Part 18: Update XVII - Wish

Update XVII - Wish



Music: Duel of Fate




That's definitely Leo giving the refined greeting. Leo's Servant is at his usual post behind Leo, looming there like a silver shadow.

...

Gawain preserves his silence. So the next voice is not his, but that of a man near Leo.





I am a novice to the battlefield, but my family decided that I was to be the one to go. It's an embarrassing confession to make to such a seasoned knight.

Which really sells just how above Leo is compared to us common rabble. No experience in actual combat, yet he still flaunts his Servant as if the knowledge would make no difference in the outcome.

The almighty Grail... The Holy Grail is to be yours?

Of course. We Harways must have it under our control, especially if its guardianship is vacant. Something so divine does not belong in the hands of a normal man, but in the embrace of a king. This Holy Grail War is annoying, but what can you do?

A question comes to mind. We've heard a lot about the Harways, and they're clearly a major powerhouse in the world, big enough to have an honest-to-God king ruling their territory. But, then, why do they have to play by the rules to get the Grail, instead of just securing the system by force in the real world? Where is the SE.RA.PH, and who could possibly run such a powerful machine?

You speak of the divine right of kings. Yes, I can see that's where you're coming from.

Leo's talking to my opponent in the second round, Dan. They know of each other, but it seems like they've never met. Like they're both celebrities...



Oh no, I feel unsuitably roused. To think that at this age I would see the honor in questing for the Holy Grail!

Of course the Holy Grail is real. To your country most of all.

Dan's British, if his name and bearing didn't tip you off.

Ohhh? And how have you arrived at that conclusion?



The fact that a man of your rank has been dispatched is proof that the Grail is real.

If Dan got a more honorable Servant, or if he agreed with his Servant's methods, we'd be dead, end of discussion.

What are you saying, young king? I am just an old soldier. The Queen could not spare a young life for this battle royale, hence I was called upon.

You're close to the Queen, so you must have heard her displeasure at a certain allied organization.

Well, the Queen's intentions do not reach a simple soldier's ears.

Ah, I see. I beg your pardon.



As you wish.

After bidding farewell to Dan, Leo notices me and stops.



I had heard you passed the first round. Congratulations. Are you ready for the second round? I'd wish you luck, but... It's strange. The black knight's lance has splintered. No, perhaps he has exchanged it for a sword. If his conviction is no longer what it used to be, then perhaps...you have a genuine shot at victory.

Senpai noticed us!

Leo doesn't elaborate any further before leaving. Dan also left while I wasn't paying any attention. What the heck were they talking about in the first place...? The harder I try to understand, the less of it makes sense. All I really grasped was that they both really want the Holy Grail. I don't believe there's some magic dream-granting cup out there. But if they're both convinced...

Hakuno, your soul is currently inside a system so advanced it can kill anyone who enters. Magic is an established thing, Rin even told you when explaining the origins of Wizards. You're partnered with a fox girl that's trying to marry you. Drop the skeptic act.



Music: School IV


Why don't we go to the Arena? Once we perfect our attacks, we'll show him what's what!

Caster's right. If I don't get my abilities up to par, I won't have a chance at winning.





I'd fight all out.

Hahaha, right back at you... I'll still wish you the best.

~

Don't even say that.

...Let's just hope we don't get paired, then.

~~

Win or lose... Live or die... In other words, I have to kill my opponent to stay alive. Instead of feeling proud that I won, I only feel disgust.



I have to find out more about it right away...

~

Oh, it's you, Hakuno. It seems that people have started forming alliances. Me? I do my own thing. Always have, always will.



I would gladly follow you into the very depths of yomi, Master!

Caster's generic chat for the week.



Oops, except the black shirts said we'd get penalized. Otherwise, who cares about a fair fight?

Music: Duel of Fate


Oh hey, the girl that tried to blow up the school in the prologue has finally joined the plot.

The same mechanical expression and speech. Who, or what, could this girl possibly be?

I believe that this is our first time to actually converse like normal people, is it not?



And she has a name!

I've seen this beautiful, exotic girl many times before. This is the first time we've spoken. To hear real emotion in her voice is a relief. It's nice to speak with a fellow human being.

I've been scanning the stars for clues about you. Unlike the other Masters, you are an enigma. So I wish to ask you directly, and please answer honestly, this question: What are you?



Huh?

Hakuno Kishinami, second-year student of Tsukumihara Academy. That's all I am- No, that can't be right. The school is just a setting for the preliminaries— So what...am I?

~

Hakuno, a second-year student.

I was afraid that's how you'd respond. Your answer is, of course, incorrect.

Huh. That wasn't what I meant. I wanted to say something else, but that's what came out, almost like a Pavlovian response. The look of disappointment that the girl named Rani gave me was actually physically painful.

~~

So you will hide your identity? Even after exposing yourself to Blackmore's Servant yesterday?

—Someone saw me?! There shouldn't have been anyone else there besides me and my opponent.



I did not watch your battle. I am simply relaying what it is the stars say about you. I'm looking for the newborn chick my professor spoke of. The stars have aided me in that task. I am not sure if you are who I seek, but...

Maybe she's an astrologer, but I don't really understand her. She seems...mostly harmless, though.

I must study the heavens further. But I must ask you to tell me more of Blackmore's star. It may seem like I'm asking for a lot, but the knowledge revealed will benefit you, I think. And as per Atlas, I wish to show you the true value of knowledge and will share my findings. I'll use you, and you'll use me. ...What do you think? Will you accept my request?

But... we're in a computer system???

Is the SE.RA.PH so powerful it can accurately replicate the very stars?

The Atlas Institute is a known organization in the Nasuverse, but didn't have much of a role in Stay Night. Instead, it has appeared mostly in the Melty Blood fighting games for Tsukihime. They're an organization of alchemists that have an alarming tendency to drive themselves mad trying to stop the end of the world.



You discovered me on your own?

In addition to investigating Dan, it seems she already knows all about me...a terrifying thought.

Information is everything in this war. Of course our enemies are trying to learn about us! I don't know what they've learned so far, but while I'm here they could attack at any time!

The second choice just skips to here.

I apologize. But to understand my professor's words, I must first understand humanity. This is what he said: As a doll, you must find someone who is truly alive and observe them. I believe that he wants me to find out, by watching humans, what it means to be alive. I don't know if you are the one, but perhaps...your star will shine apart from the others. I must...observe other people. You, and Blackmore as well. That is why I need your help. Please bring me a relic of his. I will be waiting at the far end of the third floor hallway. When you come to see me, we will gaze into the heavens together. I'm sure you see the value in learning what Blackmore's star will have to say, right? The best time to read his star will come in three days. Please find a relic of his by then.

A small note: This professor Rani is talking about is actually a woman. This isn't a translation fuckup either, even the original JP script refers to them as a man. It isn't a hidden plot detail like King Arthur being a woman, just the writers not having all these minor things hammered out. Just something to keep in the back of your head.

With a final "Until we meet again," she gives me a last smile before turning her attention back to the sky outside the window. A girl of many mysteries. And oddly enough...I couldn't detect any animosity from her. If it'll help me learn about Dan, I'll be sure to find something and bring it to the third floor.



So, stop talking to me. Consorting with an enemy will dull my blade.



A book has popped up in the library, naturally.



Are you going to pair up?

~

Have you noticed that there are three types of treasure containers in the Arena? The blue ones have regular items, red ones have rare items, and green ones contain cipher keys. While not really earth-shattering information, it is something to keep in mind.



Just select the Item option. Use ■ to switch between the item's description and status effects.



Any Master who breaks the rules will be penalized by having their abilities temporarily limited.



Can you bring them on the fifth day— a day when many stars will show themselves?



Um , yeah...having said that? Don't talk to me anymore.



Of course.

Well, a persimmon that a friend gave me as a gift somehow got sent to the Arena by mistake. ...But I don't know whose Arena it was sent to. So I'm throwing up the Taiga Signal to all students... So, do you think you could help me out by searching your Arena? It'll be two days before it gets reported as a system error, so please get it before then!



I don't know about you, but I can never decide whether I should use an item or a code cast...

~

...







Like, what will you actually receive should you claim final victory in the Holy Grail War.

Music: School III


Cashing in my SP gets Caster a new skill and a rank in Defense. We're also just three levels off from another Curse skill!







Charm - Spirit Theft is a godsend, finally giving us a way to recover Servant MP.

Music: School IV


It will restore your mental acuity. If you use Code Cast frequently, be sure to buy some.

That's just mean, game.

~

Everyone seems a little subdued. After the first round, I guess reality is starting to set in. Seeing as I probably can't do anything to help, I'll just eat now, for tomorrow we may die.

Do you even need to eat in a virtual world?



Just to rub salt in the wound, things sell for 25% of their purchase price.

There was a chest with 1000 PPT in it just last week.



Alright, let's go find some stuff for Rani.

Music: First Chimeric Lunar Sea - First Floor


The preview shows a shiny by where the tree was.



*Giggle* Foxes have good noses for this sort of thing. I'll be sure to sniff out a clue!

The first place I should search is where that troublesome tree was.

Music: Battle - First Chimeric Lunar Sea


Let's take a moment to try out Caster's new skill.



Buff skills mean you aren't able to attack on that turn, so using it against an Attack or a Break gives the enemy a free hit against you.

Saber or Archer would have to eat the hits, or wait for a Guard to show up and use it then, while Caster can use a Curse to give herself a safe turn to buff up.





Spirit Taker is a very, very good skill, lasting for three turns and giving Caster 10% of Break damage as MP. This lets it scale throughout the game and give you more and more MP on each Break.

This is the second reason I've been pumping Caster's Strength so much. Right now, she needs two Breaks to break (heh) even on the cost of Spirit Taker. Once she hits 200 damage a hit, she'll break even in one, and any other Breaks for the buff's duration is free MP. And if she can hit 300 damage, she'll get back the cost of a Curse with every hit! This will let me chain Curse into Break into Curse for effectively 0 MP, minus 50 MP for the initial Curse -> Charm, chain stunning enemies forever.

Music: First Chimeric Lunar Sea - First Floor


Our first stop is where the yew tree was.





The source of the barrier, the remains of the arrow. The arrowhead in my hands looks antique.



There may be something more. I should keep searching.



Taiga's sidequest item has popped up in the center room.



So now we're set until the second half of the week.



The second is just off by the exit.





There may be something more. I should keep searching.



After stumbling around for another shiny, I find out that I'm completely blind!



The last was in this corner all along. I even cleared out the Fishbites earlier for more EXP and never noticed a thing!





I've found everything.

We've found three arrow-related things, yet we don't get any info from them. Not even an Archer? tag for Dan's Servant like we got with Drake.



Clearing out the Fishbites nets a level before we leave,



For once, I pop a Return Crystal just to save some time.



Music: School III


The first floor has been completely cleared out, so now we just have to wait for the second floor to open.

We'll also have to go one level above the target in order to get that last Curse skill for the Elimination Battle.



Music: None


Hmm, I wonder what the odds are on the sneaky asshole who already tried to kill us against orders trying to kill us against orders a second time?



Er, this isn't such a forgiving fight that you can just break off friendships and fix them later.

~

I feel like if I think about it too hard, next time I'm going to be the one who doesn't advance. Why did I enter a game like this? Even if I win, I'll be scarred for life.

You can always wish to forget everything and render the whole thing a senseless waste of life!



~

Your opponent is Sir Dan Blackmore? Well, Hakuno, fate just flushed you down the toilet. I ran into him outside the chapel. He's intimidating. Glad he's yours and not mine.



~

I went to the Nurse's Office just now, and couldn't help noticing the first floor is deserted. Is everyone in the Arena?



~

Do you heed your Servant's opinions in the Arena? Your Servant is always measuring whether upcoming conditions are dangerous for you.



I'm going to start whining endlessly about my boyfriend. Use ▲ to ignore me, okay?



*Ahem* Anyways, seriously, I totally can't believe this! Yesterday, I texted my boyfriend like a dozen times and he didn't respond even ONCE! Naturally I was worried he fell down a well or something so I hunted him down, and guess what? He was with some impudent strumpet! Can you believe that happy crappy?! CAN YOU?! When we first started going out, he was all "I love you" and "I'd cheerfully kill for you"... He even said things like "I dig the superfluous third nipple" and "Your Barney undies are sweet!" Now, all he does is steal money from my purse. And he keeps farting around me! And he never texts me anymore! I sent him 100 texts one day and he never responded! And when he does deign to answer my calls, he's always busy! Busy?! Doing WHAT?! I mean, who in the hell does he think he is?! He works as a pet groomer for god's sake! I just want it to be like it was when we first met. You know, flowers, candy, party clowns...!





By pressing ■ you can review any conversation you've just had... But don't do that now...okay?

So, uh... Is she just spouting bullshit, or do the NPCs have some wild lives when all the Masters are out killing each other?



To run to a place where the enemy will have an advantage is sheer idiocy.



This is sufficient. Next we will view the stars on the fifth day, when there will be many visible.



It would be a huge upset if you won, because it's almost certain you'll lose this time.



As you might expect, going to 1F starts a cutscene. However, I can use Fast Travel to skip past it entirely and visit the store and the church without setting it off.



It will allow you to cure your Servant of any status ailments. Who knows, there may come a time when having this ability available will save your life.



I buy the Aromatic Wood.



Spend my SP.



And get ready to face the inevitable ambush.

Next time: Zigging, zagging, and out of bounds.