Part 51: Update XLVI - Peeping incident: Caught red-handed

Update XLVI - Peeping incident: Caught red-handed

Music: Fear


No, not at all. I'd say they were just good enough to evade the full force of my strike.



Urk— My Servant isn't in condition to fight properly...but we have no choice but to defend ourselves—



Fight.





Music: Duel - Unauthorized Battle






This fight is even more hopeless than all the other hopeless fights I've thrown Hakuno at. Why?



Because Assassin's invisibility means he takes zero damage from all sources.

And before you say, 'oh, just spam Curses on unknown turns like all the other fights,' consider the following:



His invisibility makes all his attacks inflict Stun.



At which point he breaks you in half. That's as much damage as Arc did with her NP, and he's matching it with a normal attack!



And so Caster falls, her death quotes also silenced in her injured state.

Music: None


And our reward for bravely charging to our death is a mismatched pronoun. This is doubly baffling because two of the three Servants you can pick are women!

I freeze, and without time to even regret my decision- The impact of an invisible blow severs my consciousness from my body in an instant—

Too bad, I was looking forward to a rematch, but fighting them in that condition is whipping a beat dog.

I don't know if the voice belonged to Julius or his Servant. I guess I'll never know—



~

Look for an escape.

Music: Fear


I'm facing the harshest of all the Masters I've encountered so far. He and his Servant are like a pair of hawks who would only revel in swooping down on their fleeing prey. I have to prepare for the worst—

Sound: Phone ringing




Accompanying Rani's voice is a blinding light that comes shooting out of my terminal.

Kinda funny how the difference between living and dying here comes from stalling for five seconds.

Music: Stops


My vision goes white. All my senses are snuffed out. The bright light forces me to clench my eyes shut, as I give my body over to a strong gravitational pull. The spiritrons that make up my body are compressed into a single point, and removed from the Arena. My consciousness condenses, like two dimensions becoming one, and then traveling to a far beyond— In that strange timespace—

You know, now that I think about it.



I hear Rani's voice.

What kind of amnesia wipes out all knowledge of your life, but leaves in basic trivia?



Her voice wavers, as if she's so shocked she can hardly speak.

How could you lose the ability to recall your parent's names, but still know the ingredients to a meal you've never made? Unless...



She softly mutters a searing truth.

...there was never any amnesia to begin with, and that was all you knew from the start.



Music: School III


Whatever happened with Rani's rescue, it left the room empty tonight.





Music: School I


Still dazed, I move my head some. It appears my motor skills are intact and my body's okay. I'm sore all over, but I'm alive. I sit up and open my eyes.

Music: School III


You have been asleep ever since the imposed withdrawal.

Checking my portable terminal, I see that a day has passed. Rani ejected me from the Arena when Julius attacked. I've been in shock ever since, I guess.



A silver lining in a dark cloud, I suppose. That's right. About the bypass circuit... Is it in progress?

The bypass circuit is providing a satisfactory influx, so I should be able to supply magic.

What a relief. It's pure luck that Rani found a way to heal Caster just in time.

Which really shows off how screwed Hakuno would be if she was a normal Wizard. The only reason Rani is here to save Caster is because Hakuno saved her in Week 3. The only reason Hakuno was able to save her was because she didn't have a body to damage. If Hakuno tried to save Rani anyways, she'd die to the firewall. If Hakuno didn't save her, she'd have no way to keep Caster alive after Assassin's ambush.

Music: Stops


...? I wonder why? Still, I do as I am told.







Hakuno Kishinami: still not the brightest.

It's...all right to open your eyes now.



I should now be able to supply magic to your Servant directly from my own person.

That soft sensation still lingers on my lips. When I look at Rani, she blushes and looks away.



All that's left is to perform the ceremony in which I will supply magic to your Servant. I shall have that done soon, so please come back this evening.

I can't keep leaving everything up to Rani. If there's anything at all I can do to help...



Namely, I am going to perform the ceremony in the nurse's office, so please do not peek.

Don't peek? I suppose she doesn't want any distractions. I should do as she says and wait until the evening.



Music: School I


I guess I'll go to the library and wait around for her to contact me. Or- Maybe I should just head straight for the nurse's office...?





...The best way to heal a Servant? Y-You idiot, I can't speak of such things in public!

Yeaaaaaaaah, Extra hasn't entirely ditched its Stay Night roots.



What could she have been up to? Actually, scratch that. I think I know. Interesting...



That reminds me... I saw Kuzuki headed for the Multimedia Room with something key-like in hand. I think it was something like a lapel badge. We could enter the Multimedia Room with that.



Despite that, nothing actually happens at the Multimedia Room.



Heading to the Library skips ahead, so going to the Nurse's Office is optional.



I wonder what she's up to. I could get fired for this. How am I supposed to do my job out here?





I'd better see what's going on.

Music: Down to Dawn


As I put my hand of the door, I feel a slight shock, as if I was plugged into a socket. I crack the door open and peer inside...



You're still...um...ah...like this, even in your current condition? Oh dear...

...I can't really see anything. What is going on in there...?



If I open the door a bit more...



All of a sudden— What could that possibly—



Music: Stops
Noise: Electronic screeching




I must've set off an incredibly powerful trap, but for an instant, I saw a naked, slender leg-



Her anger washed over me like a wave. All I could think about was her leg...and other— No. Better not to dwell on that. The next time I try to peak will probably end up being fatal. I guess I'll go kill time in the Library instead. *SIGH*

Music: School I


Hakuno isn't foolish enough to try again, naturally.



So off to the Library we go.

Music: Duel of Fate




Oh shit, Julius's brother.

The source of that voice could only be Leo. I wonder what he wants from me...



Fucking rude.

His brother—? Is he talking about Julius?



Of course, that has nothing to do with his participation in the Holy Grail War. His only reason for being here is to protect the next head of the Harway family.

I wonder what he means exactly by "bid you farewell"...

There's no way you'll win. With that in mind, I wanted to say my farewells before your inevitable demise.



Second best line in the game.

Our skill levels may be different, but I have no intention of just rolling over and dying.

Same things can't be overcome through strength of will. My brother is simply too skilled for you to defeat.

That may be true, but even you can't predict how our battle will end. There are no absolutes...especially in this world.

...Yes, I suppose you are right. There are no guarantees, even for him. I have no arguments to offer.

Leo gives a little nod, as if in appreciation of the limits us mortals face. But I don't think that nod was for me. It was for his brother Julius.



However, that is a discussion for another time. In this case, I believe my brother will be victorious— But should he be defeated then, it'd obviously be a result of bad luck. Or perhaps he had no luck at all.

He honestly doesn't care whether or not we kill his own brother.

How can he be so pragmatic about the possible death of his own brother? Why wouldn't Leo wish for Julius to claim victory...?

No. I would never go so low as to wish for victory of any kind. That is not the way of kings. As heartless as this may sound, my brother's victory or defeat would be of no consequence to me. His efforts will all be self-serving. If that effort doesn't benefit his lord, then it has no meaning. More to the point, his victory here will mean nothing. For I will be the sole survivor of this war. Eventually, he will die by my hand. Why then would I wish for his success in the preceding rounds? Although, if there is any consolation to be found, it'd be in the fact that he will have died for a purpose. My brother will be the foundation on which I will build my rule, from which the masses will benefit greatly.

Although he has a point.

...Julius kinda gets a raw deal here, doesn't he? His entire reason to be here is to die by Leo's hand and hand him the Grail. If he tries to rebel and kill Leo, then the Harways will instantly retaliate for his betrayal. Either way, his fate was sealed the moment he came to the moon.

So this is how Leo sees everything... So these are the true thoughts of one who has been ordained to rule the world—



I've been meaning to have a serious conversation with you for quite some time now. As long as you believe that you'll survive until the end, farewells made now would be premature. We will probably meet again, should the chance present itself.



And just as they had when he appeared, the sound of his footsteps managed to convey his regal bearing. I didn't need Leo to point out how much more skilled Julius is at combat than me. However— I have no intention of giving up. After all, I'm not in this alone.

Sound: Phone ringing



I'll be right there!

Music: School I


Your opponent...is a lot shorter than I expected. I was surprised.



Yeah, the moon as in outer space. Home to a processor that far surpasses any on Earth. Don't you find that the teeniest bit romantic?



Right after I talk to these two!



Rani shows up as soon as you enter the floor.

Music: Down to Dawn


Just like the terminal said, when I reach the first floor, Rani is waiting for me. My Servant is behind her.



It's a big relief to see Caster's smile. Since she's extra bouncy, things must have gone well. Rani, on the other hand, looks a tad exhausted. Was the healing that difficult?!



A-Anyway. There is no longer any problem with Caster's magic.

Oh good. What a relief. The nurse's office smells sweet. Maybe I should ask what they did in there, for future reference.

If you want to know what happened, Caster can inform you in detail... but...



Oh, but I better cut the main body from the power source so higher-ups don't yell at me. *Giggle*

Read: she'll have to censor the hell out of it or else she'll completely demolish the T Regulations.

Main body?! Power source?! I don't know what she means! What did they do in there?





How could I not? I'm a Master, I care what happens to my Servant.

Hakuno is honestly the only person who could use that reason and be 100% sincere about it.

It is good you feel that way, but it is lucky you weren't caught in the trap. If you had entered... ...you could have suffered severe brain damage. The trap was meant for the enemy, not you.

Uh, Rani? We've already confirmed that Hakuno is immune to brain damage. You picked the one trap that's incapable of inflicting long term harm on her.

...It's kind of scary how powerful Rani is. I'm glad I didn't...um, interrupt her. Well, I ought to thank Rani. She looks worn out.



I am a bit tired, though. I shall return to bed for the remainder of the day.



I thank Rani and say farewell. As soon as she leaves, the gravity of our situation returns to me. Julius's Servant is strong. I have to be able to retaliate or I will become digital debris.



It's true that the Caster class's defenses are penetrated easily, so we just to need to plan for it. Other Casters have planted daggers in their purses, you know. Don't fear, Master! I'm going to kick the butt of that Servant with my magic!

Music: Fear


Please, no... Not the cold rush of death again... By the time my senses revive, Julius has come to confront me.



You were mean to me, so now I'm going to spill your secret! You reverse the yin-yang spiral through a breathing technique. The "seven spouting holes of blood"? It is a technique that harnesses universal energy. I've heard of a kenpo artist like you...



From one encounter, we've gotten half of Assassin's info.



How marvelous, my opponent! With my fist I will crush you into powder, and grind you into the earth. *Sigh* This joy is a cheap liquor that I drink and drink but never am sated by. Right, Julius?

If by "joy" you mean "bloodlust," I have no interest. Be brief about your business.

How about you, my enemy? You must take some joy in bloodshed.



W-Well, I might have fun, but that doesn't mean I crave it! Not like with sweets... Plus, my Master is a kindhearted person. Nothing like you! What were you thinking, becoming an assassin after reaching a status like yours? Jeez, I don't get it at all!



The dark side is seductive, as any martial arts instructor knows. Like a snake eating its tail, death leads to blood leads to death leads to blood.



Watch out, Master! This stupid guy is going to start trouble here!

It's unavoidable. If we don't go on the offensive, we'll die here. We'll give it all we've got...

Music: Stops


Everyone freezes at Kotomine's single word. Coming from him, that single word holds special weight.



Holy shit Kotomine is actually being helpful for a change.

If you are so eager to kill each other, do it where I won't see. Otherwise, I have to stop you. If you choose to continue, I will be forced to slap you both with a penalty. What shall it be?

...

...



My interest has waned. Let's go. I don't wish to be saddled with a penalty for ending this weakling.

...Hmph. Fair enough. I, too, wish to avoid a dull fight.



Julius leaves. His unseen Servant follows, apparently.





With that said, Kotomine leaves. Well, if nothing else... I'm glad my Servant is back to normal. Like Kotomine said, we can go back to exploring the Arena. There's no time to stand around. I head off to the Arena.



Level 2 just holds a single Key Word.




Bajiquan is a Chinese martial art, so that narrows the list down to just a handful of people.

Next time: A climatic reveal!