Part 122: Update CVIII - At the end of a miracle

Update CVIII - At the end of a miracle



Music: School II






Rin.



Leo.



Arena.

Music: Fourth Chimeric Lunar Sea - Second Floor








If the Arena has always reflected the mind of one of the Masters— I hope this lovely natural landscape mirrors our opponent's temperament.

Talk with Archer.



but I still can't believe this Holy Grail War has lasted over a month.

Again.



Leo.

Music: Breach


Refusing Leo:









I'm just saying it's not necessarily as rewarding as you think to live as someone's sword. People can't understand selflessness because it's against human nature. It makes you a freak, you know? No one's going to admire you for walking that path. But, I think you know and accept that.



I will not repeat mistakes of the past. This time, I will believe in my king without a shred of doubt. My holy sword blazes for one reason— My heart has but one wish— To lead my lord to victory—!



I'll fight fire with fire. Let's go, white knight. This time I will make you fall!

Agreeing with Leo:



That's perfect—as long as everybody wants exactly what the king wants and the king never makes mistakes.

The disapproval evident in Archer's tone makes me reconsider what Leo was saying.

After Hakuno refuses Leo:

What a fitting conclusion for you to reach. It's a thorny path ahead now, don't regret your decision.

~~



We don't have to defeat him, we just need to stall for time.











Archer's taunt fails to rouse a response from Gawain.





So, this is the last cipher key. Can't say it's any different from the dozen other ones. What is truly of note here is the dedication and hard work you've put in. I'm happy for you, Master.

And that's the very final Trigger of this LP!







Music: School III




Music: Down to Dawn








You haven't forgotten the cipher keys, any training, or an Alteration of the Soul, have you?

Hearing familiar words from my Servant calms me. I'd really like to save myself the embarrassment of losing by default in the finals. Just in case, I should check the cipher key display on my terminal. Also, I need to finish all my other preparations today. Visiting the commissary, performing an Alteration of the Soul, training in the Arena—it's all necessary. I should do everything I need to. I can't be too careful, either.



Get the final decor.





Many Masters and Servants are alike in some ways, but not to the level in which you and I resemble one another.

The enthusiasm of my Master is... terrifying. I cannot hope to compete with your devotion to avarice.

But be careful! The line between collector and obsessive hoarding crazy person is a fine one. For example, you could turn into one of those people who won't be satisfied until they owned everything. Even I could never debase myself that much. In fact, I'd have to insist on the cancellation of our contract.

And Archer's final optional chat. This one requires getting all 100 chests in the game. The chest in the tutorial and the five chests from Drake's treasure hunt in Week 1 don't count for this.



Spend SP.





In.



Out.



Music: School III


Hmph. When I think back on it, you've really been through a lot. But, we had some good times... Uh, I'll spare you the flattery. It's all in the past, anyway. Well, tomorrow's the Elimination Battle. I don't have any final words of wisdom for you. Just command me like the Master you are. Always courageous, always seeking answers.













Music: Duel - Prelude to Confrontation


If Gawain draws his power from the sun, then King Arthur is the moon protected by that light.



Mr. Saber has one critical flaw. I'll tell you what it is when we've got them on the edge of defeat.

Oh, did you hear that, Gawain? Care to respond?

-Not particularly. The battlefield is where our abilities will be put to the test. Petitioning my opponent for their agreement at the moment would only reflect poorly on your reputation.



A knight is a sword, not a source of idle chatter.



If you let your Master speak for you, then you're just a puppet.

How little you know, Archer. I obey my king because of my principles. I freely choose devotion.

If I am bound by strings, as you suggest, then they are spun of my selfless loyalty. Knights don't need to speak. They only need to obey the commands of their king. I chose to be a knight.

The fact that you chose the path of blind obedience doesn't make you any less of a puppet. You're still subverting your own will to someone else's.



Do you have any reason to fight here, other than for your Master?





I wield my swords so that my Master has the right to chose a life that will make them happy.



They say "For the greater good." Can't you see your selflessness is actually selfish, Gawain?







Music: Duel - Kill Or Be Killed








That's why you don't know— What it's like to struggle for what you don't have. To mourn loss. There's no hope for a king who has no comprehension of what it's like for a human being to suffer.



Your opinion is biased toward the masses anyway. You've done the opposite and been too compassionate. Your very status as a Heroic Spirit is questionable.



That's the kind of power only the weak and those who seek salvation want. It's useless to a true king.



But, Lord Gawain, you're about to repeat the same mistake. King Arthur didn't give up his humanity when he became king. Don't you think that's important?



I idevoted myself to Leo's reign. I swore I would be the knight who served him his whole life.

That's what chivalry is. I can't withdraw a sword that has already been levied.





My body, my mind, my sword— All belongs to my king! Now, I shall burn away your miserable lives!

Video: Week 7 Elimination Battle (Archer ver.)


Leo, your edict. I'll purge them from the battlefield.

Of course. My power is yours, Gawain.



Exploding swords happened.





Music: School III




Surprise, we're finishing this shit today!



Music: Down to Dawn


...Master, you make [sic] think I'm being paranoid, but I recommend that you be prepared for anything.

Based on past experiences, I'm pretty sure that this war isn't something that's going end so easily.



Off to go fight Shiki.

Music: Fear


I've been hearing a strange noise for a while. It sounds like a human moan. I've never experienced a haunting or anything paranormal, but I think it would feel like this. If it is a haunting, it's a major one. It's like the air is whining because something's warping it.



Some program must be hogging all the system resources...but it's nothing I've ever heard of. There's something big and bad coming down the pipe. Be alert!







Just so you know, it's nothing personal. I just need to kill you.

You're not interested in offing a Master, then... So your objective is to kill the Servant?



Sorry, but you have to die. If I kill a hundred of your kind, I can return to my world. I don't like this place. Killing you, spirit, will free me from this nightmare.



Video: Battle Against Shiki (Archer ver.)
Music: Monster: She Who Sees Death


That's right, pretty boy. You interest me, so I'll play with you.

I go for the usual strat of high explosive swords.



Only to get one shot by Twin Towers why the fuck did I level Defense then.



The second attempt goes much better, but Shiki's ludicrous bulk lets her time out Unlimited Blade Works.



Hey, do you notice something?



Namely: The fact that UBW timing out wipes out your Projection stacks?



The only reason I survived this turn was sheer dumb luck.



Thankfully, Wings of the Crane doesn't actually need any stacks to use.



But the funny thing is?



You get nothing for fighting Shiki a second time like this. All you get is a second Demon of Atlas, and I already mentioned how stacking equipment is useless. There is no reason to refight Shiki other than seeing what a differant Servant has to say.





My guess is that she's a spirit connected to the Moon Cell's version of the Holy Grail War...



I then load up cheats to test something.



First: I'm fairly sure the Shiki's sealing skills only proc if they clash against the matching move. This basically turns every Skill marker into a 1/4 chance of death, as Guarding against Barrier Break will seal your defense and cause her next Twin Towers to atomize you.



Second: Will Rho Aias' ability to completely negate an attack work against her NP?





It does!



Archer survives the entire turn with no issues.



Of course, she'll just keep spamming more next turn.



And that's it for our very final Arena visit.



As extra salt in the wound, the spare Demon of Atlas sells for a measly 5 PPT.



Spend my final points.



And off we go.





That power that many magi have sought but only one is able to obtain— ...Hmph. I never thought someone who wasn't a magus would get it. Life's full of surprises. Or maybe it's just you that is. Do you remember your first plea? "Why is this happening?" That cry of yours made me decide to become a Servant in this war. ...In life, I never considered myself a hero.



But, everyone wants to know "why." It's not an uncommon question. "Why was I born?" "Why am I fighting?" We die without knowing why. That's life. You keep going because you want to know why. Truth is... We never reach answers, but we leave footprints instead. Don't be ashamed. Just keep moving forward as the victor should.



Now...let's do this. The final question awaits us.





Like Nero, Archer has nothing to say until here.



Archer flashes a cynical smile tinged with obvious malice, as if he's come face to face with a sworn enemy. As a Heroic Spirit known to cut down all who stand in his way regardless of who they are or what they believe, Archer points his blade at Twice, a humane expression on his face.



I've met many fools like you, hell-bent on destroying the present in an attempt to resurrect the past.



You're not satisfied with any result that ends in loss? Your immaturity and weakness makes me laugh.

So, you asked me if I thought you were evil, right? You deluded, spiteful ghost.



You are the epitome of evil; a lifeless shade who'd sacrifice the innocent for your own selfish goals.

And regardless of what my Master thinks, I will be the one to eliminate you once and for all.

As a Master, I agree with Archer's declaration, though for different reasons. This man cannot be forgiven.



Cut to Savior-

Music: Savior - All Shall Become One




From your very first fight, nothing has been easy for you. The entire war has been one long struggle.







Drowning in your ideals alone is enough for a bastard like you.

That justice of yours ends here. Nameless hero born from sacrifice, you have nothing to forge with your flames here and will soon be extinguished.

Video: Battle Against Savior (Archer ver.)


Boom.





Music: Goodbye




I can hear my Servant mutter into my ear. They aren't there in person, but as a part of the Holy Grail. My guess is that my Servant had somehow slipped unseen into the Holy Grail the same time I entered.

When a Master disappears, their Servant disappears, too, until they are sunmoned by another. I thought I'd stick around and help out until we both fade away, but it seems I was worrying about nothing.

He must've slipped into the Holy Grail, hoping somehow to delay my inevitable demise. My Servant may be pessimistic, cynical, and bitterly sarcastic, but at his core, he is a good person. However, a delay this long can't be the result of my Servant's presence. Something else must be going on. Since I'm connected to the Moon Cell, it shouldn't be too difficult to find out what's going on. In what seems to be only a heartbeat, the whole of my consciousness arrives as one long data file.

...Is this you? It looks like your medical records... ...Cryogenic storage?



And the scene is identical from here.





Music: None


However, unlike me, you seem to have no regrets about your decision. I have to say I'm a little envious.

My Servant gives a rueful chuckle. I wonder what he finds so funny.

Sorry. I was just thinking about how I thought you were a miserable Master at first. Fate can be truly ironic.

...While I can appreciate irony, I'm nowhere as ironic as him. But I am glad that he thinks that we are more or less compatible now. After all, he has been my comrade in arms from the beginning and will be there until my final moments.









And that's it! A year and a half after starting this and I am finally, 100% done with Fate/Extra! A year and a half of shitty, repetitive combat! A year and a half of the same content over and over again!

And just think, once the patch for CCC comes out I get to do it all over again!

Anyways, I'm BisbyWorl, and this has been Fate/EXTRA.



...oh, and Extra?



Get the fuck-



-off of my hard drive.