2 is... emotionally satisfying to call out, yes, but I also feel like it wouldn't shake him given he's not excluding himself from the list of people who need to see the Readvent film. He's not unaware of what he did, between the discussions at El Dorado and the one here. Plus, both Lestari and Ruler have expressly pointed out the genocide attempt before, so if there's any way to shake him, just repeating that is probably not it.
Whereas 3 I feel like... hmm, I feel like Lestari's goal does have more nuance than 'stop the war at absolutely any cost.' Exploring that might be more moving or expose a fault line for him more than just repeating his crimes.
Last edited by Sunny; July 11th, 2021 at 12:47 PM.
3- Our goal is to unite the world, it is not to put a servant in coetes and try to invade the rest of the planets (even if that means waking up yn Type without knowing it)
I do agree with Sunny's argument and for me it does set-up what could be the most interesting dialogue, what do Leader and Lestari want after the war ? It's obvious that none of them can walk back to what their lives were before, because of what they did and the people they lost and I do wonder if it's something that Leader considered or a point he (willingly ?) ignored, both possibilities being pretty intriguing !
I'm not expecting Leader to be an option as someone who would join our side but it may influence Bell coming back. And it does open up a dialogue for Lestari to talk about what she's here for beyond simple survival, to talk about any kind of project or dream she may have yet and it does feel like the kind of "point" that will come back to haunt her later if it isn't tackled early on somehow.
Pushing both Les and Leader with the heavy question of "What Next?" is much too good -- though 2 is equally damning to Leader's goals, this one feels like it wouldn't be something he can rebuke immediately.
The Act of dozing off in the afternoon is a luxury indeed. Coffee would be nice, though.
Year: 2022
Location: Pentagon, Washington DC, US, SFA
Daytime: Night
Objective: 1 Hours and 50 minutes remaining until Leader finished his Noble Phantasm.
“I see… Ending the war, huh. That is surely an admirable goal befitting of someone considered a hero. But it has never been my goal to end it. Besides, I can’t approve your way.”
Listening to me, Leader's composure breaks as he slams his table with his fist.
“So you're telling me to take kindly to what they have done to this country? To my family?! Aren’t you here because you can’t accept the one-sided and coldhearted decisions toward your loved ones too?!”
In response, I swallow the bitter dust amassed in my mouth.
“What happened to me isn’t an excuse to destroy others’ lives.”
“You, a magus, said that?! Don't you people believe in equivalent exchange? Sacrificing many innocent people for your inhuman research? They hurt us, we hurt them back! It’s simple!”
“There is nothing equivalent about it at all. Their lives… will not be avenged simply by killing the likes of you.”
A gem is not worth a hundred pebbles. Their life can’t be paid for by crucifying petty bastards. Even if that can be done, I will not allow it, I will not pervert their legacy with blood.
“I suppose you are correct that I was deeply hurt by human cruelty, but you misunderstood something. The cruelty I am fighting for is not war, war is simply an escalation of it.”
Yes. Five years ago, the reason why I am here was because people are trying to prevent war from happening.
By doing so, they are willing to do something as cruel as war itself.
If that’s the case, my enemy has never been the war.
“Then what are you fighting against…?” Leader asked.
The answer is obvious.
“You have said it yourself, my enemy is ‘justice’. Justice in its most hypocritical form. The most powerful weapon forged by humanity, a weapon that grants the wielder the power to mute their empathy and mercy.”
If this false sense of peace they are trying to preserve is just, a peace where a small number of innocent people suffer from it is just. Whatever it is the power balance between the Upper Belts, or whatever it is the preservation of mystery. Then, I will wage war against it.
No one should suffer, without exception.
“Your Noble Phantasm may have the highest chance to defeat it. But it does exactly what I’m against, doing terrible bullshit for the sake of greater good, building goddamn heaven at the top of a sea of corpses. Leader, I will make this clear, you are my enemy.”
Leader is at a loss of words and silent for a few seconds, “you... are messed up.”
“Coming from someone that attempted a genocide, that’s saying a lot,” I answer with a troubled smile.
“Be as it may, how do you plan to stop me? I have removed all the systems connected to my war machines from the Control Room! You are no longer able to take control of them with your hacking magecraft!”
“Hacking magecraft? I never plan to do that even once. Just because I am good at such a thing, you assume that I will rely on my Recursion to defeat you.” I pull out my twelve unused cards for him to see. Recursion speed and effectiveness is greatly reduced without the complete set, not to mention it costs more. Besides, SFA has been repeatedly shown to be wary and anticipate my magecraft, there is no way they haven’t thought of countermeasures. “You see, I currently use both of my Via and Populus to hold off your soldiers, and use my Albus for extra protection. Right now, I only hold twelve of my cards in my possession.”
Indeed, twelve, not thirteen. One of my cards is currently in the possession of my trusted friend.
My true trump card.
“Assassin.”
I broadcast her name using the building-wide PA system that connected with the computer.
The moment she heard her class is broadcasted by her Master, Hattori Masanari II spent no time taking action.
It was clear what she must do: assassinate Leader.
“I will not let you.”
In response, Bell sends rapid shockwaves that can be felt by the skin and it is slowly shedding her inner body every subsequent shockwave.
Assassin's status
Assassin - Hattori Masanari II
Health: Excellent ---> Great
Magical Energy: Excellent
“Khh!! This is nothing!”
But that’s all there is to it.
Bell hasn’t been able to mess with her brain. It is not because of lack of trying, in fact, he has repeatedly tried to do so but to no avail. There is nothing unusual about it if she was near Kenshin as the latter has a Magic Resistance, but Assassin has left her 30 seconds ago as she can’t keep up with Assassin’s top speed. Normally, it shouldn’t be hard to force himself to her mind with his Noble Phantasm.
“How? No, this is-”
There is one spell that has stopped him from invading Lestari’s mind from afar, Laetitia. Assassin has been holding this particular card the moment they decided to attack the Pentagon.
It was the same spell that she used on her back in Fuyuki. A spell to stimulate the brain, allowing it to function as optimal and relaxed as possible. This spell may seem nothing impressive, but to Lestari, it was her pride and the proof of her worthiness to be an Elliwyn scion. A spell that she uses automatically every day without an incantation or mystic code as if it is her own natural body function. In a sense, this spell is a part of her Master's.
And now it is entrusted to her, and protecting her from the enemy.
“!”
Knowing that his shockwave is ineffective, Bell decided to rely on Pentagon’s greatest strength. The Noble Phantasm: Magarac Complex, an ability to shape the interior of the building by using rapid nanomachine technology, growing a pair of mechanical arms to stop her advance. It has the hardness of adamantine of Greek mythology, meaning, if she was captured even once, it would be a game over for her.
“If this building is really a Servant, then!” Assassin holds the card Laetitia that has been entrusted to her tightly on her chest, “Yorei no Hanzo!!!”
Assassin's status
Assassin - Hattori Masanari II
Health: Great
Magical Energy: Excellent ---> Great
The arm suddenly stopped, unable to sense their target, and that ninja simply walked past them.
Yorei no Hanzo’s ability is quite simple. It makes the target forget the existence of Assassin.
It is also a Noble Phantasm crystalized from her only worth in history: a failure Hanzo. Her fellow Hattori ninja disapproved of her position to the point they abandoned her during the battle of Sekigahara. She is deeply ashamed of its existence, as it is a reminder of who she was and will always be.
With the Noble Phantasm active, the building Servant Pentagon is unable to detect her existence. As with almost every automated defense inside rely on the nanomachine Noble Phantasm, while the smaller robots are no match toward her, what she only needs to do is simply find Disney’s Workshop within this building.
And that requires to continue activating her hated Noble Phantasm.
Hoo? It seems OUR Leader summoned US again after failing to kill the pirate woman.
A whisper in a sarcastic tone.
“...”
Shameless bastard, you have no honor, disgusting.
Another gives a straightforward contempt.
“...shut up.”
Run! Run! Daddy girl! That’s the only thing you are competent at, after all!
The next one insults her in petty insults loudly.
“...Shut up!”
You will ruin this one too! Just like back then.
And so do the rest of them.
“I said-”
HAHAHA!
“SHUT UP!”
Trash!!!
“SHUT UP! SHUT UP!”
Just like in Fuyuki, the spell Laetitia is ineffective against a whisper that targets her own soul.
Their hate toward her has been crystallized to the extent that a mere spell has no effect toward it, these ninja will never be convinced forever. No matter what she does, no matter what she accomplishes, they will not recognize her as a Hanzo.
But-
“I don’t need your approval!”
A spark can be felt surging through her heart.
“I don’t need any of you to recognize me!”
It continues to rumble as her emotion rises.
“All of you aren’t worth a damn thing from me! You bunch of useless pieces of shit!”
She roars as she thunderously rebels against them.
And that spark starts to take a shape into someone who has entrusted her fate toward a failure like her.
That someone said she is her first friend ever since five years ago.
That someone said she doesn’t care who she was before.
That someone said she will be counting on her.
That someone said she is her only and number one Assassin.
Her Master.
“There is someone that believes in me!---”
(Assassin. You are no failure. Magellan and Kenshin may be great heroes that accomplish something in their lives, and all the Servants in this war have done something more than we can ever hope to achieve. But remember-)
The spell Laetitia is not strong enough to override Yorei no Hanzo. But its faint spark reminds her that she is no longer alone in this world, that her Master is with her even now, even far away.
(Out of many Tokugawa generals connected to the catalyst, among the Servants in this war, you are the one that answers my plea. That's proof that we are the best team.)
And so-
(I will leave my Laetitia to you, my reliable Assassin!)
“---I will believe in her back!!!”
She launches her entire body, thrusts her blade forward as it stabs all the ghosts one by one, turning them into nothing but stardust of memory.
Yes.
The sword digs deep into Leader’s body, only missing a few inches from his abdomen.
“You--!!”
In response to her assault, Leader summoned a pair of adamantine arms to stop Assassin.
And together with it, the memory reshaped into a ghost, clouding her eyes once again with imaginary vision.
This time, it takes the form of a silent figure, looking at her from afar.
(-! Father…!)
Assassin clenched her teeth.
She gripped her blade with all of her might--
Spoiler:
--and cut through to Leader’s body, cutting him into two.
In an instant, his body is no more but a trace of Magical Energy.
Leader's status
Caster - Walt Disney
Health: Excellent ---> Dead
“I am Hattori Masanari II! The Assassin Servant of the woman that will unite this world and make it a better place for everyone!”
A flawless assassination.
* * *
“Saint Graph disappearance confirmed! I no longer feel a trace of Magical Energy or Mystery on his drawings! Leader has been defeated!” Assassin answers using the same channel Leader was using to talk with me.
“I see! Thank you… Thank you, thank you, Assassin! You are the bestest among the best! Good work, no, amazing work! The fucking best! The omega best! Awesome! Hell yeah! That’s Hattori Masanari II, our Assassin, for you! How’s that?!”
“Hehe! Praise me more!”
“...yeah, you did great.”
I felt an imaginary weight on my shoulders gone. I remove the headset and take a breath, as the activation of Readvent of Legends has been successfully stopped.
No, there is one thing that I need to tell Leader, even if he is no longer here.
“Leader… Even if you become a monster, there is something that will not change. You and your family don't deserve any tragedy that befalls you, none of us do.”
May people like us never be born again.
= = =
Objective: Prevent Leader from finished his Noble Phantasm - SUCCESSFUL
Servant - Leader: DECEASED
Last edited by Spartacus; March 23rd, 2024 at 10:05 PM.
Assassin reported that she no longer felt any kind of lingering Mystery on his drawings, but she decided to burn all the drawings she could find to make sure. With that, I can conclude that we successfully stopped Readvent of Legends to activate.
Leader is dead, we are certain that the Caster Servant has been eliminated from this war.
“I would love to celebrate more, but Bell, SFA Rider, and EC Lancer are still out there. We still need to fetch Magellan too. Anyway, come back to Kenshin, and let’s regroup for now.”
“Roger!” She eagerly dashes away from the screen.
Now the only thing I need to do is to convince Bell to drop this farce. Leader said that Bell has been on my side from the start. If that’s the case, there is still hope for him to change his mind-
“I know what you think, Lestari. If you want to convince me again, drop it already.”
Bell broadcasted his voice to answer my mind.
“Bell! You can bypass my Laetitia?”
“No, I simply can guess what is inside your head this time.”
But he quickly shut down the idea and said something worse.
“Wha-. Well then, this will be faster! Joi-”
“I already made up my mind that I will fight for SFA before. Do you think my attempt to take your life means nothing? This will be the last time we discuss this.”
“Leader is gone, there is no reason for us to fight anymore! Aren’t you the one that sent me to a convenient place like here in the first place?”
He gives me the silence and answers me with a pair of adamantine arms sprouting from the ground.
“Via + Populus, sparkle!” It seems they have no intention to stop even after Leader is defeated! “You too, can you quit already?!”
I dodged the arms with my superior magnet speed, but because I used Via+Populus for it, the thirtyish people that I held off with were free. “Khh! Puer!” which I quickly knocked out with a wide-range electric shock before they could grab their weapons.
But I felt the amount of Mana in this room decrease rapidly, the three magi I pinned before are chanting their spells!
“Crap! Carcer!!”
Noticing the danger, I quickly created a circular electric cage around me and dragged myself out of the room with Via+Populus. But it is not something that can be defended by something that simple, as their Mana take shape into a bird made of thunder, an imitation of a deity. It is a low-level Ritual class spell, which far exceeds my Carcer in both Mystery and firepower.
The bird zaps around at incredible speed and chases me through the corridors. It has a speed that surpasses my Via+Populus, which means it will shorten the distance in no time. To make things worse, the automatic defense inside SFA opens fires to hinder me, while Albus is barely able to intercept the rapid-firing turrets.
Another thunderbird flashes from behind. It then crashes with the thunderbird that chased me, disappearing into traces of Mana.
“Seems like I’m on time.”
A young man dresses in a poncho appears to my rescue. He is El-Dorado Assassin, the number two of his Faction and Ruler’s friend. His Faction geographical location aside, if he wears a traditional poncho, he must be a South American Servant. Yet, the Thunderbird should be a Divine Beast of the North, something that is very culturally different.
“That magecraft is a Native’s spell… how could you do something like that so easily?”
“Hmm? Ah, I have seen them doing it twice before. I’m kind of good at learning from my enemies that I observe. But honestly, these kinds of offensive magic are impractical compared to regular guns.” So he says as he dual-wields a handaxe and a futuristic gun he got from somewhere.
“Just like that…?” he nodded as an answer.
He is capable of discerning and casting a Ritual-level spell by himself just by observing. This man is an enemy of magecraft on the level of Professor El-Melloi II...
“The moment I heard your voice broadcasted, I knew I needed to go to the Control Room. I spent two and a half years here, unless they caged me inside an adamantine wall, which they can’t, shuffling the interior a bit will not stop me.” He said that matter of factly.
“Eh? When I said ‘Assassin’ before, I was talking about the other one…”
“No, no. I’m not stupid, I get that. You see, the Little Miss asked me to protect you in case anything happened.”
“Ruler did?” I pause the moment he mentions her. “Why does she care so much about me?”
“I don’t have the right to answer that. You must ask her in person.” His hesitancy and straight eyes inform me that it is a serious personal matter. He then taps my shoulder and he walks past me, telling me that we can discuss this as we walk to escape, which I promptly follow. “I can say for the fact that regardless of her feelings, she is always your ally.”
“I know,” I smiled. “At this point, I can’t doubt her.” I said so to him as I lightly squeezed the right hand with Ruler’s ‘A-shape’ Command Spells on it. He, too, smiles upon seeing my right hand.
“More importantly, Leader, he really is dead, huh?”
“Yeah... Are you mad that we steal your target?”
“Hah, as if. I’m not your Assassin, I don’t seek self-satisfaction like that. Besides, in terms of a direct assassination, I can’t compete with more honest-type Assassin like her anyway.”
“Honest-type Assassin? What do you mean?” I remember that he described himself as a ‘waiting-type'.
“People like her or the Hassans from the standard Grail Wars. Assassins that capable of breaking through a fort and killing a king in their sleep. By no means I’m weaker in a fight, but I will not do something as risky as what your Assassin does to kill Leader. Like, searching for his room manually without being fully familiar with this place, seriously?”
“Ahaha… I will not deny that she is a bit reckless.” Though, as the one that came with the idea, I’m not the one to talk.
“I infiltrated SFA to avenge my friends, and I still hate Leader for it. It’s good that he is gone but… I wouldn’t lie that I understand his feelings a bit.”
“...”
To be completely honest, if it is not for the fact that he attempted genocide and tries to brainwash the entire world, I would feel the same. He, like this war, is merely an escalation of cruel justice. Defeating him only stops his plan, but the world will still remain as turbulent as ever.
“I was away when our base was bombarded by SFA Archer’s Noble Phantasm. I keep blaming myself for not being with their side when I’m needed the most. But then, the Little Miss approached me and said that I should stop dwelling on my past failure. That girl is childish most of the time, but she can be inspiring when it counts.”
“I can tell she means a lot to you.”
He let out a sigh as he scratched the back of his head.
“Yeah, she is like an annoying little sister to me. And for that annoying little sister, I will hold to my promise so you can use me as you see fit until this battle ends. Think of me as an escort or something.”
El-Dorado Assassin - ??? temporarily joins your party!
Parameter:
STR C
AGI A
END C
MAN C
LCK B
Skills:
Presence Concealment B
Hides one's presence as a Servant. Suitable for spying. It is possible to disappear and become extremely difficult to be detected. The rank of Presence Concealment drops considerably when preparing to attack.
Espionage A
Does not conceal one’s presence, but rather makes one's presence fail to register as hostile. The ability capable of infiltrating an enemy’s organization as well as gaining powerful trust. This Skill causes others to misunderstand one's status, including mistaking one for a kind neighbor, a harmless pebble, or a very dependable boss.
This is the Skill he used to infiltrate SFA and joins their ranks without suspicions.
Innovation - ??? A
An innovation specifically to be able to learn enemy's tactic simply by observing. A conceptual advantage to using them as effective as the enemy. At A Ranks, it allows Assassin to easily understood, learn, and use the fundamentals he wishes to study. It can be combat maneuvers, weapons masteries, sciences, and magecraft, on the level of a master or expert.
The Skill contributes greatly to gaining intel of SFA.
Choices!
With El-Dorado Assassin escorting you, the danger of an ambush becomes particularly non-existent. What will you talk about with him until you met everyone? You can choose two (2)!
[1] Ask if he feels anything about SFA.
[2] His relationship with Ruler and Benjamin Franklin.
[3] His relationship with the King of El-Dorado.
[4] Ask do he have any clue where the Saint Graphs of "Servant Pentagon" is located.
[5] Ask can he reach you to call Ruler.
[6] Ask if he has a clue about Yidhra.
[7] Ask him to join your group.
[8] Writes-in!
Last edited by Spartacus; August 3rd, 2021 at 11:21 AM.
Reason: awkward phrase
We didn’t really have a chance to talk with our elusive El-Dorado Assassin all that much, might as well be now. Plus, we also get additional insights on the other Servants and his opinion of them.
The Act of dozing off in the afternoon is a luxury indeed. Coffee would be nice, though.
Reason is by talking to Ruler, I think we can get the context of El-Dorado Assassin and her while directly talks with her? As for 4, we are still fighting even if the enemy leader is defeated.
Last edited by SaberBlue2; August 4th, 2021 at 03:46 AM.
3. and 6. Both of these answers feel like they could untangle whatever weird shit is happening within King of Eldorado's head, which does seem like a good priority once we're done with the SFA. Having an ally mindfucked by Yidhra won't really be productive for us at any point.
El-Dorado Assassin is leading me to navigate through the corridor. Without caring that Bell can listen to us, I ask him about his Faction.
“I have been wondering, what kind of relationship do you have with the King? I have heard that you are his second in command in the past, but other than that, I know almost nothing about you.”
“Oh? Are you interested in us now? Have a change of heart?”
“Yeah, no, the king leaves a very bad impression on me. I’m sorry.”
“I was just kidding. I know you are allergic to Faction invitations. Rejecting them may become a catchphrase for you.”
I’m glad he understands but I’m not sure if I want that to become my catchphrase...
“But our relationships, let’s see. Back then, we competed to rule South America, not just the two of us, but other Servants that are no longer here too.”
“Competing… in the context of a Faction, isn’t that practically a civil war?”
“Indeed. Unlike homogeneous Factions like SFA and New Japan, the Servants of El-Dorado all come from different cultures and nations. Naturally, all of us hold a sense of national pride. But then he had this brilliant idea to name ourselves as ‘El Dorado’, the legend that we all share together, and appointed each country's leaders as some sort of a senate. For the first time, South America became one.”
“The King that I know is far different from your story. He sounds like an effective king, unlike the emotional man that was manipulated by Leader’s farce and almost got me killed.” I suppose the Inca was once the superpower in South America, so it is not entirely unimaginable that the King is the most suited to lead them, but still...
“Yeah, but even a wise ruler can make a mistake. When one of the Rulers banned the usage of WMD, something that we Servants even fear, Lancer quickly made a move. It gives us the perfect reason to start attacking the North and SFA, directing our hatred toward the existence of a completely unfair weapon that can wipe a country.”
“That’s where you guys begin attacking nuclear facilities left and right. Pushing SFA to become what they are today.”
“You have heard the story already, some of us prioritize destroying them at all cost. We even started attacking nuclear power plants because we feared the chance for them to be retooled into bombs. I was among the Servants responsible for it. As a result, many innocent people died, and people like Leader were born.”
“...”
This is like what Bell said, that victims of monsters can give birth to far bigger monsters. Fighting evil is not exempt from being evil itself. As long as we continue to cause grief to others, people like Leader will be born again.
“I am no different with Leader in that respect. I wouldn’t judge you if you want to kill me now. I will not even fight back.” He says that as he spreads his arms and exposes his chest to danger.
“You got it wrong.”
When Leader shares that his family died because of a nuclear meltdown, I can only freeze.
I can see why Bell thinks that our experience is similar. We both suffered from a justice people selfishly believed in, and decided that some sacrifices are worth it without our concerns. No matter how I see it, it is perfectly natural for a person to harbor a deep hatred and desire for revenge toward them.
I understand that, far too much. And that’s exactly why I must stop him at all costs.
“The reason why I decided to kill Leader is not that he is driven by hate, but because he continues to justify harming innocents. In his pursuit to exact vengeance toward your Faction, he becomes a monster far exceeding your deeds.”
I don’t know what is the right thing to do. If it is really that easy to find out, the world probably would have been a better place a long time ago.
But I do know what we shouldn’t do. To hurt innocents is one of them. And just because we have something bigger to think of doesn’t mean it’s alright to sacrifice them.
“That’s why El-Dorado Assassin. Can you give me the location of Servant Pentagon’s Saint Graph? I want to end this battle without more people being hurt, that includes you.”
“I see, the little Miss will be glad to hear that.” He dropped his spread arms and brave act, scratching the back of his head, smiling.
wise-up!
Your Bond with El-Dorado Assassin has reached Bond 1!
“That being the case, even I was not aware of their exact capabilities at first. I can only feel they are somewhere here but not the exact position- wait a minute.” He began to think in deep thought. ”This is an educated guess, but from our fight with Bell before, its ability is to create adamantine, isn’t it? Then it's obvious that it is located in the Machine Lord Production Room. Those are made from adamantine after all.”
* * *
We arrived in the Machine Lord Production Room.
It is located on Pentagon’s underground, so it took us around 10 minutes to reach there. Various robots, soundwaves, and adamantine arms tried to intercept us. But without Bell and the element of surprises, even the arms are no match against El-Dorado Assassin’s sneakiness and familiarity of this building.
Arms, legs, bodies, and heads, there are enough robot parts to build five more Machine Lords. It would be dangerous to us if these machines joined the battle.
“So many giant robots here…”
It is called a room, but this place is far more spacious than a cave, as it is able to house disassembled parts of 100m tall robots. The Roman said that the Underworld is made of adamantine, so it is not unsurprising that SFA is capable of building something like this with it.
The sound of complex but monotonous mechanisms echoes through the place, it continues to produce war machines even if their master has been slain. In the hangar-like area, adamantine parts rapidly shape materials like a 3D printer, this is how Machine Lords were made.
“I can sense their Saint Graphs, but not the exact location. It will take hours searching for them manually.”
“Joe Magarac and John Henry, was it?”
“Yeah, according to Ruler and Benjamin, that should be their True Names. It also fits with my info that they are the last Servants of SFA that still survive.”
From a little research I have done after being chosen as a Master, the fakelore Joe Magarac is about a man that is capable of smelting iron with his bare fist, he is also capable of manifesting out of nowhere to protect many workers in danger. He ultimately sacrifices himself by smelting his own body to finish a bridge construction.
John Henry is also similar, he is a steel driver with superhuman strength and speed. With only a hammer and a drill, he is capable of rivaling a machine in outputs. However, in doing so, he ultimately dies from exhaustion.
Both men are a legend centered on a wonder-worker that Americans should aspire to be. And from those descriptions alone one can see where the adamantine arms and nanomachines abilities are coming from. From that, I understood what that meant for one of them.
“We don’t need to search then, I found one.”
“I’m coming there.” What he sees next makes him close his eyes. “Benjamin shouldn’t see this.”
The sight we see is not horrifying or sadistic, but it is still as cruel.
Inside one of the biggest machines, we saw a ‘man’ made entirely of adamantine. I call him a man, but his entire lower half has now fused permanently with the ground. He endlessly swung his hammer to smelt the adamantine parts with the exact same speed, strength, and precise motions as his previous swing. The Servant has been turned into a simple mechanism.
This is John Henry of SFA, the man behind all the grief being done in South America.
John Henry of SFA
“Please…”
He begins to talk, but he doesn’t face us, as he continuously swings his arm with the same motions over and over. Perhaps he is unable to do anything else, a mechanism has been engraved in his Saint Graph to prevent him from neglecting his duty. The man that was once fighting against machinery now is forced into the role of a machine.
The very pride that elevates him into a Heroic Spirit has been trampled over.
“Recursion.”
The fifteen geomantic cards that I currently hold shuffle furiously. Every single second his movement started lagging and imperfect, my Recursion cracks down all the restrictive programming he currently has, until he is finally able to stop swinging his hammer.
“Thank you…”
And falls down in exhaustion immediately.
With that, the production of Machine Lords is finally stopped.
But our battle has not yet come to an end, as the ground of the Pentagon starts to shake violently.
* * *
INTERLUDE
Three years ago, The El-Dorado Faction and many unaligned Servants had been relentlessly pressuring SFA. The majority of SFA Servants are relatively young scientist Servants, their innovations are no match against conventional strengths and Noble Phantasms their enemy had. Their number continued to cull until only a few Servants left.
Losing the war as a Holy Grail War is one thing, but losing the war as a conventional war would not only cost their second lives but the lives of the people in the present. They can’t afford the latter at any cost. Even the charismatic Benjamin Franklin begins to doubt there will be a way out, yet they continue to resist while holding true to their ideals.
At the time, many Factions had come to the conclusion that nuclear warheads are dangerous weapons and should be destroyed. The US is the country that possesses those weapons the most, naturally becomes targeted with relentless assault.
Hollywood Hills.
It was just another location that nears a nuclear power plant. It was not even a warhead, but their enemies decided that a power plant potentially could be refitted into one. And just like that, to avert something that may not be certain, people are willing to cause so much destruction.
Leader’s family, no, Walt Disney’s family died from a nuclear meltdown. The family is unfortunate enough that they are near a nuclear power plant that has been targeted by El-Dorado forces.
No one survives, except one man, a man that was already dead decades ago.
At that time, all of us understood that idealism means nothing if it can’t save the lives you care about the most.
Between the life of the people you care, and the life of people that are unable to see your view.
A sane, ordinary man understands the obvious choice one must make.
A sane, ordinary man will do the insane if being presented with such a choice.
A necessary evil is needed. That was the conclusion he arrived at.
And yet…
“No matter how much I tried… I can’t bring myself to use my Noble Phantasm on my comrades.”
The man possesses a heart too close to ordinary modern humans, he is too weak-hearted to be considered a hero. Not even the death of his family members was able to bring him to do the extremes. That how unfit this man was to be in a Holy Grail War.
“Walt… you…”
The ordinary man decided that from now on, he will do what has been impossible for him.
Walt Disney secretly released a cartoon that has been enchanted by his Readvent. He has decided to steel himself to be a coldhearted war machine that will not hesitate to commit atrocities.
“That’s why, the Servant Walt Disney is unnecessary, I have altered myself to be a man that is willing to do the necessary.”
Indeed.
The first target of Readvent was not his enemy or fellow Servants, but his own Saint Graph.
“SFA doesn't need a foolish idealist like that. What SFA needs is an effective Leader. My old friend.”
What SFA needs is a man that will not hesitate to destroy a friend if it means the survival of his Faction, a person that is willing to dirty his hand with blood for the survival of his nation. Someone that could wield the sword called ’necessary evil’.
He is truly a weak-hearted man until the very end.
Wise-up!
Caster - Walt Disney (Alter)
Alignment: Lawful Neutral ---> Chaotic Evil
Last edited by Spartacus; March 23rd, 2024 at 10:09 PM.
Magarac Complex, that’s the name of the Noble Phantasm behind the sprouting adamantine arms inside the Pentagon. Similarly with John Henry, Joe Magarac has been modified to unquestioningly follow the command of Bell or Leader, he will follow any voice commands from the two, regardless of his own will. One could say that he has now become a Noble Phantasm for their personal use.
Joe Magarac is a man that was miraculously born from a mountain of ore, he was always capable of saving workers in a pinch, and his story ended with his body fused into the bridge he worked so hard to build. This became the basis of his Noble Phantasm to appear everywhere as long as there is steel nearby, allowing for SFA to redistribute adamantine as if they achieved nanomachine technology. This allows him to redistribute his Saint Graph all around the Pentagon building, making his location unable to be detected.
But the true nature of his Noble Phantasm is assimilating with metals. As long as it is within his reach, he can combine with any form of metals and make them his own body. Including adamantine, including the destroyed Machine Lords outside the building.
And he possesses another feature installed by Leader:
If Leader dies, destroy every Factions in this world, using everything necessary.
The Machine Lords that have been destroyed outside are rapidly assimilated by the Pentagon building. It started to form into a barrel with a length that rivals a single Machine Lord in size.
This is the very final Machine Lord, the Ω.
And once again, it pointed its barrel toward El-Dorado.
Omega
* * *
Year: 2022
Location: Pentagon, Washington DC, US, SFA
Daytime: Night
Servants' status
Assassin - Hattori Masanari II
Health: Great
Magical Energy: Excellent
Saber - Uesugi Kenshin
Health: Normal
Magical Energy: Excellent
“Kenshin! That thing… how on earth…?! It’s made to retribute justice until the very end, yet it’s so vile! Its sole purpose is to destroy other nations!”
Assassin regrouped with Kenshin and exited the Pentagon following Lestari’s instruction. But shortly after that, they felt a sudden shock in the building. The walls and the floors continue to move and bend unnaturally, the same walls that are made of adamantine which are both hard and sturdy enough to clash with Servants are rapidly folded like a piece of paper.
From Tsuru’s words and its length alone, both understood this weapon must be stopped at all costs.
“Assassin, I would love to congratulate you on your success but it seems we need to act fast!”
“I know! But what about your wound?”
“As long as I can evade attacks, there will be no problem.”
They arrived at the roof of the Pentagon unscathed but…
The giant cannon begin charging its energy. But the barrel isn't pointed to them, instead, it pointed to the south of the sky. Kenshin realizes they are not the target, but something else, something more far away.
"This is almost like... SFA Archer's Noble Phantasm! It has considerably weaker energy but its range can easily reach another continent!" inform Tsuru.
“Khh!” Kenshin clicks her teeth in frustration.
And that's not all--
"Laser beams!" Inform Assassin as she evades multiple barrages.
Five Machine Lords are still functional despite the initial attack. They have not done anything until now as they can’t intervene with the fight inside, because there are chances that they may harm the soldiers or Leader. But with their enemies being outside, the Machine Lords can freely use their attacks to stop the two from advancing.
The moment they see the two in their line of sight, they begin to concentrate fire multiple beams at the two Servants.
If one of them is enough to press an entire team of Servants and Masters before, then with five…!
Critical Choice!
Five Machine Lords are defending the doomsday weapon, Omega.
New Objective:
-Survive for 1 Turn.
- Prevent Omega from firing.
What should Assassin do?
[1] Fight offensively.
[2] Fight defensively.
[3] Use Yorei no Hanzo.
[4] Write-in!
What should Kenshin do?
[1] Fight offensively.
[2] Fight defensively.
[3] Use Echigo no Ryu's True Name Release.
[4] Write-in!
* * *
“...”
Alexander Graham Bell is still inside his chamber. He has been listening to Lestari and Leader conversations from the start to finish. He has been observing these two people’s journey for years with an open mind, naturally, he begins to sympathize with them. About how both of them struggle in a world that is unkind to them, about how many times these two have suffered from it.
He deliberately sent Lestari to be able to confront Leader but his death was not the outcome he hoped. The outcome he hoped for is something that he considers impossible, but he still thought that maybe this time will be different.
It was not.
“Found you, Professor.”
And there is one other person that he is curious about. Someone he never knew existed, yet for some reason, that person cares deeply for him.
“I have a feeling you will come, Ruler.”
“‘A feeling.’ As expected, you are still a human, after all.”
“I would prefer I’m not.”
“I see. That’s certainly a shame.”
Her face didn’t change, but her trembling voice, her shaken eyes, her action to confront him personally despite the battle outside. Those have conveyed her thoughts of him more than any words.
If this person really cares about him, then...
“That was my last gamble toward the impossible. Both Leader and Lestari are the people that I want to trust the most. If either of them die, I decided that I will carry on Readvent.”
With him gone, he has decided that a golden ending truly is impossible. He no longer has faith in the future any longer.
“But Readvent has failed, Leader has gone.”
Even if the effect of it lasts after his death, the Noble Phantasm is no longer able to activate a new effect. Readvent of Legends will never be activated again in this war. The group successfully foiled the plan to brainwash all people in this world, that is a fact.
“The Noble Phantasm, yes, but not the essence. It may take a far longer time, but with the Holy Grail, I can upgrade my Bell System to achieve the same result.”
“Using your Noble Phantasm at such a scale would be a brainwash! You frown that too, aren’t you?”
“I do. It’s terrible. But there is no other way. It's a far better choice than men conflicting, sacrificing, and dying needlessly.”
“There is no other way…?"
"You really are pathetic…!” When she said that, Ruler clenched her teeth and fists, as her butterfly wings made of pure energy revs ragingly.
She is more than ready to stop him regardless of what will happen.
As expected, they can't understand each other, after all.
“I’m sorry to disappoint you. I'm not the great professor you thought I am.” He expresses his genuine regret.
Multiple identical clones joined him, his total number being more than twenty.
“In this war, there are so many heroes that are beyond my own. No matter how much I try, people like Kenshin or El-Dorado Lancer will easily crush my effort but…”
The moment he takes interest in Ruler, he begins extensive research to find out her true identity. He has tested in their earlier fight the extent of her abilities. She may be capable of destroying a Machine Lord in one touch, and she is capable of generating a barrier that is capable of withstanding everything. When he successfully captured her with an adamantine arm earlier, he finds out that she is only able to access her cheat power one at a time.
“But you, I can defeat you.”
Who is this young girl that dresses in a Victorian coat? Why does she possess such a brilliant mind? Why does a Heroic Spirit like her possess such a seemingly modern ability like a rocket wing?
(Why do you care so much? Why do we only meet now? Why am I afraid of you?)
Such questions kept weighing on his mind, he continued to research her using his multiple bodies in tandem and he finally arrived at an answer.
“Come, Countess!”
He ready his arm, as it vibrates in a frequency that can destroy a man’s skull with his grip.
And so, the man that hides all of his feelings with a helmet decided to pour his all in this fight.
Last edited by Spartacus; March 23rd, 2024 at 10:12 PM.
Assassin: 4 - Activate Yorei no Hanzo, and attempt to slip past the Machine Lords and proceed to fight defensively around Machine Lord Ω.
Kenshin: 4 - Activate Echigo no Ryu, close the distance between her and Machine Lord Ω and fight defensively around it.
Main goal is because the two is in proximity to Machine Lord Ω, the other Machine Lords cannot fight all-out without risk of damaging it. Given the former's primary directive is to focus on destroying every faction and charging up the beamu, the likelihood of it attempting to fight the two is low.
Should the MLs detect her, Kenshin's heightened AGI in tandem with Military Tactics and Knowledge of Harmony should keep them busy and leave an opening large enough for Assassin to bypass them.
The Act of dozing off in the afternoon is a luxury indeed. Coffee would be nice, though.
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