, then he would put her to cruel use.
Romani Archaman:
So there really were seven Apostles of the Alien World.
Romani Archaman:
Three to monitor and supervise the Crypters on the Lostbelt side: the Presbyter, the Atlas-Slayer, and the Evil Incarnate.
Romani Archaman:
Three to monitor and guide Chaldea: the Detective, the Professor, and the Count.
Romani Archaman:
And lastly, the God, their leader.
Romani Archaman:
Even if Olga Marie herself likely did not know that she was actually a Servant.
Rasputin:
There was no need for her to know. She was nothing more than an unpredicted god born on the Alien World.
Rasputin:
For her to die heroically without ever knowing the truth surely must have served as some measure of salvation.
Romani Archaman:
Brazen words coming from someone who induced her to do so.
Romani Archaman:
In any case, there are two Apostles left, including you. Can you stop Chaldea?
Rasputin:
That goes without saying. I wouldn't have let the ship leave so easily otherwise.
Rasputin:
But then again, it is not our place to put a stop to them.
Rasputin:
They themselves are their own stumbling block.
Rasputin:
If they cannot reckon with what they've accumulated so far, they will surely be put to judgment by the Human Order itself—