Part 46: Update XLII - Hurry go round

Update XLII - Hurry go round



Music: School I


Leo gives his advice.





Hakuno thinks back.



A quick chat with Taiga.

Music: School III


And we go talk to Rin.

She's made herself at home, with several more big books stacked near her side. She could care less about Sakura Matou's obvious discomfort at the way she's claimed the area.



Is she hinting that I'm the sick one, not her? If she's made a full recovery, I'm astonished. Although, come to think of it, worrying about Rin Tohsaka was dumb in the first place.



I'm sorta impressed that they actually added books to the bed.

You've been driving yourself crazy trying to figure out why you don't have any memories, right? Don't be an idiot. If there's a question you can't answer, don't beat yourself up over it.

Ergh... Bull's-eye. Yes, I want to know who I am, but ultimately it's so that I can find a purpose that satisfies Rin.



Rin huffs loudly in disappointment as she thumbs through her book.





Rin Tohsaka flashes a look my way so harsh I can hear the words, "So, what do YOU want?" I hadn't been intending to share yesterday's events with her, but under that gaze I break down. If I know who I am, then I can tell Rin what I'm fighting for. Rani said that I'm not human...



Mumbling, she narrows her eyes. Unexpectedly, she doesn't seem to be annoyed with me. Maybe she knew this would come up.



You've advanced three rounds, all without access to your memories or full Wizard abilities. That really shouldn't be possible. You're a real mystery, and I count myself intrigued.

I must have been shocked by what Rin Tohsaka said, as the first words out of my mouth were, "I am human." Not even a schmaltzy soap opera would have a line like that. But, it sounded right.



Rin hesitates, her eyes clouding over. Then she looks straight at me and levies a cruel truth.



Music: Stops


Music: Duel of Fate


It's the same for all of the others. ...But maybe you were just ones and zeroes from the start. That's why when you encounter firewalls, you pass through without damaging your brain. If your brain's not connected, then it can't take damage. Get it? Right now, you're just data.

—No. Wait. Just hang on a second.



You had issues passing through prelims, right? That was probably when the disconnect happened. It means the link to your body was severed back then, and you've progressed without repairing it.



In fact, I'm impressed you didn't go into a panic. Most hackers would be crippled psychologically by an identity crisis of this magnitude.

Yeah... I'd say I have a severe case of existential angst.



A-All right. Thank you, I think. ...But, now I see. It's not that I don't have memories, it's just that I can't retrieve them. If that's the case, I just need to repair the broken link...



Unless you happen to know another class A hacker who has the time, interest, and owes you a debt.

...That's right. Even knowing the cause of my amnesia, I don't know how to go about fixing it. ...How discouraging. I've finally got a lead, but all I can do is hang my head in defeat—

Hakuno lacks experience in dealing with tsunderes.



I'm taken aback. She'd lend a hand? Rin? The girl who seems to hate me for my selfish naivete?



It's been three weeks. If the link isn't repaired soon, your body on Earth will wither and die. And, well... I'd hate for you to turn into a ghost and haunt me for not doing anything for you. While I'm analyzing the SE.RA.PH, I can search for your body. It may take some time, so be patient.

Rin's going to help me re-link with my body? That's the best news I've heard all tournament! I impulsively grasp Rin's hand and thank her fervently.



Rin grumbles for some reason. What a relief, though. Once I have my body back, this amnesia will end and I'll know who I am. I'll learn why I entered this war, what my history is, what kind of life I lead. Once I know those things, I will be able to fight with pride.



Do your best. I mean, it wouldn't sit right if you died before you gave me your answer.



Thanks for saving me. It wasn't sitting right that I hadn't thanked you, either.

I doubt I've earned forgiveness. It seems more like she was cutting me slack temporarily. Still, I'm glad she's being nice. She probably would like it if I came back tomorrow. I'll work hard so I can answer her soon.



Then, by the Arena...



Ronnie arrives on schedule.

Music: Breach


...i was WAtchiNg yoU, wHICh MADe me HuNgRy. OH So VErY hUnGrY... cOndiMenTs, ConDiMenTs... BRiGHt reD kEtchUp anD suNsHine-y YeLLoW mUsTard, yuMMY.

She has the conversational prowess of a broken child's toy. Why did she enter this tournament?



bUT aLL tHe yuMMy tHiNgS aRe ALwaYs HIDing... LiL' ROnNie dOeSn't eAt ANYTHING thAt's NoT yUmMY. bUt!! LiL' RoNNie is sUPeR dUper hAPPy with HaPpY sPrinKles! 'cuZ aFTer THRee yEars LiL' RONNiE mIGht FiNaLLy gEt to EAt sOmetHing YuMMy.

There isn't any sense in telling her she's incomprehensible. I know she'll just keep talking anyway.



Do you not weep, Master of Caster? How cruel of this world to capture and strangle one's appetites... By all that is holy, what a pure, untainted love this girl has. Who dare mock it? In the face of such devoutness, I cannot bear the Divine Aegis that has been bestowed upon me... Hahaha, salivate in anticipation, my wife! For soon, there will be meat in your unsatisfied cavity.

Lancer, phrasing!

Music: None




He did say "Divine Aegis." There's no proof yet, but as Caster says, that Servant's identity may be linked to some religion.





Level 1 gives one skill, same as Gatou's.






I then pop into the Arena.



Then pop out after grabbing Taiga's item.









Hakuno has another dream.

Music: School III


Then we go tell Rin about it.



Right. I wouldn't say that I was remembering anything. I was just observing the dream reality. None of it was my memories.



You might be a horrible person, you know. The person who caused the tragedy.

Rin mocks me, smiling like it has nothing to do with her.



Or at least it would make sense if it was, but it might not be. Argh, what am I trying to say?

I can keep mulling over the dream as long as I like, and I still won't find my answers— Nothing about who I am, or why I entered the Holy Grail War. Rani, Rin, Dan, Leo, and I fear even Lil' Ronnie, came here with a firm goal. Unlike them, I'm just...



Rin presses her index finger to my forehead, shocking me out of my downward spiral. And grinds it in HARD. People's hands are curious. A simple touch can communicate so much. Rin Tohsaka's peculiar kindness is telegraphed quite clearly—



You're still alive and in the fight. That's the most important thing right now.

If you still get troubled, well... I'll be your sounding board. I don't believe in letting a debt incur interest, if you know what I mean.

She pokes me in the forehead.



No. I don't care about the benefits, the risk is too great.

It's all right. I do realize that I don't have a Servant. When I say I'll investigate, I mean only on a level they can't know about. You don't have a problem with that, right? Not that I'd listen to you if you told me no...

How manipulative...



So, be cooperative and tell me everything you know so far.

She's just unstoppable like this. Giving up, I tell her about the enemy Servant. I saw him in the Arena, and also I know the information his Master has leaked about him. He's a middle-aged man in blood stained armor, wielding a pole and protected by a divine faith.



I don't want Rin to put herself in further danger, but I'm very grateful for her gesture. I want to speak with Rin longer, but she shoos me off. I'll come back tomorrow, like she asked.

Music: School I


Kotomine gives his challenge.



Deal with Taiga.

Music: Fourth Chimeric Lunar Sea - Second Floor


And off to the Arena.



At least this explains why the second floor is so generic: they would have to do two entirely different floors to match each opponent, so the devs dropped the gimmick to save resources.





mORe! MoRE!

Now, I could fight them early...



But it would be the exact same as Day 1's fight, and the plot would force me to fight them tomorrow anyways.



_{Ronnie dances whenever she gets a point.}





So I just speed through.





Then leave after cleaning up the map.







Deal with Caster's survey.

Music: School III


Then have our daily chat with Rin.



I must have been lost in thought for a while, because Rin's fixing me with a weird look. That reminds me, Rin said she'd research Lil' Ronnie. I hope Rin didn't injure herself doing it.



Practically every hero on record claimed divine protection.

I guess that's true. And sadly, I'm not having any luck with my own investigation. When I turn to shrug at Rin, I hear something behind me.

Music: Stops


iS tHiS a DiNiNG AReA? I wouLD liKe TO eAt nOw.

Okay seriously, where is Sakura?



Music: Breach








I'll go to the Arena like Caster said. If I don't leave, Rin will be in danger!





Deal with Taiga's request.



Then back to the Arena.

Music: Fear


I Don'T wANt aNYThinG thAT iSN'T tasTY.



In a first, I've finally outleveled an enemy to the point where they stop chasing me on sight.



I let the contest end normally to see what happens.



The enemy master might be close by. Let's go annoy HER for once!



I thought the game would just force a fight on the spot, but it turns out I was wrong! I have to chase her down myself.



And unlike Shinji waaaaaaaaaaaay back in Week 1, she isn't making a beeline for us, she'll just bounce from one enemy to another as long as we keep our distance.





My MOuTh iS... waTErInG...yUm.

Those beady eyes betray no emotion. No HUMAN emotion, that is. She's full of animal instinct, though... Chills race up and down my spine as I face that monster.



Humans are the monstrous ones. A human who has never betrayed another of their wretched kind isn't human. I cannot let this rancid accusation against my wife stand.

The word "monster" shrunk the mania in the Servant's eyes down to a cold point of anger.



Ronnie don't care, Ronnie just want food.

a mOnSTER tHaT eATs Up EverYTHiNG iT lOveS!





Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand Vlad Tepes III.

In truth! In truth! In truth! The world is distorted at the core! Humans have no capacity for Logos!



...Sad. You had the guts to question your humanity, and you go for the cop-out and call yourself "monster"? I pity you, because at least my Master is struggling to understand what it is to be human!





Music: Duel - Unauthorized Battle




dELiCIous, dElIciOUs!



You know how these go.





Ronnie certainly has the most Code Cast animation, at least.



Even though the poison is pitifully weak.



Vlad's Guard buff, meanwhile, is terrifying.







With a ferocious roar, Lil' Ronnie's Servant blips out of the Arena. I'm curious, how did he end up a monster?



If I'd done one or two things wrong, I would have been called a monster, too... Well, once I— I'm just kidding! Heroes like us hunt monsters! So let's show them what we're made of!

He was too pure— If he really did end up a monster because no one understood him, that's really sad... At any rate, now that they are monsters, we can't show them mercy. Somehow, we won. Now we can explore the Arena more.

Music: Fourth Chimeric Lunar Sea - Second Floor


Level 2 holds his Class, two Key Words, and another Skill.





Just like Robin Hood in Week 2, we can't get his True Name early even with a smoking gun like Dracula.






I leave after some more grinding.







Music: School IV


Since Vlad has the same Vampire...? Key Word, the Aozaki Sisters can have the same conversation from last week.



And one more chat with Rin.



Rin scrunches her brow and lets out a big sigh when she hears the name.



If that's the kind of monster your opponent is, go defeat it with your head held high.



A human, huh? I am a human. I can say that with pride, now. Even without a body, I am human. And more importantly...



More importantly, by talking to Rin, I have realized something about my situation. Alone, I might be nothing. But I have Rin and Caster. That's why I can't lose to an insensate monster.



Rin smiles. I know why I'm more confident now. It's because I know I'm not alone. That's why I cannot lose.



...? What's good enough?

I told you I'd forgive you if you became a Master worthy of my approval, right? You just proved to me that you are worthy of my trust. I'm glad you saved me.



Yeah, of course. Even though my enemy's a monster, the one who will return to the school building is me. And so, I'll make the most of my last day of the prep period, so that I can win and be with Rin.

Music: School I




Finish up with Taiga.





And get the last bit of Matrix info.






Seriously, Vlad is directly named in this, why do I have to wait until tomorrow!?



In.



Out.

It'll hurt lots if their attacks hit so I'll just make sure they don't. Let's squash this disgusting Master under our heels!



Next time: The Week 4 Elimination Battle. (Again)