Part 61: Update LV - Is my Master aptitude low?

Update LV - Is my Master aptitude low?



Music: School I


I don't have enough clues. I'm thinking myself in circles. I should try consulting Rani.



Music: Down to Dawn


Tamamo's awake today, so let's see what she has to say.



Tamamo appears to be lost in her own dark studies, which is unusual. Normally she's always talking, whether the subject's important or not. Once the sixth round started, Caster seems to sulk silently whenever I'm not looking at her. Her normally cute, perky appearance is now masked with a sullen, troubled expression.

Um, yes? Were you talking to me just now?

I nod in affirmation. Tamamo's ears, which were limp, suddenly stand up straight. ...Fortunately, I don't seem to be the source of her discontent. Maybe she just isn't feeling well.

No, my dear Master, it's nothing that you've done. It's like my tail has a buildup of static electricity, or a shiver that hasn't, but will, run down my spine...

...Hmph. I wonder it all means? It's probably a portent of some approaching doom. I can only pray it's nothing catastrophic. You must be careful as well, Master. Be wary of offering kindness without honor, or being a lapdog to everyone around you.

Music: School I


Oh hey, Leo is marked!



—Do you doubt my words? *Chuckle* ...I wonder what the truth might be.



They're a threat to us maintainers of order! We have no choice but to strengthen the firewalls.







I wonder if this comic book is as bad as the manga we had to confiscate earlier?



Ah.



That would be impossible. Remember, I am an NPC created by the system...I'm not a Master.





And, once in the Arena, you were barricaded from exploring. This is indeed a formidable enemy.

That gate is troubling. As long as it exists, I won't be able to get the cipher keys, and I'll die.



Although, that line of reasoning may be wholly faulty.

Could that mean my enemy is... trying to avoid a confrontation? I got booted from the Arena before I could confront them. And there's this passive-aggressive stuff. I still don't know why, but it's safe to assume they're trying to avoid a fight.

Almost as if our opponent has some form of prior connection with us...

Maybe, and I'm completely guessing here, a friend.

In any case, that gate must go. If only we had some other item that could serve as a clue.

Speaking of evidence, I will ask her about this lapel badge.



...Leonardo Bistario Harway could be your opponent. It might be a good idea to confront him. However, take caution. This enemy might attack at any given time. Yeah, I know. All I have to go on right now is conjecture, but I should confront Leo before I go to the Arena.



This is why Leo was marked.

Without a word, I show Leo the lion lapel badge I had found.

This is...a Harway lapel badge... Where did you get this?

I briefly explain how I picked it up near the fountain in the garden.

—I see. It appears it's my brother's badge... However, there seems to be a number of subtle alterations done to it. I fear someone may have placed it there intentionally as a red herring. Perhaps for the purpose of diverting your attention to me. However, I assure you that I am not your opponent this time around.

Yeah, no shit.

Leo handles the lapel badge almost as if it's a new toy, a smile forming on his lips.

So, Hakuno, you gonna think about how you're down to a 50% chance of fighting Rin?

-Interesting. It appears that they somehow used my brother's code breaker.

No?

Code breaker...? It's true that Julius was able to access areas other Masters are prohibited from entering—

Just going to let that sit there?

With our resources, we can access restricted areas of the Holy Grail. Yes, like the multimedia room. My brother wasn't necessarily a skilled hacker, nor was there any need for him to be. You see, this lapel badge is also a key of sorts, used to access the Harway Beowulf cluster back on Earth.

Okay!

I guess this means my true opponent tried to hack into the Arena using this lapel badge. That would mean that it might be possible to unlock that door—

Your opponent erected a door in the Arena? They must have quite the active imagination. Another explanation is that they have some reason why they do not want to face you directly. But that's beside the point. Right now it's enough to know that you can open the door with the lapel badge. It'd be a shame to be disqualified for something so trivial, so I will give you the lapel badge. Pardon me, but I'd like to return to this rather rare book, so let us end our conversation here.

Do you get it yet?

And with that, Leo's gaze returns to the shelf of books he was perusing before we began talking. So Leo isn't my opponent and the lapel badge was just a ruse... Was this a trick by my real enemy? After all of that running around, I still have no clue as to who my opponent really is. Oh well, no use in worrying about it. I might as well just head to the Arena now.

~



Prick.



This one will let you stop an opponent from acting. Useful if you can't predict their actions.

Music: Stops


A cutscene starts as soon as we enter 1F.

Music: Breach


Whatever the case, we'll need to be able to see them before we decide on any kind of plan. Caster is probably right. We should head to the Arena and hit them there.



Unlike Robin's ambush back in Week 2, we aren't forced into the Arena, so we can just wander around. Breach overrides the normal school music.



It's only lately that I've valued this place for being beautiful. Took me long enough, huh?

Thankfully, Rinour mystery opponent is polite and will wait for Hakuno to chat with everyone before launching hertheir ambush.



Here you go, Hakuno! Healing supplies. I wish you the best of luck this week, too.





Alright, now we can deal with it.

Music: None




-And that's when it happens.



Sound: Explosions




Still, this person is really strong! We should escape deep into the Arena ASAP!

Music: Fear




A cutscene starts over here.

Music: None


What are they scheming, with this not attacking us after making it so clear they wanted us dead?

It's unsettling to not know what the opponent is up to, but it seems there is no longer any danger. They hunt us down twice, and pull back at the last second. It does feel like they're avoiding conflict. -Are they being hesitant? If so, why? And if not, what's the real reason?

Music: Fourth Chimeric Lunar Sea - First Floor


We've got a window of opportunity, so let's take the liberty of hacking into the door with the lapel badge.

It's unsettling to not know what the opponent is up to, but it seems the danger is gone. But, it's not unlikely that they'll come at us again. I should hack the door with the Harway lapel badge while I still can.

Is it just me, or has the writing gotten really redundant this week?



Anyways, there's the door.





I nod in response to Caster's words and look at the lapel badge. ...The lapel badge's magic circuits are coupling to my own. In the massive influx of data, I find the data on the door, and then—





OMG, Master! You broke down data with the power of your mind! I'm so glad you're not an airhead! Wheee, let's go! The Trigger will be ours now!

With the door gone, it's finally possible to search the rest of the Arena for the Trigger. Instead of dwelling on my opponent's intentions, I'll keep going.



Right past the door is a split path. I'll take the other one later.



It immediately leads to a second split.



One path leads to that healing fountain we saw yesterday.



And also a bit of loot.



Down the other path is a Cluster Horn-type.



Plus our first level of the week!



The path leads to a third split.



One path leads to a new Weather Drive.



This one is a Gammawave.



The path ends at that red chest we saw at the very start of the floor.





Strangely enough, while the 1st Strike costs 10 MP per shot, the 2nd and 3rd Strike both cost 15.



I head back up to where the Destroyer was and take the other path.



It also has the latest brand of Nephilim, putting us at 5 rare enemies killed. That's a requirement for a private room conversation, so we'll see that tomorrow.



The path ends with the exit portal.

Where's the Trigger, you might be asking?



Right next to the door. I could have gotten it first thing if I went the other way.

Our reward for all of this?



Our second Elixer. For reference, this means that I now have 700 MP worth of items on hand, and that number will keep going up as Tamamo gains more levels and I get more Elixirs. Sorta kneecaps how useful her Noble Phantasm is, really.



The other chests holds money.



And even more money.





It's so frustrating not to know the enemy's identity! We have a cipher key, but we have to be careful.



And that's the floor cleared out.







Music: Duel of Fate


Oh jesus the wall is broken.

Yesterday, after entering the Arena, I heard a blast. I head to the Arena to see the aftermath.

-Wh-Whoa! To think that the Moon Cell can't handle this type of damage... Wow, color Tamamo surprised. If that attack had landed, it would have been...bad. Well, it's over and done. Either our enemy isn't very good, or we were very, very, lucky.

I wonder if that's really true. Luck only goes so far. Did my enemy miss on purpose, and if so, what would the reason be? As I stare blankly at the scars on the wall, I hear a voice call me from behind.

Do you get it yet?





Rani? What is this...?



I came to check out the situation and I came across this... Did something happen yesterday?

I explained what happened to me to an increasingly worried Rani. After running to the Arena to escape a sudden feeling of death, I heard a loud blast. After the explosion, the sense of my enemy's presence suddenly and mysteriously disappeared.

Interesting... At the moment a person enters the Arena, they are completely defenseless. If that was their intent, then it seems your enemy will go to any lengths to see you dead. ...However I couldn't tell you why this attack failed...



As she continues to speak, Rani keeps running her hands over the crater in the wall. Suddenly, she stops dead. She must have noticed something.



Rune...? If I remember correctly, runes are lesser charms frequently used in the past, but are now considered weak and powerless. I thought it was a weapon at first, but it seems to be related to thaumaturgy instead. If that's the case, then our opponent's Servant would be... a Caster, maybe?

No, not necessarily. Runes were used by Celtic warriors, so it might not be a Caster at all. ...In this case, I'd guess that it was a warrior who uses runes to enhance a physical attack.

Hey?

You know who fought a Celtic Servant before?

Fucking Rani! She fought Rin! She gathered information on her Servant! She should, at the very least, be able to point at Rin as a possible suspect! This entire week only works if everyone spontaneously becomes complete morons!



Information about my enemy's attacks. It's not their class, but any info is better than none. Thank you, Rani. As I give my thanks, she lowers her head and softly says, "Yes."



Your opponent managed to survive this long. I can't see how they managed to miss you. This is only a guess on my part, but...maybe your opponent really doesn't wish to face you.

Do you get it yet?

Do you fucking get it?

...Doesn't want to face me? But there are only enemies to be found in the Holy Grail War. ...Well, except maybe Rani. I wonder, is there a reason for this conflict? All that awaits the loser is virtual death.

It was a hypothesis, nothing more. Sorry if it didn't seem quite rational. However...

Rani closed her eyes and took a deep breath, as if she was trying to relax. Almost immediately, her inscrutable demeanor returned.



With a final shy glance, Rani turns and walks away. I wonder what she wants. I'll be sure and go talk with Rani later.



Music: School I


... ... It's pointless to speculate. It's noon, maybe I'll go to the cafeteria to nourish my brain.








Next time: What is this high school harem romcom bullshit?