Part 39: Update XXXVII - Featuring: A budget thinner than paper

Update XXXVII - Featuring: A budget thinner than paper

Music: Kazan - Drowning in Petals, The Future


We've been real busy over here helping out with this damn Dragon Calamity. Things've gotten super crazy now. Refugees from all over Tokyo are staking out in our building. It's a pretty big mess. You guys should prolly come back here for the day. Man, we're gonna run out of supplies at this rate.



Jil has the only new line here.





And when we leave, everything except Nodens is locked out entirely.

Music: The Daily Grind




When you're done with that, come up to the War Room. Allie's waiting for a progress report.







Come to the future with me.



~

I need to talk to you.

I see. Please explain.

~~





I understand. I shall go wherever I can be of help to you.

Elder Court Lady: Lady Ulania!? What are you saying? If something were to happen to you...

I will be fine. Unit 13 will protect me, correct?







Music: UE77 In Ariake


Yes, we are exterminating dragons at a quicker rate than we had originally anticipated.





Yooo! Is that Unit 13 on the other end of the line!?

E-Eigur, I'm in the middle of a—

Unit 13! Sup? How are you guys doing over there? Wait, is that Ulania? Why's she there with you!?

Mr. Yuma... Has Eigur been much trouble?

What!? I—

Eigur, I'd appreciate it if you could refrain from yelling in my ear...

R-Right... My bad.

Queen Ulania, Eigur has proven to be a significant asset to ISDF operations.



I would like to take a moment to point out that we were at Eden just long enough to chat up the locals a bit.

In that time, Eigur and the ISDF have killed two High Dragons.

They aren't just having their own 2020-III without us, they're speedrunning it.

But don't worry, I'm repping Atlantis out here! I won't lose to them!

At present, there is no serious threat to ISDF activity. Further extermination will be simple.



Don't let your guard down.

*chuckle* The Admiral and I would never make such an amateurish mistake.

Wait, why didn't you say anything about me!? I'm not gonna mess this up!

Hmmm... That matter will remain confidential for the time being...

What!? Hey, Unit 13! Ulania! I'm not messing things up over here! Please, believe me...

~

I'm confident in you.

*chuckle* It seems I have your trust, Unit 13.

Hey, hold on a sec. I think you misunderstood, Yuma.



Even the non-leader party members have been reacting to this.

Wh-What...? I most certainly did not misunderstand! In that context, or any for that matter, such a statement would clearly be directed towards me.

What'd you say...!?

~~

Putting that aside, we'll do what we must to end this calamity and join up with you later.

I'm gonna be a lot stronger when you see me next! Look forward to seeing buff Eigur!

Well then, let us both put in our best efforts!

Always nice to see the boys getting along.

OK OK★ You better try as hard as you can, Unit 13! I don't want you losing to him★

*nods*

Now then... I believe you have a report for us?







It was still destroyed, otherwise humanity would have found it at some point!

I guess this is the result of our intervention... Oh, but Sailas, Nagiri, and... Brijilt was it...? They seem pretty useful. As you saw in Atlantis, help from the locals can be very useful. Try to stay on good terms with them.

And you met Emel, as well. She has aided humanity across time as the incarnation of hatred for dragons. She'll surely prove useful to you as well...







And back we go to Kazan.



Music: Kazan - Drowning in Petals, The Future






And yet I can sense the sea breeze of my kingdom... How strange...







So, let us see this solution of yours.

*nods*







This is... the sealed district of Ladyin!







Even my full force could not make it budge, and yet she opened it with a mere touch...!

Incredible... Just incredible~!

Um, Unit 13... Who is that woman? For some reason, seeing her makes my ears twitch...





You are the queen of legend who saved this world from dragons!?

So that is how I am known in this world...

And yet Murakumo Unit 13, who fended off a True Dragon and killed another, are completely unknown.

No respect, I tell ya.



If not for you, the Lucier race would not exist in this world.

Please, there is no need to humble yourself in such a manner. I did not accomplish it alone. It was all thanks to the people of Atlantis... and Unit 13.

To think you would bring a queen from a fairy tale to our land... Just who are you, Unit 13?





Welp.

S-Sailas...! Unit 13, let us head into the ruins before that foolish scientist manages to get too far!

Please, allow me to act as your guide. I know all there is to know about Ladyin.

It would be too much to ask that of you. You may stay here.

Please, I wish to assist you.



I can serve as your guard, Lady Ulania. If it's OK with you, that is.

Of course. I will be counting on you.



Very well! Let us enter!



Music: Ladyin - Spiral Ruins






Y-Yes, that is true. Leave it to me, Brijilt Breykani!



No need to rush into a battle with Haze, right? Proceed with caution.

So, our very first dungeon in our return to the very first game?



It's Ladyin.



IT'S



FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCKING



LADYIN

The dungeon we literally just did! The entire reason the tower got dropped here was so the dungeon could get fucking reused!

The Cladeon revisit sucked, sure, but at least that didn't snap the narrative over its fucking spine!



The only difference is that now we're doing the thing in reverse! Aren't you excited!?

Music: Battlefield - Eden


The only perk is that Eden has a new battle music that slaps.



Random encounters are still jokes, however.



Also we got new frogs.

Music: Ladyin - Spiral Ruins


And despite the place being so tightly sealed that no one can get in, Ladyin is crawling with cats.



Now we know why the top of these stairs had a greyed out icon, because the upward climb also removed the exterior sections of the tower.





Exploration-wise, the only change to Ladyin is that some paths are now blocked and others are open.





Also we got new crabs.





Where have all the dragons gone, anyways?



Seriously, the world map said Kazan had 34 dragons.



That's two floors down and not a single one to be found.



A cutscene starts as soon as we enter 3F.

Lady Ulania... You have my sympathies.





Sailas! Did I not warn you about running off on your own!?

Chill, Jil, he moved like five feet away.



Incredible... This is truly an otherworldly experience~! Teeheehee~!



Suddenly roars!



...Maybe Jil had a point.





Unit 13!





Music: Battlefield - Furious Predator




The Blackhorn can use Paralyze Punch to, well, Paralyze a single target, but far more annoying is the full-party Coma Scream which can hit everyone with Sleep.



But beyond that we've already seen this kind of dragon.

Opal finally broke four digits, at least.

Music: Ladyin - Spiral Ruins


You beat that dragon with such ease... I guess I'm not surprised Lady Emel approved of you guys.

My apologies, Unit 13. I allowed my eyes to drift from Sailas for but one moment... Nevertheless, that was a splendid battle. Please excuse my earlier rudeness.

Don't worry about it, Jil~! Nobody got hurt, right?

...Indeed. I suppose you are correct, Sailas.

Though this never would've happened if Sailas hadn't gone wandering off...

*gasp* Yes, I had nearly forgotten! How many times must I scold you, Sailas!?

Music: Stops




Music: Ignith of the Final Attack (code：VFD Ver)


Oh, there you are.



Who are you!?



You'd think Emel would use her hate ghost powers to poke around the tower and stumble upon her sister at some point.







We will find out who she's searching for later.

The answer is far, far stupider than you can imagine.

It sounded like she was looking for someone~...



Suddenly, more roars!

Wh-What!? I can sense many enemies nearby!

Music: Endless Attack Cycle


Ah yes, Jil can sense the dragons with those mystical organs called 'eyes.'





Understood! We shall retreat for now and make the necessary preparations!

Hey, Unit 13! They're totally right! That's enough for today!



Music: Kazan - Drowning in Petals, The Future


Please do not worry, Lady Ulania! We shall exterminate the dragons within your sacred ground!

We can't even get to where Haze is right now, though. We'll need a countermeasure, or at least some more fighting power...

Mmm, that is true~. Let's head back to the guild hall for a strategy meeting~!





Yes, but the number of dragons inside is purely horrifying... It would be near impossible to reclaim it in our current state.

Then we'll just increase our manpower. We have many skilled soldiers available here. I'd be willing to send as many as necessary. However, I want you to lead them, Opal.

I see~! It's time for reinforcements~. What do you think, Unit 13?



I'd say go for it. Allie approves as well. Julietta's even more lenient now on the whole impacting the past and the future thing.



That's right, the time has come for our final party.

I'll send you guys a Terminal so you can make your 3rd team right there. You're gonna have to plan which members to use based on the situation... Choose wisely!



*nods*

I see. I'll give you a list of candidates, then. Feel free to choose whoever you'd like.





We don't know what may happen in the ruins. Be sure to prepare well.

Yup~! You never know if you're going to run into a horde of dragons, or that mysterious lady~!

What is this about a mysterious lady, Sailas?

We encountered a beautiful woman in there~. She showed up out of nowhere like some kind of ghost.

...Did she happen to have long, blue hair?

Well, yeah. That was a good guess~!

So that's where she is... That girl is my sister, Aytel... I will head to the ruins with you. There's something I must discuss with Aytel.

Lady Emel...?

Understood. It is settled. We shall head over once Unit 13 is finished preparing. Please inform us when you are ready.

Music: The Final Chronicle Begins


Just like with Atlantis, we got two new classes.



Which means two new sets of character portraits.



We have the spell-slinging Mage.



And the burly Banishers.



And their Receptionist lines.

Receptionist: Mages are specialists in both elemental magic attacks and healing magic. However, their defense is quite low, so be sure to pay attention to their LIFE.



Receptionist: Banishers are powerful soldiers who annihilate their enemies using titanic armored spears. They take great pride in having the most physical prowess and LIFE of all classes. Their attacks use explosive bombs which, while packing a wallop, have restrictions on their use.

Now, are you all ready for...