Fate/EXTRA Part #121 - Update CVII

Part 121: Update CVII - A distant back

Update CVII - A distant back

Music: Duel - Friend Turned Foe

And almost as if it was never there, the program sent to kill us vanishes. The bond that we share...even if it's against the rules, I will not allow it to be destroyed.

The enemy programs we've faced have been strong, but their strength is as nothing compared to that of our bond. ...Although I have a sneaking suspicion that this was what the Moon Cell wanted to happen.

That... actually makes a bit of sense.

Shame it never gets mentioned for the other two Servants.

If it was a test of that bond, than we seem to have passed. Archer stood up straight, looking proud of himself and, impossible as it may be, totally dependable.

He's right. Even as we speak, Leo may have already taken possession of the Holy Grail. What we've faced just now was only one of many obstacles. We haven't even gone beyond the first floor yet. But one thing I can say for certain, what I now have with Archer is more precious to me than any treasure.

I feel sorry for Julius, but the dead can never match the living. And so we were able to nab the Trigger. But if you plan on continuing your exploration of the Arena, for god's sake be careful, okay?

Music: School III

Day 3 means Level E Matrix!

Music: Down to Dawn

I guess my nerves are really showing if Archer notices. My obvious lack of composure has him a little concerned. This is a rare opportunity, I really should take the chance to-

While Nero just gave you Level E so long as you kept up on your yellow chats, and Tamamo had a few trap options that lock you out, Archer just has one final gotcha for his Matrix.

Pick option 2. That's it. The other two choices give you nothing.

...talk about my concerns about Leo.

...The war is coming to an end and I can't help but focus on the differences between me and Leo. I'm just an average Joe. And not only am I not a magus, but I didn't even choose to be here. From the Moon Cell's view, my success is probably less interesting than the differences between me and Leo. I assume that the Moon Cell is only interested in special humans like Leo, who have an indomitable will. Ah, but—

Every person is special in their own way. If you think otherwise, you definitely still have a lot to learn. What defines "special" anyway? If a human who could fly did so, it'd be interesting, but hardly surprising. But if someone who never had the ability willed themselves to learn how, now that'd be impressive. For what it's worth, my definition of a special person is one who pushes the limits of what they are capable of.

...I can't argue with that. And I have no qualms about what is required of me. And my partner, who was once just an average person like me, will be there with me until the end. There's no shame in being unremarkable. Now it's up to me to show Leo and the Moon Cell the power of being the underdog.

~

...actually, I have nothing to say.

...No, I shouldn't voice my worries. Instead, I need to bury my feelings in preparation to fight Leo.

I see. It seems you're ready. I guess I didn't need to worry.

~

...ask about Archer's true identity.

Before, he claimed that he wasn't strictly a Heroic Spirit. What exactly did he mean by that? How did an ordinary human become a Heroic Spirit? And who was the "hero of justice" he was mocking?

Wasn't the grand proclamation of "the embodiment of justice" enough for you? I thought it sounded impressive.

That description seemed to refer to "Archer". But what I want to know is what came before. I want to hear what he was like when he was mortal.

*Sigh* Why did I get stuck with such an inquisitive Master?

Oh well, what can you do? I normally hate wallowing in the past, but for some reason I'm feeling nostalgic. ...Just the thought of it makes me chuckle. And now that I think about it, I suppose I wasn't nearly as bad of a person as I thought I was. You must be rubbing off on me. I guess it means...that it's not so bad to be a sentimental fool from time to time.

—Yeah. Now is a good as time as any to stop obsessing over what can't be changed.

With that, Archer straightens himself up. His tone of voice is neither gloomy nor cheerful, but is strangely neutral. It's as if he's simply relaying a story of little significance or import.

Are you familiar with the term "survivor's guilt"? I am the embodiment of all that it means.

Music: Ending

Because they survived, they are special in some way. Or possibly they feel that, since they are still alive, they have to do something exceptional in order to honor those who weren't as fortunate. And if the survivor didn't, it'd be the same as showing disrespect for the memory of the dead.

As the disaster was unfolding, my only thought was to somehow atone for the fact that I alone survived. That's why— That's why I do not consider my life my own. I swore that I would never allow another tragedy like the one I survived to ever happen to others. If I didn't do that, I wouldn't have been able to survive myself. It was then that I gave up my name. I also gave up any claims to my humanity and swore that I'd live for those who had died and not for myself.

Don't look so worried. And don't point out how childish it all sounds, considering how traumatized I was. But anything is possible if you're determined enough. I somehow made a childish promise come true. And during the transition from childhood to adolescence, that man finally realized what he'd become. If someone dared to use their strength in their own self interest, I'd stop them for the good of others. If a criminal were to attempt further crimes, I'd slay them before they had a chance to victimize another. I was a Wizard whose specialty was creating weapons and was considered perfect for fighting "evil." And on a related note, it's really not all that hard to become a hero of justice.

...I seriously doubt that it's that easy at all. In fact, there seems to be something desperately wrong with killing your sense of self for the supposed good of others. I can tell he's only sharing his bitterness and leaving other things out.

You may be right on that score, but at a certain point he no longer cared. He was addicted to the feeling that his devotion to others gave him. In volunteering and in resistance, his self-righteousness allowed him to save the lives of many. While it was for selfish reasons, his desire to help others led to him becoming a legend amongst the people. Under his altruism he was just in truth a mercenary. And he was alone only for a short time. In the midst of all this he had friends, one of which approved of his ideals and took charge of all things.

That is how he was able to immerse himself deeper and deeper into his sense of duty. Archer smiles a bit as he recounts the birth of a selfish, idealistic hero of justice. That smile, self-depreciating as it may be, is definitely a positive response to his memories. I see in it a flash of the young man who fully devoted himself to upholding a set of ideals.

I mean, the guy was a criminal. He may have thought he was on the side of justice, but he was no hero.

...Not this again. I still have yet to find anything objectionable in Archer's story. Didn't he save people? Doesn't that make him a hero?

You're familiar with the ethical dilemma of whether it's okay to let ten people die to save a hundred? Or the one about stealing a loaf of bread to feed your family? Or possibly—and stop me if you've heard this one before—

Amidst the terror, they still frantically attempt to reach the airport. Even though they're all miserable, they band together hoping to make an emergency landing at an airport. They act selflessly in order to save their fellow passengers even though their own lives are forfeit. But, when they reach the ground, the virus will have access to the 300,000 lives in the city. The groups are equally blameless, only different in size. Actually, the passengers on the plane are the biggest victims. Even in such hellish circumstances, they hold on to their humanity.

But, he took their dying wish of landing the plane and he crashed it down to the bottom of the sea. His ideals said— "The good of the many outweighs the good of the few."

It's an issue of life and death, not deontology. What Archer was talking about is like the Plank of Carneades. It's a thought experiment where one person survives by acting in a way that causes the other to die. If one person didn't take action, both would die. It's a situation with no good options...

It's always wrong to kill someone, no matter what ideals are at stake. To kill for personal gain is evil. So what if fewer people die one way or the other? No one's life was really -saved-.

...He said that someone who truly upholds justice is selfless. He told me that his spirit died in the disaster that he survived as a child. Both of those things are nonsense. I think that he killed himself by cold-heartedly choosing his ideals over his humanity. Even though his decision to save more lives was correct, it was wrong of him to disregard the inhumanity of his act. —However. Every life that he threw away was also a life he wanted to save.

To save some lives but not others contradicted his core beliefs, founded on the pleas he heard. ...He was not allowed to mourn. Sins that are committed can be atoned for. Lives that are forsaken can be apologized to. But forgiveness can never be given to one who does not sway from a blood-stained path. That's why, no matter who criticized his actions... He could not betray those he had cast away.

What difference is there between vigilante and criminal, after all?

Actually, I imagine he was far more feared than any criminal, since he acted outside the law. He must have struck fear into anyone with a guilty conscious, even those "above the law" and officials. No negotiation, persuasion, or even calling upon his humanity would affect him. People probably couldn't comprehend why he did what he did. Explaining wouldn't have helped either. After all, not a single person in the world is capable of acting without self interest, right?

"Could he be pulling the wool over our eyes with good deeds?" Doubts became rumors, and rumors became truth. Resulting in the hero of justice being turned over to the justice system by his closest friend. That was how the mysterious man who was feared by even evil people was ultimately defeated. Because he was a hero of justice, he accepted the people's justice without defiance.

"I thought this man helped me because he cared for me, but..." "If I had become a detriment to the public, he wouldn't hesitate to strike me down." It's not that his friend betrayed him... His ideals betrayed him. His friend realized that he was bonded not to a man, but a demon enforcing indiscriminate justice. He wasn't human at all, just a more infallible incarnation of the system. ...And so, his friend concluded that one day the man would meet the same fate as those he'd killed. Therefore— This out of control vigilante had to be tricked into a trap.

There was only one thing I thought was unfortunate. When the time came for me to die, I believed I would be done in by righteous hatred, but-

It wasn't a death brought on by hatred. It was because he wouldn't become someone else's gain. "The people have a duty to end necessary evils—" Redemption would not be his. It's karma. He was severed from society, just like the people whose lives he severed.

The young man was fated to fall to the righteousness he espoused. ...It's a perfectly drawn up story. Maybe that's why this hero of justice doesn't have a name. A hero without a name. His death showed the public the very sort of embodiment of justice they yearned for.

Music: Down to Dawn

Just take away from this the lesson that devoting yourself to an ideal won't save anyone. The me back then and the me now are different. Don't get overwhelmed by thinking of us as the same person.

Overwhelming? That my Servant is a hero of justice? —No way. A superhero who's stuck on upholding good and punishing evil would get old pretty fast. I wonder if Archer thinks he's a particularly strong Servant.

—Yeah. I'm not a very easygoing guy; how did you know?

That's right. What's overwhelming about me isn't my "heroic" past. You probably already know this, but I think that my true gift is pointing out my partner's faults.

—He smiles. Archer has smiled at me before, but I get the sense that this is something special. It was as if he had made peace with his past life. That was enough. Maybe we met so that he could give this smile.

He talks with a dry, sardonic smile. ...Oh no. I went and ruined it. Now I can't ask if he's found redemption. Poor Archer must barely be able to contain his discontent at having an inexperienced Master like me—

I think this fight has been a good thing for me overall. It's been meaningful. Redemptive. There have been times when your inexperience was frustrating, but you've been a good Master.

...Wait, what? He's still making fun of me?

As if. I'm not talking about "good" in terms of strongest or best magi. That doesn't matter to me. Abilities can be learned and talent can be compensated for.

But your spirit— That's something unchangeable. Even if you'd been the weakest, for me to have had a just Master with such a humane heart is—

Archer cuts himself off there. Maybe he couldn't find the words, or maybe he didn't think they needed saying. ...But, I know what he means. The reason why as a Servant he made his contract with a nameless magus. I know what appealed to him about an average person guided by forces beyond their control. The righteous path he strove to walk when he was alive helped me walk a better path.

Okay, let's redouble our efforts. We won't be able to compete if we don't focus on the battle.

He gets up from his seat. There's no more reason to talk anyway. I think we've shared enough. I feel renewed as the nameless magi and Servant face their final fight.

Hero of Wrought Iron posted:

This is the title given to the one who in a previous life was involved in the development and manufacture of many different types of weaponry. It hints at the fact that in his previous life, this Archer was more of a craftsman than a warrior.

Ally of Justice posted:

In his mortal life, Archer was a magus who barely deserved the title, although he was a Master in a previous Holy Grail War. While not even remotely in the same league as Rin Tohsaka, he did possess Magic Circuits capable of a single function.

While many people prate about justice and equality, he actually went out of his way to be an "Ally of Justice", often at the expense of his own freedom. When faced with a potential disaster that was beyond his power to prevent, he willingly sold his soul to the Moon Cell in return for a miracle. Now, instead of playing the part of the hero, he willingly plays that of a Servant instead. As for the human he once was, no traces of that person exist. Instead, he is now the personification of what most people would imagine one who holds the title of "Ally of Justice" to be.

Talk to Rin.

Talk to Leo.

And Arena.

Music: Fourth Chimeric Lunar Sea - Second Floor

This is the last area. Master, let's stay focused and head out.

Music: Fear

Yes, my lord!

That white knight is a force to be reckoned with.

Nice to meet you, Archer. I look forward to fighting you from the bottom of my heart.

...Your sarcasm isn't cute. And your attitude towards royalty is intolerable. Pull back and cower like an archer should, nameless Servant.

It is all right, Gawain. Their challenge has enticed me. Please accept.

...As you wish.

At Leo's signal, Gawain readies his sword. He somehow looks more hulking when he does so.

My holy sword, my body— They are but vessels for the will of my sovereign.

—A holy sword. Gawain, one of the best-known Knights of the Round Table, holds the sister sword to Excalibur. Its name is...

So the legends about the ”knight of the sun” are true...?

Music: School III

There's got to be some sort of trick to his invulnerability. We'll find it out, and level the playing field. There are four days left in the preparation period. Figure it out, like you always do.

Music: School II

But, you always overcome them. There's no reason you can't this time, too. Now's the time to make use of that inner tenacity. Leo's perfect, but he's alone. Don't you have another flawed human being to help you?

...That's right. Not a single fight has been easy. I just need to do the same thing one more time. Just once more. I shouldn't worry, because I have Rin as my ally.