Part 21: Update XIX - Featuring: Complete disregard of the timeline

Update XIX - Featuring: Complete disregard of the timeline



Music: The Daily Grind







Construction is now available for Skill Development Lv. 1.

Oh hell yes.



And clearing out Cladeon left me with more than enough Dz to pick one right off the bat!











Don't mind if I do!



Researcher Mitch: Here, this is another shot for you! I'll just slip it in~! You can handle it...


You obtained 1,000 SP!

You obtained SP Up 300 x1.



The Tier 2 skills are a sizable step up in power, but they're rather pricey. Even with that shot, I can barely afford anything.



Everyone else has had their class writeup, but Rune Knights get an attack with LF leech, an attack with MN leech, the ability to add an element to the party's attacks, 2020's Rage Bomber, and an attack that scales based on how many party members are dead.



With that taken care of, we can go check in with everyone.

Music: UE77 In Ariake


*giggle*

As I'm sure you can guess... This girl will be helping us out with Operation Code: VFD from now on! Introduce yourself★

U-Um, my name is Mio Nagumo. I've been hired as a new navigator here... I look forward to working with all of you!

Woah, is that it? Tell us more★ How old are you? What's your favorite food?

Um, I'm 14 years old... and my favorite food is, um... dried fruit, I guess...

Dried fruit, hm? I prefer them fresh and juicy, myself★ Oh well! Let's give her a warm welcome! Hooray!

*giggle* It's strange having to reintroduce myself like this... I'll make sure I don't hold everyone back!

This girl is quite amazing. I had her take another aptitude test before I hired her... And it turns out her memorization, analysis, and observation skills are all perfect!

Th-That can't be true! It must be some kind of mistake... *cough* *cough*



Okay Allie, I think you're pushing her a bit too much here.

Although... her physical ability scored in the lowest possible bracket★

*cough* Unh...

Anyways, she'll be joining you on your missions from now on★ Take good care of her, Nagamimi!



...Does Nagamimi always hide behind the desk like that?





Eeheehee... You don't get it, do you? Listen, brat! You're the lowest of the low! You're gonna be my personal subordinate from now on!

Subordinate...? Y-Yes, Sir!

You don't have any real experience, so I'll spell this all out for you. A subordinate must follow any order their superior gives them, no matter what!

Y-Yes, Sir!







Looks like you're catching on. Now then, next will be...



Grr... Things were just about to get interesting, too...



Yuma's looking well after the D-Install.





Ooooooooh shit, what gave it away?

Was it the Lucier on the Portal floor, or the Lucier chilling in the lounge? Did a Lucier stroll into your office, maybe?

Ah, the cat's out of the bag...

I knew it... Listen, that's not why I made the spatio-temporal transfer device. Getting the True Dragon specimens is our top priority. Don't go getting all sentimental on me.



But I can't just leave them.

I understand your feelings... but

~

But Nagamimi said it was OK.

Y—You bastard! Don't throw me under the bus!

You shitty little rabbit... I'll teach you not to mess with me later...! Listen, Unit 13...

~~

Atlantis is destined to fall. We can't change that. Trying to save people like that is just going to make things seem futile in the end. It will be tough at first, but you'll get used to it. I hope you can understand. Anyways, just forget about trying to save Atlantis. We can't change fate. I prohibit you from rescuing any further citizens! Please promise me, Unit 13.

Opal...



In that case, I'm leaving.

Unit 13 getting told off for saving people and threatening to quit (which means leaving mankind to die) is honestly one of my favorite bits in the game. Because, honestly, what can Julietta even do to rein us in at this point?

Fire us? Nodens is short on dragon hunters as it is, he doesn't exactly have a backup team on hand to take over. Force us? Opal (and by extension the rest of the Tokyo classes) quits, and the Atlantis cast will probably follow suit if Julietta tells them that he won't lift a finger for their people while he gets to sit in a perfectly safe time period. Have the ISDF take over? He's already stated how much he hates them at this point, plus now Yuma's starting to malfunction in combat so even that might not work.

Julietta doesn't have a single card to play, so Opal can effectively hold the entirety of mankind hostage just to keep saving people in need and there's not a damn thing he can do about it.

Wh-What!? H-Hold on just a minute!

~

Killing dragons changes fate...

You've gotta be kidding me...

~~

*nods*

... The Atlantis that you've seen is very close to its inevitable plunge into the sea. Even if you defeat Nyala now... that kingdom will sink into nothingness.



...I'm sorry?



Fucking what?

Why is 12,000 years perfectly fine, but 12,001 years turns things into multiverse theory?

Like, if you're adding something as devastatingly powerful as time travel into a story, you have to make sure the rules behind it are ironclad, otherwise the audience will react to any given threat with 'well why don't they use more time travel?' There's never any reason given to why this restriction is here, so rather than feeling like a natural consequence of the system it blatantly comes across as the writers just haphazardly slapping stop signs on the thing.

Eigur and the others will still die in this world. I know how you feel, but their fate is sealed.



Please do★ We've joined forces now. You're no longer an outsider, Yuma.

In that case... I agree with Unit 13. I believe we should do what we can to save the citizens of Atlantis.

Yuma...

Even you... Do you know what you're saying!?

Yes, I understand fully. This is not the result of me sympathizing with their people. It is simply that this could prove beneficial to our plan.

Hmph... Explain yourself.

It is not a stretch to say that the success of this plan depends on our having the Dragonslayer. The key to obtaining it is Queen Ulania. If we promise to save her citizens...

Then she'll agree to help us forge the Dragonslayer. That's what you're saying, right?

*nods*

Exactly. It is a simple threat. There would be no reason for her to reject us.

A threat... That kind of rational military approach makes me sick.

It is up to you how you wish to interpret it. But... I would like to hear your thoughts on the idea, Director.

Th-That's... Well...

Why are you so conflicted, Julietta? It's a great plan★



*chuckle* This way we can make everyone happy, you know?

B-But in that case, we'd have to save every single citizen of Atlantis! Just one or two would be way too flimsy as negotiation material.

Look on the bright side, Julietta, there aren't that many survivors left.



I agree.

Um... How about we bring everyone here...?

~

I intend to save everyone.

This one just skips Mio's line.

~~

By everyone... do you mean every last person!? You're freaking insane...

*chuckle* I see. Bringing them here wouldn't exactly represent a change in history. Atlantis will still crumble, and the Lucier will still vanish after its destruction.

Maybe, but that race is based on a completely different societal system. And they look... different. Do you think they'd really be able to survive in modern day Japan?

Bro, we already have Lucier around, Sharon adopted them all and everything!



They'll manage.

You...

Unit 13 seems to understand the capabilities of the Lucier people, and I must agree. They'll be OK.

~

We can protect them here.

Well, I'm sure the Nodens staff wouldn't have any problem helping them out, but...

~~

Hm... Now that I think about it, Nodens does have a lot of empty floors.

Yeah, but we can't use them as is. We'll need to construct some new facilities if we're gonna do this.

H-Hold on! Do you guys really want to take an entire kingdom into our building!? Don't be dumb! We're not some philanthropic enterprise! We don't have the budget for that!

So... that means the construction would be possible if we had more materials?

*shakes head*

Arghhh! I can't take this anymore! Allie, you're the president! You handle this ridiculousness!

*chuckle* It'll be nice to have some more friends★ As long as Unit 13 can get the Dz we need for the construction, I'm all for it★

Welp, the boss has spoken. Unit 13 now has carte blanche to mess with the timeline.

*sigh* You're so easy to convince... Fine, fine! I lose! Do whatever the heck you want!

*nods*

However, our objective remains the 3rd True Dragon Nyala specimen. Be sure not to forget that.

Sounds like that's that. Now then, let us enact the plan.

OK OK★ Ah, wait just a second! This is our new navigator, Mio★ I hadn't introduced her to you ISDF guys yet right?



Hmm, I wonder why Yoritomo sounds so surprised about this.

I'm, um... Mio Nagumo. I look forward to working together, Mr. Yoritomo.

...

U-umm...



Oh wait, he's almost certainly Mio's long lost father.

I-I'm sorry...

Unit 13, meet us in front of the Star Crystal in Cladeon. Let's go, Yuma.

Understood.





...

Music: The Daily Grind




*chuckle* Sure, let's keep it at that.

Anyways, you're one to talk, Yuma.

Are you referring to my rescue plan? I don't think it was wrong of me to suggest it. It is as you always say: The more options, the better.

It stands to reason that such a plan would indeed work, but... threats are unlike you. Have you really thought this through, Yuma?

I have. This plan was formulated with the utmost logical and rational thought.

Hm... Are you sure you're in prime physical condition? Have you seen any side effects to the D-Install?

You worry too much. I'll prove my physical condition to you... when I kill Nyala.

Hmph. As you wish. Remember, if you feel anything wrong, you must report to me. That is an order.

Understood.

And Yuma... You're not as good a liar as you think you are.





I guess all you gotta do is hunt down a shitton of those dragon bastards.



It's just... something else is on my mind... Hehe...

Now that she's working for Nodens, Mio's set up in the War Room.



That girl is the most timid little mouse around, but she's a great navigator.



That discussion went smooth as butter. Looks like you can get back to rescuing people. Good for you... isn't it? Eeheehee...

Good luck, Unit 13! I'll be rooting for you!

Who said you could use the mic, brat!? Get out of here! Sheesh... Those ISDF bitches are already in Cladeon, so you better hurry up.



No.

Also a new quest has shown up.



So many people coughing... There's been a huge increase in the number of Dragon Sickness patients lately... We've been giving people medicine, but our stock has gotten really low recently... More sick people means more work for the healthy people... My stomach hurts just thinking about it... Anyways, that's why I need you to go talk to Nurse Maimai on the Medical Floor and figure out a solution. I’m counting on you!



More importantly, a new chapter means new things for people to say!



Maniacal Man: I'm still way better than them, though! I've been going every day! Hahahahahahahahahahahaha!





Talkative Young Man: Honestly, this generation's anime is pretty sugoi, too. It's not quite the 2000s, but close!

I wonder if he used random English words in the original Japanese?



Envious Woman: I bet you know the secret to how you get picked. Can you tell me?

~

Bartender: Has good luck come from the path you chose? Even if things are good now, you may regret it later on. Try not to let it affect you too much.

~

Skilled Man: It's good to exercise when you can. I feel like I play better when I'm more active physically.



Wandering Lucier: It feels like the dragons are going to fly right out of the screen! How exciting!

...This Lucier is in public.

Does no one have any questions about all the Lucier that have been pouring out of the building lately?



Lonely Girl: He found out I was lying to him before... He's even scarier than a dragon when he's mad...

Okay, at first glance this looks like the stereotypical 'haha she has an overprotective brother,' thing, but uh... Dragons sorta invaded just a few days ago. A High Dragon even attacked Nodens. Wanting to know where your family is seems kinda reasonable after something like that.



Nodens Receptionist: Hm? She isn't going to be a receptionist? I see... What a pity.



Job Seeker: Hm? Why am I so particular about this place? It's because I'm obsessed with 7th Encount!



~

Aaron: Hm? You think I'm ditching work again today? Well, not quite... They increased my workload so now I have to work while I'm slacking off... What a pain.



Iori: I'm simply taking a break! Even Picasso took breaks sometimes! That's when inspiration strikes!







Ray: They told me I had to redo some of my monster graphics... They said they were too disgusting...



Lionel: I thought myself a prominent programmer, but I'm starting to lose confidence...





Some people just... don't update their lines with the new chapter. If you don't see someone in a walkabout like this, assume that they had nothing new to say.



Retired Blacksmith: And don't mistake that for sarcasm. I'm serious!



Jane: I've been getting distracted a lot lately... and I haven't really been motivated, either...



I actually completely forgot about this sidequest until I walked in here.

Nurse Maimai: No matter. I've got an extra large needle with your name on it either way. *giggle* Just kidding. You're here about the Dragon Sickness medicine, right? There's no cure for Dragon Sickness, but we do have a way to suppress the symptoms. Recently, though, there's been quite the increase in patients. We're almost completely out. Do you think you could negotiate with the higher-ups to get some more medicine for us?



Sick Employee: There are a lot more patients coming in, so they'll need all the beds they can get.

I will now proceed to completely forget about the sidequest again for a while.



Well-Bred Boy: I can barely breathe anymore. A-Am I going to die? *cough*

Hey, its the boy we saved in Atlantica!



Minato: It's almost impossible to find something specific when there are just so many books in here.









Researcher Mitch: Strengthen, strengthen, strengthen! This story is yours! These skills are yours!

~

Director Yoshida: The best of the best of Nodens are all part of the development team for 7th Encount! However, I am the only one capable of uncovering the secrets of EX Skills. EX-pect greatness! Haha!

I looked at VFD's staff list, and the guy in charge of systems is Yuko Yoshida, making this a small little author insert.



~

Ami: Despite my looks, I'm an esteemed dragon researcher. Learning about other monsters is key to my work.



Marco: Knowing that my research will help you guys is what pushes me on!

~

Amanda: No, no, no! You fight, we research. That's how this goes! Soooooo, if you aren't authorized to be touching things, please stay away♪



Lucas: Having said that, there are still many secrets to uncover. Brace yourselves.

~

Intelligent Boy: My friends all got super jealous when I told them that you were the ones who saved me.







Rick: However... how do you feel? Are you sensing any pain or discomfort?



And that's everyone, so time to go win over some royalty!

Next time: Unit 13 breaks into the royal palace.