Part 73: Update LXV - You're my only star

Update LXV - You're my only star

Music: Duel - Friend Turned Foe


Soooooo, for an enemy sent by the Moon Cell...



Strong enough to earn the second and final usage of Friend Turned Foe in the entire game...



It has less HP than Li Shuwen did just yesterday.

For comparison, the last boss we've fought that had less than five digit HP was Nursery Rhyme. This week's Nephilim has 7K. The SE.RA.PH is an utter joke.



Music: Stops


This punishment program was activated because my Servant has broken free of the Holy Grail's control. And although we fought as hard as we could, we had no chance of overcoming the power of the Holy Grail. The form it took was horrifying, as if it crawled from the depths of my nightmares, stopped before us, and— Moving as quick as lightning, swung its arms down as if to strike through my skull and directly at my brain. But this might be for the best. Though I do feel bad for my Servant, I am happy to have experienced such a powerful bond with them...



Music: Duel - Friend Turned Foe


It dies to an unending barrage of Curses, just like everything else.



It doesn't even have any attack Skills to try and pose a threat! All it has is a buff called A.C.E that lets it auto-win normal clashes which, considering the whole digital theme, probably stands for Arbitrary Code Executi-


Fuckers.



At least the SE.RA.PH is kind enough to drop an Elixir on death.



Friend Turned Foe keeps playing.

And almost as if it was never there, the program sent to kill us vanishes. The bond that we share...even if it's against the rules, I will not allow it to be destroyed.

That whole thing about the Moon Cell killing any team that might pose a threat to it? Yeah, it'll never come up after this. The Moon Cell sent one (1) (uno) (いち) dude to kill us, so now that we killed it the Moon Cell just hopes we don't try to break it, I guess.



As Caster somehow manages to go demurely ecstatic, she looked even lovelier than ever before.



She's right. Even as we speak, Leo may have already taken possession of the Holy Grail. What we've faced just now was only one of many obstacles. We haven't even gone beyond the first floor yet. But one thing I can say for certain, what I now have with Caster is more precious to me than any treasure.

That's not how it works Hakuno, you know this! Leo physically cannot claim the Grail unless he manages to beat you!



Friend Turned Foe overrides the normal music for the rest of the day.

Music: Battle - Fourth Chimeric Lunar Sea


Except, ironically, actual battles, which play the normal music.

Music: Duel - Friend Turned Foe






Just one final Trigger to go!



Are we going to continue wandering the Arena? If so, we should proceed with caution.



And the final gate holds one last chest.



Two Elixirs in one day sure isn't bad!



I gain a level while eating damage.





Music: School III


For the first time, there's actually no Taiga request on the first floor!

Which makes that empty area near the start even stranger, in hindsight. All it has is a single enemy.



Music: School II


The only remaining Masters in the school are me, Leo, and Rani. At least I have two people to talk to. I just wish one of them wanted to have a conversation right now. We could talk about... Oh, that's right. I've never asked Rani what she'd wish for with the Holy Grail.

Sound: Phone ringing




We only get two days in the first floor.

My terminal chimes, informing me of a challenge. The last challenge. By meeting it, the door to the last Elimination Battle will open. While I'm immersed in thought, the classroom door slides open and Kotomine appears.



Your opponent has received his notification as well. You'd do well not to back down now.

I don't need Kotomine to warn me that the search for the final cipher keys won't be easy. I run the risk of crossing swords with Leo on the second level, too.

Then, I won't see you again until the day of the Elimination Battle. Good luck.



His chuckle sort of undermines the whole meaning of "good luck." He leaves the classroom. -The last challenge. There are four days left until the day of the Elimination Battle, and my uncertain fate awaits me there. I should do whatever I can so that I have no regrets.



Today's a very special day!

Music: Down to Dawn


Because we have, at long last, Tamamo's final yellow chat!

To recap: in order to get this we needed at least 3 points during Tamamo's survey on Week 4, not pick the harem option on Week 6, and fight the SE.RA.PH yesterday. Tamamo has, by far, the most in-depth unlock requirements for her Level E Matrix.



For example, what is the world outside of this school created for the Holy Grail War like? Whose memories and what world's history was used to create this artificial reality?



-Oh. Oho! Could it be that you finally noticed my feminine charms and can no longer control your youthful ardor? Or is it that you just want to give in to your animalistic urges and see what happens, thinking, “to hell with the final battle!” That is what's bothering you!

Also... The remaining days I'll be fighting with her by my side can be counted on one hand. It seems that Tamamo only has cheerful things to say, but that might be because she's just trying to keep my spirits up. ...At least that's what I want to believe, anyway. I'm certain that most Servants don't care this much about their Masters. ...With that thought a wave of doubt washes over me. She claimed that she was a deity of some kind in the past. If that's the case, why would an immortal want to serve me?

Is there something wrong, Master? You look unwell all of a sudden. Could you really be ill?

...No, I'm just being paranoid. She may be overly playful and teasing at times, but I know that Tamamo really does care. Despite usually leaving well enough alone, I went ahead and asked, wanting to know more. Especially why a Heroic Spirit like her is so devoted to serving me.

I thought I've already told you why. Because I like serving humans.

It's that response that makes me feel so insecure. If just being given the opportunity to serve is her sole objective— Then that would mean she could have chosen anyone to serve and be just as content.

Of course. I do have my standards, but in general anyone would be fine. I initially responded to your summons because I heard you calling out for help.

It was almost like an arranged marriage! I mean, there's absolutely no spiritual connection between us.

...The smile on her face as she says this makes it even harder to deal with my conflicted feelings. Maybe I'm just slightly disheartened by the thought that Tamamo would be perfectly happy with anyone...?

Hmm. Judging by the look on your face, you're probably imagining something ridiculous right now.

Um, Master? Do you actually believe it's a bad thing to be able to serve anyone? Does the person one chooses to serve have to be someone special from the very beginning?

Err...I wouldn't go that far... If I thought about it rationally, it'd be worse to choose who you'd serve based sole on personal preference. You don't have to take a person's humanity into consideration in order to be useful to them. It means more to serve a person with respect to what that person hopes to accomplish.



I will only serve those whose intentions and actions are ultimately good. Whether they are male or female, child or adult, or even a saint or sinner, only their intentions matter. That is one principle I will never betray. Regardless of my notoriety, I want the one I serve to be content.

It's just... *Chuckle* I become infatuated somewhat easily and can't help but like the person I serve.

But this time, it was love at first sight! Seriously, I'm being completely honest! If I devote even just a tiny bit of myself once, I'll stay with the one I serve until the very end! To stand by my Master until their spirit transcends reincarnation; that is all Tamamo-no-Mae wishes for!

Tamamo's tail stands out straight, as if for added emphasis. I can't doubt the truth of her words. This fox-eared deity honestly adores this mere mortal. Her wish is an irrefutable declaration of this fact.

That's it exactly, so stop worrying and just acknowledge Tamamo as your blushing bride.



Seeing as Tamamo herself said she didn't need any reassurances, I'll just ignore what she just said. ...However, why would she wish for something like that? As a goddess, Tamamo could fulfill that wish any number of times. Tamamo said that all she wants to do "is serve humans." However, what I know of the story of Tamamo-no-Mae is that it ended in tragedy. She was eventually hunted down and killed as an enemy of mankind. Wouldn't she want revenge instead...?

That's because...there are things that even a goddess like me cannot do. Well, several things, actually.

Mmm... I guess it can't be helped. I'm usually not one for talking about myself, but I can't let my Master have any misconceptions about me.



I'll try to keep it short, so no need to prepare any tea. So please, sit, relax and enjoy!



Tamamo



Tamamo the walls



Tamamo why are the walls vanishing and why is it suddenly night time

Music: Stops


Music: Ending




My fascination with humanity began when I first left for Izumo. Observing those who worshiped me, I became curious about the lives these ridiculous little mortals led. Seriously, if you look at humans from the perspective of divinity, they're beyond inconsequential.

I can't say anything to argue. It'd be like how humans view ants and cockroaches. However, though I may be just a data stream in this place, I'm still human; I wish she'd be a little more...tactful.

Huh? I thought you wanted to hear my story? The truth is often painful; you'll just have to deal with it.

...And anyway, the relationship between humanity and divinity will always be one of inequality. Even as I looked down on mankind, part of me wanted to know more about the human condition. -I mean, my fixation sprung from— I guess you'd say a weird sense of justice. At first, I thought that I'd use my power to scold and punish if they committed evil acts. ...However. As I continued to watch mankind, my curiosity grew more intense. I mean, by divine standards, human existence is pretty depressing, yet they seem so happy most of the time. Even if their circumstances are dire and they themselves are weak little creatures, they are usually smiling. And though most of them will never see me, they not only worship me, but do so with their bodies and souls.



I mean, humans were so happy devoting themselves to me that I wanted to serve someone in the same way— And boy was that a mistake! A god with any sense should just stay in the Celestial cave where they belong!

In an obvious attempt to cover her sudden bout of melancholy, Tamamo forces out a chuckle. It's from this point the legend begins. Driven by curiosity, she poses as the courtesan Mizukume. And as she was incarnated as a young human girl on Earth— She lost all memories of herself as a goddess. Mizukume grew to be a true beauty and the then-emperor of Japan, Toba, fell in love with her at first sight. However, the passionate love affair wasn't to last. A diviner in the royal court identified Mizukume as a fox spirit and she was forced to flee the palace. It was never discovered whether Mizukume was just leading the emperor on, or if her love for him was real. The story of Tamamo-no-Mae has been told countless time in endless variations over the centuries.

Wow, I totally freaked back then! I woke up one morning thinking my head felt...heavier. It was then I discovered these adorable fox ears!

It's a lot like what happens to the unsuspecting heroine in comic books. It'd be like if you woke up one morning to find out you've turned into a girl, or a potato bug. My first reaction was like, "No way, do I really have fox ears growing out of my head?!" I was able to get away with hiding them for about a month. It was very heroine-like of me. But then that jerk Abe came along-

This is the second time she's mentioned being turned into a potato bug, what's up with that?

Anyways, Abe could only refer to Abe no Seimei, one of the most famous onmyoji in Japanese history. (Even though the historical Abe died over a full century before Tamamo's legend took place. That's just how Nasu rolls.)

It makes my ears twitch just thinking about that shifty-eyed jerk! He was gorgeous, though. This horrid, yet handsome diviner with a soul as black as the underworld just blurts out my identity.

And the uproar he caused! As a result, I had to escape from the inner sanctum of the court in a hurry. To add insult to injury, even those stupid dog-spirits joined in the chase of yours truly. It must have been the first time in the history of Japan's ecosystem that a fox had been hunted by hounds.

... Tamamo is speaking in her normal cheerful tone, but the actual event must've been terrible to experience. To wake up one morning to find out that not has your body changed, but that you're no longer a human being... ...In the very center of power of human society, she was the only one who wasn't a part of mankind. I couldn't even begin to imagine her confusion and her fear at the time. Not to mention her self-doubt, disbelief, and misery. The fear of eventually being found out and persecuted. And above all, dreading the moment when the one she loved most condemns her as a monster. All of this like a millstone on her back. Trembling alone in the darkest corner of the court, unable to confide in anyone and praying for an end to her nightmare. ...None of the pain she felt comes out in Tamamo's words. She only speaks of the good things.



They said things like: "You have come a long way." "What a rough journey you had."

Well, they must have been worried about me, but I wish they could have realized how I was feeling. As a girl, I thought they should've been more encouraging, like "You'll find someone soon! Keep at it!"





...I can't listen anymore. It might be because of my connection to her as a Master, but I can feel her pain as if it were my own. Tamamo is putting up a brave front in the here and now, but I can feel the tears of the scared young girl sitting alone in the fields of Nasuno. Hunted by those who claimed to love her, and forcibly separated from those she loved. It was only after being surrounded by fellow foxes that she realized who and what she truly was.



It was in the comfort offered by the foxes around her that Tamamo-no-Mae said those words to herself. She was betrayed and hunted down by humans who feared her. She did nothing wrong; she only tried to help them prosper. She was forced to flee the village she considered paradise simply because she "wasn't human."



And I was like, "all right, let's do this!" and fought back. I did go overboard and kill everyone, though.

It may seem like I'm making excuses and all, but at least I apologized, you know? But no one listened to me. After the second such encounter, I was regretting what happened and tried to reason with them. It rained arrows for three straight days and nights, and nothing I said seemed to register with them.



However, the assault never slackened and the hatred of the humans never lessened. It was then she realized...





And even though I am divine, I was a fool. I didn't realize my mistake until my final moment.





...And that's how it ended. Tamamo-no-Mae died screaming, felled by an enchanted arrow. That is the story of Tamamo-no-Mae. It can be dismissed as a tale of a goddess deemed unworthy of the gift of humanity. ...To boil it down, it's a story of a delusional child-goddess who admired humans too much.

Music: School III


In fact, it'd be a-okay if you threw me to the ground and gave in to your overwhelming carnal desires!

Even as she finishes her sentence, the wild fox-girl leaps at me. She's obviously playing around in order to lighten the mood...or not. Because she's actually pouncing on me. Argh! Why can't my Servant stay serious for more than a few seconds?!

Eek! I've been...rejected?! And even run away from?! No way! Where did you learn how to escape my super-secret concupiscent vulpine mounting technique?

Foiled by the T Regulations once again!

It wasn't skill, just survival. Tamamo issues a stream of insults under her breath, "you meanie" being the nicest. ...To say her expressions of love are persistent would be a gross understatement. Considering her gory demise at the hands of man, she still only "wants to serve."

Yes, because that's just how I am. That, and it brings me joy to be an important part of someone's life. Although I am not human, it warms my heart to be needed by someone. To add to that... I've already experienced that feeling of warmth, Master. I am your Servant. My soul yearns to serve, and I have to confess that I've come to truly like you. I once made an enemy with nature due to my desire to be human, which went against divine providence.

But it's different for me now. I want nothing more than to serve you, my dear Master. But if us gods who love humans have to protect them in spite of divine providence, then so be it.

So, please allow me to stay by your side until the very end. Regardless of what kind of person you turn out to be, my love for you will never change! Until my selfish desires shatter it to pieces with my Eightfold Blessing of Amaterasu, I will protect you!

Although that ”selfish desires" comment worries me, Tamamo's declaration makes me truly happy. For one like me, who had no future and no place outside of the SE.RA.PH, she instills in me the desire to stay alive. ...This long struggle is coming to an end, and the enemy I have yet to face is undeniably powerful. But I no longer feel any unease. For now, with her fighting by my side, I need keep focusing on obtaining the Holy Grail, making sure that I regret nothing I do along the way.



We finally filled out Tamamo's Matrix!



It gives us her second Detail entry.




This is the link Nasu used to tie Tamamo to Amaterasu. The entire Tamamo-no-Mae legend has ties to the Dakini. (In fact, Dakinis were described by Gautama Buddha as the offspring of King Kalmashapada, the same king Lady Kayo corrupted) An offshoot sect of Shingon Buddhism, known as Tachikawa-ryu (which was created by Ninkan, a monk who tried to kill Emperor Toba, the same emperor in Tamamo's tale), worshipped the Dakini, Amaterasu, and the Buddha Vairocana (who has ties to the Dakini, convincing them to stop being horrifying flesh eating monsters) as a single entity. Therefore, Tamamo = Dakini = Amaterasu.

Music: School II


Now, all of this seems straightforward, right?



Whitewash the obvious waifu character so that they didn't actually do any of the bad shit in their past, that was all just baseless slander, right? Even her killing an army was just self-defense!



According to Moon Cell records, they've actually been an economic powerhouse since ancient times.

But if you pay attention, you'll notice that Tamamo's story has some... inconsistencies.



Your opponent is the Harway prince? I suppose that was inevitable.

If all she wants to be is a devoted wife, why does Tamamo have such a wild sadistic streak?



Why didn't she say a word about the Sesshouseki, which we know is stuffed with her curses because she's been hitting people with the damn thing for Land of Eternal Bane?



Why does this CG, which shows her after being run out of the palace, only show her with a single tail, when her own Matrix info confirms that she had a full set of nine?



And most puzzlingly...


If Tamamo reacted so violently to being compared to Daji...


Then why does she explictly call herself a Chinese fox?


And why is Tamamo-no-Mae, a Japanese Servant, referencing China's imperial tomb? As the very first thing she says to us, no less!

This is the brilliance of Tamamo's character. She's so petrified of someone finding out just how deep this goes that she wraps herself in layer upon layer of deception to try and keep it hidden. We started picking at one layer, so she gladly reveals it, leaving Hakuno and the player happy that she came clean, while Tamamo is relieved that we've only scratched the surface.

Of course, all of those questions will go unanswered in this game. We'll have to wait a while longer to dig deeper into her past.



With that all out of the way, let's go talk to Rani.

Music: Down to Dawn






—Sorry, I hope I wasn't intruding. When I apologize for interrupting her meditative state, she smiles reassuringly.



What were you thinking about?

Rani's upraised eyes cloud over, as if her brain is processing some unpleasant conclusion. When she answers me, she's sullen.

~

I'm so glad to see your smile.

I suppose it might look that way. If so, then you're the cause, Hakuno. I'm an instrument of Atlas. I've never had any purpose outside of carrying out their mission.

Rani is here in the first place because of the Atlas Institute, but surely the bonds holding her to it have been loosened.

However... I can no longer do their bidding.

~~



Since Atlas's founding, alchemists have envisioned ways to prevent humanity's self-destruction. Though every thought experiment ends in humanity's annihilation, they continue their research. I do not know the manner in which my professor believes humanity will perish. I do not know whether the Moon Cell is the trigger or the panacea that will stem the destruction.



Again, the Moon Cell should have stopped that cold.

I have been greatly thwarted, but I can at least keep the Harways from attaining the Holy Grail. I have never been anything but a sacrifice. That is my function.

Rani speaks indifferently, but I find her choice of words to be disconcerting. What does she mean by...function? She told me that she was "made," but I don't know the details. I'm pretty sure she doesn't mean someone who was simply "taught all she knows" by Atlas.



I am the results of an alchemist's thaumaturgy, of practices slipping into the sands of time. I am not a bearer of human life like Rin Tohsaka... or the other Masters.

Even though she thinks of herself as an instrument, when I look at her, I see a slightly eccentric, but normal, girl. On the surface, maybe she's just a doll sent to carry out a task.



You filled this empty vessel with your hopes.

That is why I wish to live, and see this mission through.



Those aren't the sentiments of a homunculus, but of a human heart. She's no longer beholden to the whims of the Institute, but to her own heart. I'll honor her resolve with renewed efforts of my own to win this war.

Music: School II


Because... I want to leave this place with you.



Taiga turns up now that the second floor is open.



If it's the last one, sure.

I know I've been making you work really hard, but this is the final one. Honest. I have a feeling that somewhere in the Arena is an "object that grants wishes." If you go and get it for me, I promise I will leave you alone. Really, no more requests, ever! You can find it today only on the Arena's second floor. Could you please go get it for me now?



or Silver Anklet will allow you to use code casts that can greatly improve your Servant's abilities. They're far more powerful than any of the Mystic Codes sold here. Be sure to equip one posthaste.

Tamamo hasn't suffered enough, so no.



And the would-be king finally puts in an appearance.

Next time: We get a breath of fresh air.