Part 94: Update LXXX - Familiar kid

Update LXXX - Familiar kid

This update covers the events of Update XXIV to XXVI.

Music: Duel - Unauthorized Battle


The first time around, the Jabberwock absolutely slaughtered Tamamo. Between its ludicrous stats, five digit HP on Week 3, and using nothing but counter commands, defeating it fairly without the Vorpal Blade is straight out impossible.



So this time, I'm not fighting fairly.



Even though revealing commands breaks counter moves, it still has sky high defense.

Nero's normals deal several hundred damage to normal enemies, for comparison.



I end up using Nero's Attack buff to try and shave some time off.



Much better.



Several minutes of emulator speedup later, and the Jabberwock is finally down to critical HP.



A few more turns reveals his HP counter.

That looks like around 10% of his meter, so it's safe to say that the Jabberwock has 99999 HP.

Savior had 34K, for comparison.



All in all, this fight took five full minutes.

With emulator speedup.





But unlike the early kill on Drake, or winning the unwinnable fight against Li, we actually get drops for this!

Music: First Chimeric Lunar Sea - First Floor




And the game acknowledges our win!

Which is really strange, since there is no physical way to win this without cheats. Even Li had a theoretically possible way for Tamamo to win if command RNG lined up perfectly.



Note the wording here:



The Jabberwock 'ran away,' rather than died.



It'll show up here tomorrow just like normal, just so we have a reason to go do the chain of deals for the Vorpal Blade.



That way there's no chance to miss info and break the logic of later scenes.





Strangely, we still get the Berserker? tag here, even though it hasn't been mentioned.



But, such unbridled animosity— Was that a Berserker? I certainly hope it is not.

Oh there we go, they just jumped the gun a bit.

My Servant's words jolt me out of my daze. But, there were two Alices— What's going on? Then that horrible monster... Could it have been those little girls' Servant...?



We got the cipher key. The Berserker was troublesome. I am relieved the key is now ours.







Even though we were able to repel it once, that Servant is a formidable foe. Remain vigilant.





Music: School IV




Hi Twice!

See you at the literal end of the game!





We should also strive to find out more about that Berserker.

That's a good idea. I should find out if that thing Alice sunmoned is even a real Berserker. And until I figure out if those girls are twins or not I have no idea how our battle will unfold. First of all, should I hunt down Alice, or should I find someone who might know more about her? For the time being, I think I'll take Saber's advice and be a bit more cautious than usual.



Nero has hit A rank Strength in Week 3...

It's... beautiful...







*Chuckle* Observe, child. I will see through to what you really are.

For all of the dire warnings, Saber seems really...enthusiastic about this, but I can see why. Hide and seek, huh? She'll be hiding somewhere on campus. I'd better go look for her.



I go find her and do the whole Vorpal Blade thing.

Music: First Chimeric Lunar Sea - First Floor






Gain a level on the way over.



And there it is, none the worse for wear.



As the enemy Servant writhes in anguish, his aura shrinks rapidly.



I doubted that girl, but she steered us straight. It's quite the powerful magic tool. We can defeat that Servant now!



Turns out that the Jabberwock has a stun effect on Attack.



Who knew?



It still dies.



Hilariously, it counts as a normal enemy and gives info over multiple kills.





No matter. At least we will now be able to obtain the cipher keys.

We got the trigger yesterday, Nero, try to keep up.











Hakuno is confused about Alice.





Run into the twins on 1F.



And go get a new Skill.





Nero's new Artillery Applause is... Veil of Petals, but more!

Nero has one more offensive skill after this, and spoiler alert: it hits the enemy even harder and costs even more MP.



Shame there aren't any enemies to test it out on today.



Music: Fear


Alice sets up the Nameless Forest.



At Alice's tea party, no one can remember their names. Not even Yamada or Suzuki. You won't be able to remember anybody's names. You'll see in a minute, mister.

Nuh-uh. It goes like this: first you forget your name and then you forget who you are and then— The end! And you won't have to be a Master anymore!

Isn't it fun?!

All right, let's all play tag now. You're "It", mister!

Are you ready? Ready, set, go!





We must pursue those children! We'll need to catch them if we want them to remove the Reality Marble! No matter how far they run, they'll be ours once we corner them into a dead end.



*Giggle*

Gah! Keep moving forward!

And we start chasing.

Catching up to them is easy, now that we know what route they take.



Hit the first spot.





No you don't.

Rally yourself, Praetor! Do not let their wiles fool you!



After them! Those children cannot be permitted to escape!



Something strange happens here. I get close enough to make the Alices teleport ahead near the second scene.



But I get there before they could reappear.



Which caused them to instantly reappear as the cutscene started.

Interestingly, they snapped back into view doing their running animation, rather than standing still. I wonder if they aren't really teleporting, and are instead just cloaked and have their movement speed silently boosted so they could gain a lead.





Foiled again!

How wretched! If you children do not cease this ruthless play and restore my Master's body, I shall slay you!



Gah! They escaped again! I no longer have any mercy for them. The next time I see them shall be the last.



And the last spot.









I know I gotta leave! Jeez, you don't have to tell me that, whoever you are. ...? Whazzat on the ground?



Dunno, I'll just pick it up and look at it later. Cuz I gotta get back to the s-s-school building now.





But, our smallish opponent dropped something when she left the Arena. Praetor, you should investigate it first thing in the morning.

Music: School III


Next time: Nero Claudius annihilates a small child.