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Literally all of this happening at once means that if anything does break bad, the knights won't be able to offer decent emotional support like they have in the past because they will also be freaking out and/or fighting each other in real life.
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Dec 11, 2019 19:50
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The other possibility is things go fine and then next time they're sent to fight each other.
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Dec 12, 2019 05:14
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PetraCore posted:The other possibility is things go fine and then next time they're sent to fight each other. This is my bet. Introduce a bit of hope, and then send it all crashing down.
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Dec 12, 2019 09:06
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Cyouni posted:This is my bet. Introduce a bit of hope, and then send it all crashing down.
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Dec 12, 2019 19:25
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I really love how R07 is using the Selcom as a narrative device to have all kinds of side conversations and shifts in perspective. It plays to his strengths as a writer and it’s just cool and stylish and dynamic in a way that Umineko really wasn’t until well into the story. It’s such a relief that he wrote a new WTC that absolutely lives up to the richness and depth of the last (though we’ll see if it hits the high mark of EP7). And that’s without knowing how many of these scenes we’ll later see as insanely obvious foreshadowing! That said, while I haven’t really seen any chatter to this effect, I feel like Ciconia is begging to be animated. Umineko is beautifully voice acted and it is literally criminal that no real creative effort was made to adapt it for the anime, but I think Ciconia, thus far, feels very ready for the screen.
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Dec 13, 2019 07:54
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 BGM: Genius Children   "Idiot, don't shoot their fuel tanks! What if someone gets caught in the explosion?!" "Don't worry, there wasn't anyone around, I checked! Yahooo!!" "Calm down, dumbass! Look at how dark it is. They can't see us in the night sky. Stay calm and accurately shoot through the enemy's weaknesses!" If it didn't matter how many casualties they created, they could have ended everything before anyone noticed, launching an all-out attack with small, highly maneuverable missiles. However, Miyao and the others chose not to do that. They closed in to a distance of several dozen meters, accurately sniping just the vital components of the anti-aircraft vehicles. The weapons they had chosen for this attack were anti-materiel rifles loaded with super high density shells. These had been tested for use as infantry anti-tank weapons, which could pierce almost any sort of armor. However, their power dropped off greatly with distance, so in order to use them against enemies that required their use, infantrymen would have to get so close that these weapons were considered about as useful as bamboo spears. However, Gauntlet Knights didn't have that problem. The invincible Rejection Shield made it possible for them to easily approach any sort of enemy...!  COU Colonel: "Wh-Wh-What in the world?! O-Our shells aren't working?!?!" COU Officer: "F-Fall back, fall back!! They're Gauntlets!! Don't tell me they're really using them in actual combat...?!!!"    After destroying all their targets, the Warcats flew up into the night sky and looked down. They faded into the sky's darkness, so the COU troops couldn't see them at all. They continued to fire blindly into the sky, but even that gradually faded. "This is the Warcats! We've disabled all four vehicles!"Command Center: "We're monitoring you here... That was a rapid and splendid achievement. Overwhelming, in fact. Did you take any damage at all...?!"  "All Warcats are in prime condition!"Even the command center had only half-believed in the Aerial Augmented Infantry when sending them into the fight. In part, this had been forced as a result of political pressure. Nearly everyone in the command center had assumed that Gauntlet Knights only had power in VR... Command Center: "Roger that, Warcats! Our fighter squadrons are about to launch a missile strike, so pull out of there!"  "Roger that. Warcats, return to base!" COU Officer: "Gauntlet Knights... So, they aren't just fairy tales that exist only in simulators...? Seriously? That's... not fair... Ninjas flying in the sky with barriers...? What are we supposed to do about those...?" Only the anti-aircraft vehicles had been neatly destroyed. There was nothing left to do here but get caught up in the subsequent bombing raid. They had to retreat right away. And yet, the soldiers who had been left behind just stared stunned at the sky, lit by the burning anti-aircraft vehicles... In that sky, they could see the glint of several softly glowing angel feathers...  ABN Soldier: "They're too close!! Have you ever heard of an automated fire control system that could take on humans flying close enough to engage in hand-to-hand combat?!?!" Everyone knew the word 'Gauntlet Knight'. They had even seen them at the Battle Standard Festival, and they often appeared in games, so they were at least as well known as UFOs or Nessie. However, to think that they actually did exist...and were actually capable of taking part in a real fight!    "Our allies haven't taken any losses, yes? And the same goes for our enemies?" "Of course. Some of the soldiers have given up on shooting, instead focusing their efforts on filming us." "What a lack of tension for a war zone. The Rejection Shield truly is terrifying." "We truly are game changers." "Starting today, all existing military might will lose its meaning." "To think that the few of us would come to be synonymous with military might. Heheh, I'm not sure if that's wonderful or terrifying." In the modern battlefield, no matter what sort of hero you are, a single stray bullet can kill you if you aren't careful. However, that law of the battlefield didn't even apply to Gauntlet Knights. Calmly looking down on a war zone from above is a sort of gravitas allowed only to the rulers of a battlefield. "Let's destroy the eighth and withdraw. I'll take care of the final one." "Heheheh, hold on a second, Princess. You know, there's someone who's been waiting aaall day, eager to look cool in front of you. Right?" "Wh-Wh-Why are you looking at me?! I-I-I do not find this amus-amus-amus-" "I see. After all, this is the final act of our very first sortie. Of course you'd want to finish it off looking incredibly cool!" "Momotake! Please end this with that finishing move you're so proud of!" "Good for you, you get a chance to shine. Heheh, now you finally get to say the name we thought up together for that cool finishing move of yours." "What do you mean, a name? I want to hear it, Momotake!" "I-I-I have n-n-no idea what she's talking about...!"With a confusing expression that might have been a blush and might have been sulking, Momotake flew over to the final mining machine. He stopped in mid air in front of the shaft of the rugged mining machine, which extended dozens of meters into the air, and took a pose like an iai master. Then, he focused his mind... "I wonder what kind of cool name he gave that cool finishing move!" "Heheheheheh. Now then, Momotake, time to go all out...! Summon the wind! When the storm arrives and you cry out, the thunderous blade will growl at the unforgivable shadow of evil!! The time has come for your finishing move, the...!!!" "The time has come for your finishing move, the...!!!"Even though he had finally thought up a cool pose and move name with Aysha's help... Momotake's face went red, his mind went blank, and he froze... "What sort of cool name could it be?! This is Momotake, so I'm sure it'll be really, really cool!! Good luck, Momotake!!" (Heheheh, come on, Momotake, you can do it! I helped you practice for so long, so please make it cool!!) "Now, Momotake!! It's time for your finishing move, the...!!!" "Secret Technique, Ki..." "?" Aysha: "G-Give me back the 20 hours I spent helping you practiiiiiiiice!!" Moaning as though something was caught in his throat, he unleashed it. However, everyone who saw it probably also felt like something was caught in their throats. And that thing was... astonishment. It was shock!   When Momotake did an iai slash, he didn't have any sort of blade in his hands. This was a specialized weapon that no Gauntlet Knight anywhere else in the world could use, the dimensional vibration blade. That invisible weapon, which turned the gaps between dimensions into a blade by utilizing Dimension Container technology, could theoretically slice through any substance. Of course, it took an insane amount of energy to use, making it a trump card that couldn't be shown off often.  Aysha: (You screwed up your line agaaaaaaaaain! Don't turn red, that just makes it more obvious!) Lingji: "Momotake, that was so cool!! Though, I didn't quite catch the move name..."  BGM: Sakusen Kaigi Command Center Radio: "This is the command center calling Thalathat Suyuf. The situation has changed. 17 minutes ago, the refugee camp was attacked by the ACR military, and the target you're supposed to defend was abducted. Thalathat Suyuf's mission has been altered. Begin an air-to-ground retrieval operation to secure the target."  "Wow! It's just the kind of divebomb strategy I'm best at!" "...If the target's on foot, that will be fine, but..."Pictures of the target's face and pieces of information about their physique were shown on their mental displays one after another. Also, it told them that he had a miniature military tracking device on him, and that they would be able to get his exact location if they could get close enough. Command Center Radio: "The target has been put inside a military vehicle and is travelling towards an airforce base at 70 km/h. They probably intend to transport him by air from there. Naturally, the situation will grow worse the closer he gets to that base."  "Thalathat Suyuf reads you. We'll immediately catch up to the convoy and secure the target from the air."Command Center Radio: "Good luck, and may God go with you."  "Still, we really are lucky! Good thing the target has a tracking device on him." "...Why would a Leader of Peace from a refugee camp have an ABN Combined Military emergency tracker?" "Someone at the ABN base must've given it to him as a good luck charm, in case he got in trouble. Wow!" "Let's just assume Naima is right. Time to clean up after the Guidance Department."  Captain: "I'm glad you understand, Your Highness. We're guardians of peace, just like you. I doubt either of us would give up on supporting the Walls of Peace from both sides."  "Then what will you do? Will you continue on into the region of the Atlantis Spirit Field and stare down the Atlantis Fleet? That situation would be so volatile, anything might happen."Neither fleet wanted to fight. However, if they were close enough to glare at each other, all sorts of mistakes might be made. If there were war hawks in the upper ranks, there might also be war hawks mixed in throughout the fleets, and it was possible that they would overreact or pretend to move by mistake, trying to trigger an accidental conflict. If Rethabile and the others could use the time bought by this tense staredown to let the politicians cool their heads and negotiate, they might be able to resolve this peacefully... However, negotiating is like playing poker, using your ability to escalate tensions as your chips. Negotiating in a situation that's already extremely volatile is like playing without any chips. And if someone doesn't pay up, both sides will have to fight. Slowly, cautiously, and for the sake of resolving this peacefully, both fleets would have to put as much distance between each other as possible.   "I understand. In that case, if I see to it that you return to port anyway, I will merely have resolved this issue in a way that only a soldier can."Captain: "...Do you think your prized Aerial Augmented Infantry is a match for the Atlantic Fleet, the pride of the AOU?"  "Take a defensive posture. In a few minutes, my kette will advance into the range of your radar. There's no need for warning shots! Attack us with everything you have. We're about to prove that the power of the Aerial Knights extends beyond the virtual reality of the Battle Standard Festival. We'll use it make you return to port! I pray for your safety. Transmission over!" The fleet that ruled the Atlantic, commanded by an attack-specialized carrier and containing several Aegis-equipped warships, would be challenged by just three kids flying through the air...? Captain: "Set condition 1 throughout the battle group and prepare for anti-air defense. Scramble fighters. All ships ready anti-swarm tactics equipment. This will be the first anti-Aerial Augmented Infantry battle in the history of the world. All troops, don't let your guards down. Our enemies aren't just virtual images that slipped out of some video game..." Because they were from a virtual sport, because they were from a game, it was easy to accept that they could fly freely through the sky and had shields that could withstand any attack. But... what if they really existed, and actually were invincible knights who could fly, and actually were capable of fighting on the same level as a fleet...? Even on the bridge, there were quite a few people who had played Gauntlet Knight video games. ...Would those really... truly... be attacking them...? 
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Dec 13, 2019 14:40
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No matter what happens We have got The Gauntlet Knights And they have not.
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Dec 14, 2019 00:09
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I used to think that this game's focus on generational conflict was a bit of a strange choice, considering other political circumstances... But, well, you know... https://twitter.com/MalkyDungeon/status/1205557763750977536
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Dec 14, 2019 17:38
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   Announcer: "To all travelers, welcome to the harmony and culture of the Abrahamic Brother Nations, the ABN. We welcome you all to the Saint Florian International Airport. To all travelers, welcome to the harmony and culture of the..." News: "Today, AOU Japan announced that it has taken military action against the anti-aircraft base being constructed by COU Japan on the Glass Sea of Japan." News Bulletin: "<Breaking News> The COU Combined Military has attacked the ABN Pakistan military guarding the Kashmir Spirit Field-" The Glass Sea of Japan was on the other side of the world. Whether spears or missiles were raining down there, it had nothing to do with the people here. However, if their own faction had been attacked, even if it was at the far end of it, that was a different matter. The news bulletin made crowds of travelers stop in their tracks, apparently focusing on the news monitor or their mental displays.  BGM: Warudakumi  "He has, thanks for asking. We're caught up in Gauntlet Knight fever over here. It looks like they'll be handing out the first Medal of Honor since the last war." "Congratulations. I'm sure Miyao worked hard to destroy only the targets, without causing any deaths." "At least he thinks he did. I hope he's not so naive that he really thinks that was enough to stop a war." "...Nah, he probably does think that. Yeah, of course he does, definitely. He acts the way I expect so much, it's just adorable. When he was 4, he had a bunch of toy cars sitting out, so I told him to clean them up. And reluctantly, with a seriously upset face... Heheheheh, and after that, he... Dang if he isn't so cute♪" "Heeey, Earth to Toujirou. I get that your son is cute, okay?" "Still, kids truly do believe that they're the main characters in the world, and that no pieces exist on the game board other than the ones they can see." "I really do think he's naive. However, I don't dislike that sort of attitude. I mean it." "Of course. After all, giving the people hope is a king's job." "You really are funny, Toujirou. I suppose you really can't be a jester without a good mind." "Still, the old always fall. It's always the young who defeat them, who last until the end. If defeat is unavoidable, it sure would be nice if Miyao was the young person to do it." "...Good for you. Looks like you're enjoying your fatherhood." "Oh, and if we're talking about what made Miyao so cute when he was little, when I was lying facedown, he'd crawl up onto my back. His hands were so teeny-tiny, aah, I don't even know how to describe it, hihihi-" "Oh, sorry. It's about time for me to start my job. I'm hanging up." "Ooh, pardon me. I just got lost in thought remembering things about my son." "...Still, you know there's no need for you to dirty your own hands, right?" "A Grand Master must interrogate traitors personally, passing judgment with their own hands. That's the responsibility left to the one who serves as Grand Master of our Order." "The one who ultimately signed off on welcoming that person into the Order was me, the Grand Master. I must bear responsibility for that. And besides, even if they're 99% guilty, it's still the Grand Master's role to believe in that 1% of innocence before checking personally. And, that last 1% mustn't be decided with electronic information or heavily pixelated video. People can measure each other's true intent only when they're face-to-face. I believe that's the only way to do it." "So then, I'll hang up. Please believe in his innocence." However, there were also hidden cameras everywhere, leaving no blind spots whatsoever. Seshat seemed less impressed by the furnishings and the number of hidden cameras... than by the artfulness with which they had been hidden. Right then, Seshat was walking through a section only P4 passholders could enter, commonly known as a VIP area. Only celebrities and business executives who didn't mind paying the 10,000 credit annual membership fee could set foot here. Though it was a place that only those extremely trusted by society could enter, Seshat was still being tracked by more than three cameras just walking through a corridor like this... Movement patterns from those images were constantly being monitored by AI, and if you did anything suspicious, it would immediately shift to a state of even higher surveillance. That AI shifted from its normal mode to a suspicious one. It was because Seshat had stopped walking in front of a door she didn't have permission to enter. Beyond that point was a set of rentable rooms that had been set up within the VIP area. The AI knew that Seshat didn't have an entrance pass, so it identified her stopping there as a suspicious act. The security camera shifted into a more precise mode, checking Seshat's actions in detail. After standing in front of the automatic door, which didn't open, Seshat raised her right hand. Then, a green, glowing tablet appeared out of thin air, so that her fingers were resting upon it.  The midair tablet would project an input device in midair if you just raised your hand, allowing you to enter commands just like tech that often appeared in A2W period sci-fi. These days, mental tablets were considered normal, but up until a half century ago, these had been more popular. However, manipulating something in empty space can be hard on your fingers, so the public reception of this tool was unexpectedly poor. Still, just like how the popularity of digital watches didn't eliminate all analog watches, these devices were still preferred by a few people with certain tastes or a playful attitude...   ...Lowering suspicion level. Lowering. Lowering. The lower threshold for identification as a suspicious individual has been passed. Switching observation back from suspicion mode to normal mode.  And I'll do you one better poyo! It's okay, you can observe her a bunch less than that poyo! As always, thanks for your hard work poyo! You are getting sleepy, very sleeepy... *snore*...Seshat's eyes met the security camera. The tagged info on Seshat within the security camera flickered for a second... and was then completely erased. It meant that the airport security AI no longer identified Seshat as an object.   Roger that poyo! That's true, Master! If we didn't do that, it'd look like you suddenly evaporated from an airport corridor poyo!The data collected on Seshat by the airport security system was erased retroactively. Of course, that wouldn't erase it optically. Only the records generated by the AI had been erased... However, Seshat's interference went even further than that.  Now searching for you in all video records throughout the airport and altering the video poyo. *kero*kero&ro*kero*kero. "Hmm? Was that a bit too much power for Keropoyo to handle? You can do it, outie frog." *kero*kero%ro*kro&roke&#*... Normally, it would've been impossible to interfere with the security system of an ABN international airport, as they were particularly well-equipped to deal with terrorism. And she had done it with a few causal taps on a midair tablet, almost as though she was adjusting a thermostat. Doing such a thing would require a massive amount of machine power. If Seshat was using a Selcom to do this, it meant she was using her own brain. That was impossible. To not only interfere with the airport's security system, but also remove her image from footage taken by hundreds of security cameras, literally erasing the fact that she had been there, was something a single human brain couldn't possibly do...  *kero*rokero*kero*kero*... Poyoo％ん! Process+ng com&let=d poyo! "Good work. I am satisfied. I'll turn off your app, so take it easy and defrag yourself or something." Than& )ou. It's a *leasu&e to se#ve po...yo...  BGM: Manshon no kabe o hashiru tokage In particular, the COU's attack was the world's first actual combat and major victory featuring only Gauntlet Knights, and the COU was releasing video after video, causing a stir around the world...  Suited Man: "They do exist, Your Excellency. A group trying to turn the clock back to zero, so they can restart the world and civilization. The World Reset Cult." A thin, old gentleman with sharp eyes said this with a mysterious gaze. Throughout all of history, all so-called elites have been enamoured -- at some point -- with the idea of thinning out an unsatisfactory 'foolish humanity', rebuilding it into a more wonderful civilization. World Reset Cults like this had often been used as evil masterminds in movies and novels, and though the concept was extremely well known, no one believed that they actually existed. After all, no one with enough influence and wealth to destroy the world would take the contradictory step of rendering all those resources useless... Suited Man: "This is the plan that 'they', the Three Kings, have written." A folder had been set on the table. It only seemed to have a few sheets of documents in it, but according to this man, the upcoming fate of the world was written there. In other words, it was a written prophecy that told of the world's destruction... Suited Man: "The only ones who can stop this plan...are the mediators of peace in the A3W world, the LATO International Peace Mediation Association."  "...In other words, you want us to bring about the A4W era...?" Suited Man: "Of the five factions that divide up the globe, only LATO can serve as the leader of the new order. That is our conclusion." In the A3W world, LATO was proud of its position as the world's police, the world's chairperson, the world's judge. And, by having a monopoly on Rare Spiritium, it had gained immense wealth, making its countries the richest on the planet. However, they hadn't been regarded as such in the B3W era. Even now, the way they had been viewed back then still lingered, and they were sensitive to the way some people muttered about their current prosperity, saying it was due solely to the fact that they were lucky enough to have huge amounts of Rare Spiritium in their backyard... So, if you suggested that they could become leaders of a new world order by fighting a massive cult planning a world war, it would probably make for an incredibly enticing prospect.   "They must be thinking the same thing. They say they brought something today that would convince us to believe, even in a story like that..."The young LATO Gauntlet Knights were there too, possibly as guards and possibly as secretaries...  "...Naturally, LATO will never abandon its duty to work towards world peace. However, the technology known as the Gauntlet has surpassed and broken down all the Walls of Peace and the common sense of the old era. Unless we have something that can surpass even that technology, I'm afraid it will be impossible, even for us, to prevent the war that's about to occur..."The news streaming on their mental displays made it clear that Gauntlet Knights weren't just things from video games, but superweapons that actually existed. Military commentators were saying quite clearly that this day -- the day on which all existing forms of military power had been rendered obsolete -- would be recorded in history as a major turning point. It was only natural. They could fly like fighter jets, be armed like carriers, withstand all attacks like tanks, and set foot anywhere like infantry, allowing them to invade any location. With its abundant military funding, LATO did indeed have a slight lead on Gauntlet development. However, it certainly wasn't an overwhelming one...  LATO Officer: "...What's that?" Suited Man: "This is called wisdom. Do you understand...?" LATO Officer: "No, I don't. Please explain." Seshat: "It means something that's beyond humanity's level."  BGM: Warudakumi Unlike the blankly staring officers, the suited men were shocked by Seshat's appearance, and their eyes went wide. Except for the thin, old gentleman seated at the table, that is... "The only people who enjoy calling this by the pompous name of 'wisdom' are insane. We simply refer to them by number."By now, the people guarding the LATO officers were starting to realize that she was an uninvited guest...  Suited Man: "If properly used, it's a splendid bit of wisdom that could be used to prevent a world war before it starts..." "I'm sorry. No offense to humanity, but I need this world war to proceed according to the plot."Suited Man: "Everyone, allow me to introduce you. This is a member of the World Reset Cult, Her Excellency Seshat, Grand Master of the Order of Prometheus. Though, I don't know her real name. She is also my superior officer." "Too bad, I did think you were a clever one. Did you really think you would be able to fool me?"Suited Man: "There was no time. This was the last chance to stop World War IV in its tracks."  "...Th-That's crazy! Do you really think you can destroy the world?!"  "You there! Do anything suspicious, and I'll show you no mercy!"The two of them used their Dimension Containers to instantly equip their Gauntlets. The other troops pulled out their guns and readied them. However, Seshat, who had all those guns pointed at her, and the suited man... didn't act as though these actions had any particular significance to them. "Mr. Gray, do you admit that you betrayed our Order?"The suited man called Gray answered immediately, without his calm smile faltering in the slightest. Gray: "Aren't you the one who betrayed our Order, Your Excellency?" "You think so?"Gray: "The Order of Prometheus's greatest goal is to protect wisdom and use it to save humanity when the time comes." "Yes, when the time comes."Gray: "The time has come. In the A3W world, where weapons of mass destruction have been eradicated and their power as deterrents has been lost, even the existing military forces that served as guardians of the Walls of Peace have now vanished. And, as the Three Kings have planned, the world is heading towards a final war. Now is the time. If we don't intervene, they truly will destroy the world."  "Except that the only one qualified to give that order is the Grand Master, me."Gray: "You are the one who betrayed the Order." "Mr. Gray, don't tell me you've forgotten. Don't you remember where our Order came from?"Gray: "...The Order of Prometheus began as a brother of the Ninth Prime Chivalric Order. Are you saying that, even though they went their separate ways, their goals and intentions remain the same...? What sophistry. You sold the pride of our Order to the Three Kings. You should admit that, Your Excellency."  "There, at least, we view things the same way. We both view each other as traitors. And then, you took my property without permission."Gray: "Wisdom is not something you personally own. It's a shared resource that was given to humanity." "Nope. No good. It's mine. I won't let you have it. Bleeeeh."Gray: "Your Excellency, on this day, I'll have you step down from your position as our Grand Master. Your Excellency, take her into custody." "Which Your Excellency are you talking to?" "O-Oh, me...?! This is so confusing! Aaah, capture her at once!" The thing that appeared in Maricarmen's hand and looked like a large handgun immediately spat fire. However, instead of a bullet, it fired multiple electrical discharges and sparks.  "That just rendered your Selcom inoperable. You can't call for friends or activate any funny apps now!"Selcoms were controlled by the brain. Simply restraining someone's body wouldn't truly rob them of their freedom to act. Law enforcement agencies in all countries were equipped with electric guns that could rapidly disable the Selcom of anyone they wanted to take into custody.  "Heheh, just put your hands up. There's nothing else you can do."Gray: "How unsightly. You must have several cards that you could use to negotiate with." "That's true. I've got plenty of them."Gray: "There are the other pieces of wisdom you possess, as well as the information and connections you have. If you want to use those cards most effectively, you should interact with us in an amicable manner."  "Bleeeeeh." "I think that's enough, Mr. Gray. You're guilty."  
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Dec 16, 2019 14:40
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 BGM: Genius Children Naima: "Wowowoooooooooooow!!!"  Common sense said that her kinetic energy should have wrapped the car in an immense explosion, but as a result of her intensive training, Naima was capable of killing her Gs and instantly stopping within a centimeter of her target. Then, Naima grasped the head of the target, who was still freaking out and unable to understand what was happening, and banged her forehead into his, staring into his eyes.  "His retina pattern matches! I've confirmed that he's the target! Wow!!" "Get out of there. We'll provide support." "Woooooow!!!" The handguns they pulled out were immediately knocked away by Naima's Rejection Shield. The next instant, Naima flew up into the air, carrying the target. Gauntlet Knights could withstand sudden acceleration thanks to their Anti-G 8MS, but that wouldn't work for their target. For that reason, she wouldn't be able to fly like a bullet, like she had on the way in. She had to slowly ascend like a kite dancing through the air.  The line of armored Humvees let loose with their mounted heavy machine guns, but of course, that meant nothing to a Gauntlet Knight. All of the bullets that rained on her were merely repelled, along with scattered feathers. Still, she had the target with her. There was absolutely nothing wrong with being extra safe. Just then, things like small fireworks exploded several times around her. They were smoke grenades used for providing cover, which Naomi had launched. Naima was immediately swallowed up by the thick, highly-opaque, black smoke.  "Don't let a little smoke screen stop you!! How can the military of the glorious ACR Royal Family let a captive be stolen back from them?!! Fire, fire, just shoot anythiiiiiiiing!!" From beyond the smoke screen, a horrifying burst of gunfire shot towards the line of cars, like a dragon licking the ground. Its source was a revolver cannon Stanisław had summoned. That weapon's rate of fire, which was created for the sake of fighter jets flying at each other at extreme speeds, was truly astonishing.  "Please don't hit them! Don't let any of our enemies or allies die! Miyao will get mad at us, wow!" "I understand. We just need to distract them."The fearsome rain of bullets, along with the dust it kicked up, had already thrown the line of vehicles into chaos. Now, it probably wouldn't even be possible for a stray bullet to graze them. By the time the smoke screen faded, Thalathat Suyuf had already escaped into a safe area.   "Give her a small dose of sedative. It looks like she's getting overexcited after performing that so beautifully." "Let her enjoy it a bit longer. After all, this is Thalathat Suyuf's first real fight, and our first victory." "Hmm. Unless she starts pulling stunts while holding the target, I suppose I'll watch over her for a while." "Miyao sent a message. It sounds like he was able to succeed in his mission without any casualties on either side." "If the COU news coverage can be believed, Lingji's group also succeeded in their mission without any casualties on either side." "We had a huge success too, woooooow! Lalalala, lalala♪" "Now, it's just Princess Rethabile left." "This is the Princess we're talking about. She's up against the AOU Atlantic fleet, but I doubt she'll screw it up." "Shutting down an AOU America carrier assault fleet without any casualties, huh? The world's going to change a lot after today." "That's soo right!! Those big-headed old soldiers' time is soo over! From now on, we young people are soo gonna be the sky's guardians of peace, the defenders of world peeeeeeeeace, woooooow!" "Naomi, I'll need you to do it after all." "Roger that. Okay, Naima, it's time for your meds." "Wow?!?! Wowowow... wheeeeeeeeew..." "Hmm. Rethabile sent a message to all the Public Bath members." "It's just a stamp."  "It looks like it was a big success on her end as well." "That settles it. On this day, the concept of military power has been completely altered." "The game has been changed." BGM: Advancing And in the distance behind them, a carrier fleet was disappearing beyond the horizon.  "Princess, even the Rejection Shield isn't invulnerable. I ask that you refrain from using such forceful methods next time." "There's no point craftily flying about and hiding. Sometimes, a ruler's fight must be straightforward to a fault." "You've got a point. You didn't even scratch the enemy ship, but their fighting spirit really did fold in half." "It wasn't just the Atlantic Fleet that folded. Today, the pride of old soldiers all across the planet must've folded too." "Heheheh. Today, the game has changed. We young Gauntlet Knights will take on the role of being the world's guardians of peace! And we'll cut down just the sprouts of war, without hurting anyone!" "...That Public Bath Oath of Miyao's might really stop the next world war from happening." "Still, I didn't think the Princess would be so moved by Miyao's naive words."  "Well, it definitely feels good. Now, no one's gonna call what we do an esport." "Now, if we can just change the story a bit so that it was the Princess who proposed our union of peace instead of Miyao, everyone's gonna love it." "Oooh, that's a great idea! It certainly would be nice if they thought I suggested that Public Bath Oath instead of Miyao. Wahahaha!" "...Oh...crap..." "What's wrong, all of a sudden?" "...Oh crap. Seriously, oh crap. I know we've just been flying away all nice and cheery, but we really, seriously just fought off a carrier fleet...!" "We didn't fight them off. They accepted a forward-looking present from the ACR Royal Family and triumphantly returned to their homeland!" "That's true enough. That certainly was a heartfelt Royal Family present."  "Wh-Wh-What's going on here?! Why did you pull back? Why did you retreat?! Why is the historic, invincible Atlantic Fleet of our heart's homeland turning tail and running from a fiiiiiight?!!!"Captain: "I've already sent the details to the command center. Have you not looked at the battle data yet, Your Excellency?" "I didn't look at that! Are you saying I'd be satisfied if I did?!!"Captain: "...Whether you're satisfied or not, it's a fact. We were unable to stop just three knights from the ACR Aerial Augmented Infantry. At the moment, we've accepted a gift from the ACR's Commonwealth King, and are now returning to port." "A giiift...? What's that giant thing in this image?"It was an image of the ship's bridge. Those massive things lying scattered behind the captain were...  AOU High-Ranking Officer: "H-H-How on earth did they get there?!" Captain: "Because they paid our bridge a visit and put them here." AOU High-Ranking Officer: "Wh-Wh-Wh-Wh-Whaaaaaaat...?!?!" Anyone looking at this image of heavy torpedoes scattered about a carrier's bridge would've thought it was a bad shop. But it was real. There were heavy torpedoes lying around on the bridge of the Atlantic Fleet's flagship.  From a reasonable height, interceptor fighter squadrons had targeted the ACR kette as it skimmed right over the water's surface. They attacked with air-to-air missiles, but these were all intercepted. Then, their entire air suppression assault of anti-swarm cluster rockets was either intercepted or blocked by shields. All of the fleet's anti-air missiles and air suppression missiles were dealt with, and the enemy Aerial Augmented Infantry squad approached the flagship. Gatling guns used for ship defense were activated, but they couldn't catch up with the enemy's ricochet flying, and the rare bullet that hit was stopped by their shields. The enemy force then reached the outer wall of the flagship carrier's bridge. This wall was then cut using a specialized tool. They then entered the ship. ...The captain decided to avoid needless casualties. At that moment, the battle was over. These monsters, who had not only slipped through a curtain of missiles and gatling gun fire, but who had even borne the brunt of that assault, had already broken into the ship. This wasn't something that the firearms held by guards within the ship would be able to do anything about. On the bridge, the enemy force demanded that the Atlantic Fleet surrender.  Captain: "...Princess Rethabile personally took these heavy torpedoes out of her Dimension Container, set them here, and left." Their fuses had been removed, so there was no danger. However, leaving a souvenir like this on the bridge of the flagship...sent a clear message that anyone could understand without words. At any rate, if they wanted to have these objects removed, they would have to return to port. "Wh...Wh...Wh-Wh-Wh-Wh...?!!! Y-Y-Y-You! Are you saying you just sat there and watched, nnngggggggg...!!! D-Die, take them out at the cost of your lives, if you have to!! Compared to the honor and tradition of the Atlantic Fleet, your life isn't worth...nnggggg...!!!"Captain: "The times have changed. Or rather, it's been predicted for a while now that the times would change. And yet, we called the Aerial Augmented Infantry nothing but a dream. Until the moment they were actually put into use, we weren't able to understand them, that's all. No, we probably were capable of understanding them. However, we were so scared of a future where all our honor and accomplishments would be overridden by new technology, covered in dust and buried, that we pretended not to notice. I'm sure the same goes for you." "Nnggggggggg!!! Ggggggghhhh!! Aaaaaaaggggghhhhh...!!!"The old man, whose face had gone red and whose eyes were spinning, finally blew his fuse, foamed at the mouth, and fainted.  Normally, soldiers are supposed to solemnly obey their orders, without acting for personal motivations, and performing nothing more or less than their mission. However, ever since the start of the A3W era, people had been more concerned with the eradication of WMDs and maintaining a healthy military balance. In particular, the struggle for medals in the International Battle Standard Festival of Peace became a soldier's main focus, and they were treated more like sports contestants. As a result, the bad aspects of soldiers and athletes fused, creating more and more followers of a baseless, bold, mysterious theory that fighting spirit trumps all. Unfortunately, people like this ended up achieving success, reforming the military around the concept of fighting spirit. In the end, old people who wanted to cling to past glory, or else who simply wanted the young to experience the same unreasonable suffering they did, controlled the young's lives as if they owned them. The appearance of Gauntlet Knights would be more than a revolution of military technology. It would also give them a chance to take the role of 'servants of peace' back from the old people who had remained in the military, ruling by emotion. As the fleet returned to port, most of the sailors were unable to recover from their shock. However, a very small group of them realized that they might just have borne witness to the dawn of a new age...    A passenger jet that had just taken off was flying towards the ocean horizon, and their in-flight service was just beginning. Seshat was sitting in an elegant first-class seat. Flight Attendant: "I can get you some champagne too, if you like."   BGM: Manshon no kabe o hashiru tokage  "So, you finally woke up. You're always such a sleepyhead. Heheh." "A hospital...? Why...are we...?" "We were all found lying on the ground in an airport conference room." "A conference room?" "...According to my reminders, we apparently visited the Saint Florian Airport today to guard His Excellency." "...Really...? My mind feels hazy. Weird, I can't even remember how long I've been here..." "Heheh, you aren't the only one. The same goes for me, His Excellency, and the other people with us too." Even the high-ranking LATO officer who had led them here couldn't remember what their plans had been. Maricarmen: "Could it be... that we were attacked somehow... and our memory was erased?" Valentia: "Heheh. That's probably a fair assumption, but it isn't too realistic." This was an era where a Selcom could write data to the brain like a hard drive. So, it wouldn't be strange of there existed technology that could delete memories from the brain too. However, a Selcom could only interact with unused areas of the brain. It couldn't interfere with parts of the brain that humans normally used. This was because the human body had powerful defense mechanisms that tried to expel foreign objects. Naturally, this applied to memories stored in the brain too. The human brain has far more noise than you'd expect, so no matter how clear-thinking you are, you're always being showered by a large amount of false information. However, the reason the brain can retain memories of real experiences, without getting confused by this, is because it weeds out foreign influences like false information. In the end, a Selcom merely rented space in unused parts of the brain, so no matter how much it interfered, it would only affect the Selcom hard drive itself. It could write and erase Selcom apps and text as it pleased, but it certainly couldn't rewrite memories of the human brain at will. ...Technically, this sort of thing had been achieved in the lab, or so it was said. However, those were just experiments performed on rats, and for those minor feats, ridiculous amounts of time and equipment had been needed. In other words, it was fair to say that interfering with human memory was still impossible, in practical terms.  "A-Anyway, if we want to know why we were all at an ABN airport, and why were we lying on the floor, we should be able to find out by looking at the footage from the airport's security cameras! Even if we don't have our memories, there should still be records of it. And this is an ABN airport, which are well known for the number of security cameras they have. We should be able to find all sorts of information!" "There was nothing." "Huh?" "There was no electronic data or visual data or analog data that was in any way suspicious. Do you know what that means? Heheh..."They had visited Saint Florian Airport in the ABN, led by a high-ranking LATO officer. However, all their memories of their arrival there were vague, and they certainly didn't remember why they had come there. The airport surveillance video showed that they alone had entered the conference room. They had probably been planning to make contact with some kind of VIP. Otherwise, why would they have come all the way to this foreign airport...? "...I have...no idea what this means..." "Heheh, that's right."The meaning of this... was a complete mystery. Thinking about it was a waste of time. "Even the analog record left in His Excellency's notebook didn't tell us anything about our purpose for today. It could be that even that was erased." "What the heck? Did we get abducted by a UFO and have our memories wiped...?" "Heheh. It's a shame, but we checked around, and we haven't been able to think of anything other than that." "You've got to be kidding me... This is getting creepy..." "His Excellency also understands that we may have been victims of a high-level attack. He's asked our homeland to investigate the matter immediately, but..." "But...?" "...What the heck...? Hold on a sec. Are you serious? That's totally creepy..." "I agree with you there. Heheh..." "Could this mean...that it really was...aliens...?" "Heheh, hahahahah... Later on, we'll have to check each other to make sure we don't have any strange bits of metal buried in our heads." Ever since the start of the A3W era, in addition to earthquakes related to tectonic plates, it became possible for modern earthquakes to break out anywhere in the world. So, people everywhere had experienced earthquakes and were used to them. It wasn't anything particularly rare, but it startled them more than it should have. It felt like... the pulsating of a monster in an abyss that surpassed human knowledge...  Flight Attendant: "As you wish." "I'm getting old, after all. Just a little job like this, and I've run out of gas. Ahaha."
Quinn2win fucked around with this message at 14:39 on Dec 19, 2019 |
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Dec 18, 2019 14:41
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Seems like the first battle of the AAI went pretty well! I'm unfortunately aware that Ciconia, at least so far, doesn't lend itself to quite the same extent of discussion and theory as Umineko. It's baked into the concept - in Umineko, the rules of the game were obscure, but at least you knew that the goal was to solve the whodunnit. Ciconia was described, in early info, as a game where you won't even be allowed the dignity of being a player. That ties into the game's themes about the old and rich controlling the young and strong, but it also describes the structure of the game itself. When They Cry is, at its core, a series about learning the rules of a game by watching others play. However, Ciconia has taken that to its most obtuse extreme by not showing us even who's playing the game, or what their objectives are. We can speculate about things like the identities of the four moles - I have a pretty strong theory for at least one - but it's ultimately just going to be speculation. Sadly this does hurt it a bit as LP fodder, since there's no immediate and obvious issue to argue over. Still, I hope people are enjoying the story. The Gauntlet Knights won! Nobody died! Nothing nefarious is happening anywhere, surely!
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Dec 18, 2019 14:45
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Quinn2win posted:Still, I hope people are enjoying the story. The Gauntlet Knights won! Nobody died! Nothing nefarious is happening anywhere, surely! If there’s one thing I know about Ryukishi07, it’s that he loves letting kids win.
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Dec 18, 2019 15:14
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Quinn2win posted:Seems like the first battle of the AAI went pretty well!
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Dec 18, 2019 18:14
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WTC has always been a pool that looked a little too deep for me to jump in, so the chance to get into one this early is great. Thanks a bunch!
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Dec 18, 2019 18:39
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Noticed you messed up one of Naima's portraits. Right before she gets sedated. (Which is kind of weird situation where her teammates seem to exist in order to put drugs into her.)
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Dec 18, 2019 22:10
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I still can’t handle Seshat’s outfit. Every time she pops up I spend a good minute or so just soaking it all in.
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Dec 19, 2019 08:48
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MonsterEnvy posted:Noticed you messed up one of Naima's portraits. Right before she gets sedated. (Which is kind of weird situation where her teammates seem to exist in order to put drugs into her.) That is 100% why her teammates exist.
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Dec 19, 2019 08:50
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witchcore ricepunk posted:I still can’t handle Seshat’s outfit. Every time she pops up I spend a good minute or so just soaking it all in. It's a pretty good outfit. I'm enjoying this even if I don't have much to say often.
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Dec 19, 2019 09:03
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witchcore ricepunk posted:I still can’t handle Seshat’s outfit. Every time she pops up I spend a good minute or so just soaking it all in. Yup. Especially in a case like this where the story apparently expects us to just accept that this person... ...casually strolled through a crowded high-security airport without anyone batting an eyelash.
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Dec 19, 2019 13:02
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You don't know what fashion is like in the A3W world, for all we know this could be totally normal casual attire.
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Dec 19, 2019 13:13
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How old do you think Naima is? I'm thinking, like, an emotionally immature 9 at most.
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Dec 19, 2019 16:24
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PetraCore posted:How old do you think Naima is? I'm thinking, like, an emotionally immature 9 at most. Probably like six mentally - either way, of all of these kids that have no business being supersoldiers, she has the very least business being a supersoldier Also, between her mental immaturity and the veritable mountain of drugs that her teammates are pumping into her, I'm getting a major Cyber Newtype vibe from her
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Dec 20, 2019 08:06
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Oh frig - with the holidays coming up, I let my backlog slip, and I don't have the next update ready. I'll try to get it up later today!
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Dec 20, 2019 14:40
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Sordas Volantyr posted:Probably like six mentally - either way, of all of these kids that have no business being supersoldiers, she has the very least business being a supersoldier given the fact they all casually mention taking sedatives and other types of drugs as part of the program in a very flippant manner does not paint a pretty picture.
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Dec 20, 2019 22:36
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   BGM: Chat Before long, there were several hundred of them, and Keropoyo lost his temper because gathering so many people into a single room was way too big a load to handle poyooo. Because of display limits, it looked like there were only a few dozen of them there. However, this really was a gathering of allies from across the world.  "After slipping past the barrage pounding the ocean's surface and the splashes it kicked up, I floated right up to the Roger Jamison's bridge, just like that!"The aces bragging about their feats were surrounded by trainees and candidates gazing enviously at them.  "So, you flew between rocky mountains like that, at a super-low altitude during your approach? Your maneuvers look beautiful too." "I'm glad to receive your praise. After all, by flying beautifully, you also minimize the strain on your body and your energy loss."As the aces inspected each other's battle data, they were surrounded by groups of Gauntlet Knights on active duty, who wanted to join them in the field someday, and a passionate discussion was taking place. "Yeah, it felt so wonderful!! I came down from the sky like sweeeeeeeeee, zooooooom, vwoooooooom!" "And that fresh feeling of kicking off the sea, bouncing through a fleet of warships, and leaping past the radars of Aegis-equipped destroyers? Well, I can't imagine anything better than that!"Apparently, most of them were talking about the thrill of actual combat, or else getting excited by the prospect of doing it themselves someday. It was only natural that they'd be so ecstatic. News stations all over the world were announcing that, on this day, Gauntlet Knights had become the main source of military might. Before, the military had treated them like a division of gamers limited to simulator work, a toy division used for exhibition flying, as if they were some kind of rare beast. And now, overnight, they were being hailed as heroes by the military... no, the entire world.   "Was I...not chosen first because I was too immature...? Nngg..."A small group of them stood apart from the tumult, sulking. However, unsurprisingly, even they were happy to know that Gauntlet Knights had entered the limelight all over the world.  "...Militaries all over the planet are in shock. I hope the shock helps to cool the heads of those fever-addled fools who want to start wars." "A fever is only a symptom. Until the cause has been eliminated, the fever will only come back." "I agree. Still, I think we did give a rude awakening to those morons who want to profit from war." "You know, I think it did have that effect... In the Kashmir Spirit Field, the people in charge have started arguing over who it was that decided to start mining. The masterminds are all pathetically playing dumb, looking for scapegoats, or saying their diabetes has gotten worse, so they need to be hospitalized. Woo!" "Serves them right! If we prevent the people hoping for war from actually accomplishing anything, they'll definitely lose their positions. The healing power of people who want peace will definitely make this situation better!"A lot of people heard Miyao's claims and nodded excitedly. Right then, the sense that they were supporting the Walls of Peace felt more real than it ever had before.  BGM: Deeply Remember  "...Didn't the COU announce that they would retaliate following that attack...?" _3 "Don't worry about it too much... The COU foreign relations department always talks tough." "They only talk tough to look good within their own country. If they really were furious, they'd respond with actions instead of words." "But isn't there a saying...about how thoughts become words, and words become actions?"Here is how each faction responded to the Gauntlet Knight battles that had occurred simultaneously around the world:  ...On the other hand, the incident where Rethabile's group had repelled the Atlantic Fleet had been heavily covered up. Young people already knew from the internet that ACR Gauntlet Knights had fought off the fleet, but the media paid suspiciously little attention to it, so mistrust of the media was growing.  Humans are creatures who quickly forget things that make them happy, but hardly ever forget things people did to them to make them angry. In contrast to the AOU, angry points of view were common, and every day, more and more people were saying that they couldn't leave things as they were -- that they had to get back at the AOU. In the midst of that, the COU had practically pointed its finger at the AOU and announced to the world that they believed in taking preemptive action for the sake of world peace. It was an incredibly disturbing announcement, so naturally, it received criticism from all over the world. However, now that Gauntlet Knights had appeared and changed the game, those who attacked would be able to apply much more pressure against the Walls of Peace. The side being attacked would have to apply quite a lot of pressure themselves to counteract that, and in that sense, it might be fair to say that the COU understood the military balance of this new era the best. It was mutually assured destruction, a cold war, only with Gauntlet Knights instead of nuclear weapons...  "If you approach, you'll be cut down. But if both sides gauge the distance to their opponent, facing off respectfully against one another, they'll never get within the range of each other's swords... To the guardians of the Walls of Peace, having to maintain that level of tension is perfectly normal." "If you look at it that way, the best plan might be to take the most passive approach, like the ABN." "Well, it's hardly desirable for a group of nations serving God for the sake of peace to rejoice at who wins and loses in wars between fellow humans..." True, they had been attacked by the COU in the Kashmir Spirit Fields, but many had calmly concluded that a small group of high military officials, who had forcibly started mining for personal gain, had only gotten what they deserved. Since no one had been killed in the attack, the ABN had used this opportunity to dismiss the officers who had run wild, hoping to somehow reopen negotiations with the COU and settle this matter peacefully. Out of all of Miyao and the others' plans to pluck the sprouts of war, this one had gone the best.  "It probably just means that this time, they thought it was more important to dismiss those who disobeyed the Leadership Council and went rogue. When it comes to maintaining a healthy military balance, pandering should be avoided, but in this case, they decided that it was more important to put a fire out quickly..." "Looking at it that way, we might be turning up the heat a bit too much on our end. Our media's getting a little too fired up." It would've been fine if they were just partying, but some people were taking it in a more worrying direction. Once, Africa was colonized by several large countries and suffered for years and years. So, the moment had finally come to pay those people back for all that hardship, according to this troubling view that seemed to be popping up here and there...  BGM: Itsuka no Daichi e A silence that seemed to concur with her words slowly spread, even to the boys and girls from other nations... No matter what the faction, no matter what the country... No one was able to say... that they'd never heard anything like that. That irresponsible, inflaming atmosphere, where if your country lost, they had to get even, and if they won, they had to keep winning. And if you didn't agree with that, you might as well be unpatriotic.  "...I didn't want to ruin the mood today, so I didn't bring it up, but that happens a little in the AOU as well." "Those who found out on the net that the Atlantic Fleet lost...are apparently chomping at the bit for us to attack the Segmented Warship Atlantis with Gauntlet Knights..." "People who don't support the Walls of Peace always say stuff that sounds brave." "...The same goes for the COU. Several of my young relatives have been pestering me, saying we should take revenge for what happened in the Glass Sea and attack AOU Japan." "Princess, there's no need for you to let that get you down. Withstanding views like that is our job as guardians of peace, is it not?" "The Walls of Peace need to be supported, not knocked over. Our peoples, our superiors... None of them understand!" It was also well known that nationalism combined with peer pressure could lead to a deadly social chemistry, as the Healthy Military Balance Oversight Committee was always careful to emphasize. Furthermore, its binding force was as powerful as carbon monoxide combining with hemoglobin, and it could result in severe hypoxia to a nation's ability to reason...  "If the world grows chaotic and peacefulness disappears from the hearts of the people, they'll start to listen to the voices of evil ones seeking to lead them astray." "Nationalism is like the shingles virus. It lays low when you're in good health, but its symptoms show when your health weakens." "I hope...the world and its people get healthy again soon... Wow..." "My nation must also calm itself down quickly from this feverish excitement. The Atlantic Fleet didn't retreat because the ACR won against the AOU. No one understands that the guardians of peace achieved victory by dispelling military tensions." "They're probably confusing actual fighting with the Battle Standard Festival games. In sports, there is some significance in who wins and who loses, but peace doesn't work that way." "Heh. Instead of us kids, it's those adults who are having trouble telling the difference between games and reality." "In the end..." "Hmm?" "Whenever people group together, they never think of anything good. Hmph." Koshka had always hated being near other people. She had only become a member of the Public Bath because that would make it easier to get WanyaDora friend requests. So, to be honest, she wasn't remotely interested in the noble ideas and oaths of Miyao's group. She had agreed to the oath on the surface, but she really had just been bowing to peer pressure. However, though they may not have been as sarcastic about it as Koshka, some realists here did doubt whether the collusion taking place in this public bath would really be enough to pluck the sprouts of war. Most likely, about 10% of the people gathered here felt this way. However, there was no way to tell that by looking. Everyone seemed to be celebrating excitedly, but they were only pretending to join in, either because of peer pressure, or because they were trying to read the room. True enough, the Gauntlet Knights currently in this public bath were this world's military might. If they swore to work together for world peace, to uproot the sprouts of war, and to defend peace, then world peace might actually become a reality at the hands of young people, something that has never been achieved before in all of history. Or rather, one might be forgiven for thinking that way.  Unless you completely remove the source of the illness causing all those symptoms, you're just treading water. You're taking a temporary cough or fever medicine. Even so, if you're healthy enough that the source of the disease is healed before the medicine wears off, then it really has saved you. But... what if your health fails...? Temporarily treating the symptoms won't do you any good anymore. Some day, Gauntlet Knights might end up fighting each other. They planned to fight according to the rules of sportsmanship and resolve the situation together, but would that really be possible? If all previous tools of the military were now obsolete, then it should've been possible for anyone to foresee a future in which the sole remaining tool, the Gauntlet Knights, would have to fight each other. And yet, every single person here, including Miyao, was acting as though they hadn't noticed this. Had they really not noticed? Or were they only pretending not to? Or did they truly believe... that by deepening their friendship, they would be able to control everything that happened going forward, avoiding a world war...?   "Do you really think you're just gonna glide through this problem, all chummy like that?"...Of course, I realize that fights between Gauntlet Knights will happen sooner or later. But on that day, we swore to each other! That we're comrades! That we won't kill each other!  "Oh, you mean that rule where you'll retreat if your shield is broken, and you won't chase down the losers? In other words, you plan to fix the match every single time, right? You'll have fight after fight where no one wins and no one loses, buying time over and over."Hasn't that always been the true job of guardians who support the Walls of Peace?!  "No. Guardians of peace do buy time to calm feverish people excited by war, but not like that."Then let's hear it. How do you think guardians of peace should buy time for peace?!  BGM: Manshon no kabe o hashiru tokage  "The only thing that can calm their excitement...is the blood shed when you young people hurt each other and kill each other."You know, old people love the young. And they're particularly, incredibly, immensely fond of young people who sacrifice their lives. When the internet starts filling up with pictures of young boys and girls wearing Gauntlets that got turned into mincemeat corpses, then I'm sure they'll come to their senses. When the old see those young corpses, the terrifying thought that this same thing might have happened to their own children and grandchildren will make them lose their fever for war. Time alone will do nothing to cool the heads of those middle-aged men who want to watch thrilling Gauntlet Knight battles.  "After all, war-weariness never sets in until you're looking at pictures of young corpses. Pictures of the boys and girls celebrating over there, only after they've killed each other." "Remember all those legendary news photos in the past that triggered public opposition to wars? Think of just how many young people lay dead in them." "Death is the only thing Humans fear. So, they'll only regain their calm if you make them see death. Guardians of peace have a job beyond merely supporting the walls. You understand now, don't you?"Like hell I understand...!!!  "When the going gets tough, your job is to use your own blood to cool the fevers of people screaming for war from a safe place. Right now, your lives and blood exist for that purpose. And to think, you're getting all excited and calling yourselves guardians of peace without realizing that. Hahahaha, you people really are just kids, just idiots, just ice packs filled with blood and guts for cooling the heads of the common man, ahahahahyahyahahahaha!!!" "Ahahahhaahahahah! In other words, you're saying that if your blood doesn't serve the cause of peace, then you will be dying in vain, right?" "Shut up, be quiet!! What's with you, suddenly appearing like this, confusing me with this incomprehensible crap! And you even have my face!!" "There's no helping it. I am you. Mitake Miyao. It was confusing, so I thought I'd at least change my outfit mapping to something different from you." "Change your face too!! You're pissing me off!! Also, stop acting like my name applies to you!!" "No way. I'll never change it. After all, I am you. A new 'you' inside you." "Bullshit!! Are you saying you're a new personality of mine?! No one like that exists, nor have they ever!" "I already told you. You aren't a personality. You're a program. So, there would be nothing strange if a new personality like me was installed in addition to you." "You're saying crazy stuff again!! I'm no program, and I'm no robot!! How could I believe crap like that?! If that's true, show me some proof! And anyway, wouldn't that mean you're also a program, just like me?! In that case, what kind of program are you?!!" BGM: Shougendai You and I are programs. We aren't Mitake Miyao. To put it in spiritual terms, we aren't Mitake Miyao's soul. We're copies of the human soul of Mitake Miyao, which used to exist. I'm not lying. Look at this. In a dark space, the image of me lying on the ground appeared. My whole body was soaked and slightly dirty. There was a Gauntlet on my left arm. Its sooty appearance made it clear that it had been used in quite a fierce battle... And as for my right side... Miyao: "...Nnggg..."  That face... clearly belonged to Mitake Miyao. But there was only half of it. Just the left half. As for the right half... No, not just the right half of his head, but everything else from the right shoulder downwards... Miyao: "Aaah...nngghh..." Miyao: "As you can see, Mitake Miyao is quite dead. Half of his head's gone." It was a gruesome corpse, on which only half of his face remained... He accepted that fact instinctively, and it was so grotesque, he started feeling as though he was about to vomit...  "Well, I figured you'd say that." "Are you trying to say that Mitake Miyao is already dead, and that I'm an AI or a program that was newly created to be Mitake Miyao, or something like that?!?! You're insane! Who'd believe that...?!!!"I have a consciousness called Mitake Miyao! I have memories, things I can recall! Like things from when I was a child, like my dad, like how I lived. I remember PP training, and Aerial Augmented Infantry school, and drills, and comrades! And friends!! "Does having memories prove that they're actually yours? What if, one day, your Selcom hard drive said 'I have all of Mitake Miyao's memories and data, and I've become self-aware, so I'm the real Mitake Miyao!' ...What would you do then?"Aren't memories just information that can be saved to a storage medium? Even the emotions that come from such things aren't that hard for today's AI to mimic. In the end... "None of your evidence for saying 'you' are 'you' counts as proof that you're human." "Hmm, you have a point. 'I think, therefore I am', is that it? You're right that, no matter what anyone says or who says it, they can't disprove the claim that you're Mitake Miyao. However, there is just one thing I can do." "What?!" "I can prove that you're a program." "Bring it on, then! Let's see this proof!" "Okay. It's just that a certain reaction has been planted in you, one that the person named Mitake Miyao would never, ever show." "Go ahead and try it then!! This is supposed to be your ultimate proof, right?" "You're a murder program, which exists for the sake of killing the target specified by your programming. I'm about to show you an image of a certain person. When I do, you should realize that there is something wrong with you right away." "Even though you haven't seen this person or heard of them even once since you were born, simply looking at them will automatically flip your murder impulse switch. That's how you've been programmed." "Furthermore, once this switch has been flipped, it will become okay for you to kill anything that prevents you from carrying out your objective in the shortest possible time, regardless of whether these obstacles are allies or enemies. Naturally, those who proactively try to stop you will immediately be added to your list of murder targets." "That is how you have been programmed." "Oh yeah?! Then what kind of program are you?!" "I just told you. I'm a program that exists to kick you out." As you should know if you call yourself 'Mitake Miyao', you aren't just a tiny brat. You're a Gauntlet Knight prodigy, with one of the best P3 levels in the world. By now, no one doubts that Gauntlet Knights stand at the peak of the world's military might. And, everyone knows you're talented enough to compete with the best of them, even ignoring the Battle Standard Festival. "You have been given the most powerful fighting ability in the world. Why? Because it was the most effective means of carrying out your murder program. Why did you decide to become a Gauntlet Knight? Was it because you dreamed of being able to fly? Was it just a passing interest? Was it because you scored well on the aptitude test? See? Before even you realized it, you were moving down the set of rails that leads to becoming a Gauntlet Knight. That is proof that 'the program you are' subconsciously made that decision for you, in order to fulfill your goal." "Since you're the strongest tier of military might in this world, it's extremely difficult to restrain you with more military might. The hardware of the world's strongest Gauntlet Knight cannot be broken." "...So, they'll go for the software instead? Are you saying that you're appearing like this...to erase the murder program you say I am?" "Exactly." "If that's true, then go on, give it a try! We're both programs, right? Then enough with the buildup. Just delete me or throw me into the trash bin already...!!" "If I could just do it with a click, I wouldn't have taken the trouble to appear in this form and have pointless conversations like this one with you." "Then what's going on? Are you gonna delete me by confusing me with weird stuff until I start foaming at the mouth and fall over?" "Yeah, you've got it. That's pretty much it." "What?" However, it'd be hard to call this a fair fight, from your perspective. After all, I'll be attacking one-sidedly, slamming you with the truth. You'll just be enduring those blows over and over. There doesn't exist any way for you to defeat me. After all, I'm a program for defeating you. And you're just a murder program that exists for the sole purpose you were given beforehand. "So, let's back up a bit. I'll show you proof that you're a program." "Stop talking big and do it already!" "In that case, I'll pull the trigger on your murder program. Would you mind looking at this for me?" "What are you doing? I told you, get on with-" ...It felt like a dimly-lit factory. There was a bad, humid smell and an inorganic feel to it. Everything that moved had a lifeless, mechanical rhythm.  There was no trace of the concepts of ceilings, walls, or floors. The entire sky and the entire area below... was filled with massive cogs and rugged machinery, almost as though it was the depths of an ocean filled with machines. There was no sunshine anywhere, only blackness. Only the faint emerald green light that pulsated around some of the machines made it possible to see anything. In that sea of machines... was a track like something you'd see on a roller coaster. It was like a dry-cleaning plant, or maybe a meat processing factory. Hanging from that track and passing through several machines to be processed...  BGM: Miserable Countless completely naked humans were there in a row... They were being hung by metal hooks that pierced the backs of their necks. There were men and women, kids and adults, the young and the old. All of them were hanging from hooks in a line...  Even those who were conscious were only vaguely so, half-asleep so that it all felt like this was happening to someone else. Before the paralyzing gas layer, they had all retained their consciousness and sense of pain, making them quite active and noisy. Screams. Crying. Moaning. People calling out someone's name. Or else yelling 'Mommy, Mommy', over and over again. Now, it was very quiet. Even the ominous roar of the mechanical sea... was so far separated from emotion or thought... I could feel signs that my heart was crying out in fear and pain, but they only seemed like indicator lights on a human meter. Even though that should have been truly terrifying, I was so out of it, it felt like it was happening to someone else...  Those with their clothes still on were in the very first stages. Before even getting sorted, they would be dipped into a vat of some fluid chemical. The milky white liquid frothed with countless bubbles and reeked strongly. While they were repeatedly dunked in that, their clothes and hair would all melt and fall off them. At the end, even the skin all over their body would blister and slide off, leaving everyone looking like the anatomical models you might find in a science classroom. After that, the people would pass through various inspection machines, being sorted by some kind of standard. I didn't think it had anything to do with body size, gender, or age. My eyes couldn't pick up any sort of pattern to it, but the machines must have had their own reasons. Fortunately, at least I was able to stay with my family. Hanging in front of me was my brother. Every once in a while, I was able to see my mother beyond him. My father was beyond even her. Even now, when we had been turned into human-shaped lumps of flesh and couldn't tell who was who, it made me feel strangely safe to know that my family was hanging there with me. However, feeling safe...has no value whatsoever and no longer matters anymore. The next inspection machine carelessly stuck large needles into my ears, analyzing something.  Dad's flesh was added to the line waiting in front of that machine, ready to be processed. One by one, they were swallowed up by the machine. When those lumps of flesh went inside, they were processed with a noisy crunching sound. Partway through that, legs and arms that had been sliced off fell gracelessly out of the machine's bottom. They landed on yet another bloodstained track, and were then swallowed up by yet another machine, unsurprisingly. I wonder which machine my flesh-lump father will be sent to, once his limbs get chopped off. Will he be cut into even smaller bits? I could sense that my own father was being split into several components, vanishing into the sea of machines...  Dad may have been torn to bits, but I still have Mom and big brother... We're still... together... I felt a tingling feeling. The place where I was hanging from the hook hurt a little, like it was tearing into me... It hurt...? Has pain, has feeling come back to me...? Bad smells, stimulation, pain and so forth... All of those feelings that had seemed far away, like they were happening to someone else, began to revive bit by bit... Yeah, this isn't good... The little bit of happiness I felt at getting to be with my family...is gonna be wiped out... Ow... Ow... Owowowow...ow... Nngg. The mist in my mind quickly started to fade... It was an awakening I hadn't asked for. It was all coming back. Feeling, pain, fear. Hopelessness, screaming, confusion.   The simple touch of air on a body that had lost its skin... was a torture as bad as the deepest parts of hell. The tingling, stabbing pain that covered my whole body was like being torn apart by millions of flesh-eating bugs! Drugs have different effects on different people. So, it makes sense that anesthesia doesn't work as well on some people, or stops working entirely partway through. Before I fully awoke, this place felt quiet, but not anymore. I could tell that people were screaming and moaning because their sense of pain had returned to them, and their death throes echoed around me. Which meant I was able to hear one more thing. It was my brother, moaning in anguish. His sense of pain had returned too, possibly long before mine did. I'm sure he must've been screaming on and on from the pain, back when I was still only half-awake. At that point, I was sure I heard him calling out to Mom in a pained voice. I couldn't see because my brother's back was in the way, but I'm sure he saw how Mom was being processed in the next machine. He was fated to be processed in the same way, by the same machine.  His body was wedged in place inside the machine. With a shrill sound, several spinning blades appeared on either side of him. Then came the blood spatter and his final screams... Right before my eyes, the lump of flesh that had been my brother... fell down in bits and pieces. *tear*, *dribble*, *drip*, *splat*. All that remained...was a head being held by a pair of metal arms...and his spinal cord, which was hanging from his head and still twitching...  But this is no time for me to be worried about him. I'm next...!!! My own body was wedged into the machine. Metal arms grabbed onto my head. My skull creaked, but the overwhelming fear overrode even that sensation. With a high-pitched sound, countless rapidly spinning blades appeared on either side of me. They came closer and closer, as if they were about to tickle the sides of my chest... Closer and closer and closer. St-Stop... Ah.   This is both a 'hell' I once experienced... and the 'future' your world is guaranteed to reach. So, this 'hell' is a prophecy. It's a promise of 'certainty', which will definitely come to pass if you do nothing. Your highest-priority goal is to stop this <hell> before it happens, using any means necessary. The only way to do that... is to kill them. You must find them and kill them. You may do whatever is necessary to accomplish that. It doesn't matter whom you kill, what you destroy.  
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Dec 21, 2019 02:47
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That 'perfect corpse examination that even an amateur could perform' line literally made me spit out my drink when I read this initially. I did not expect THAT Umineko reference.
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Dec 21, 2019 02:56
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Quinn2win posted:This is both a 'hell' I once experienced... and the 'future' your world is guaranteed to reach. So, this 'hell' is a prophecy. It's a promise of 'certainty', which will definitely come to pass if you do nothing. 
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Dec 21, 2019 03:04
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Uhhhhhhhhh,,,? poo poo! Ok! Let’s fuckin kill, Miyao!
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Dec 21, 2019 04:39
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gently caress. That update gave me flashbacks to Maus. The question here is....Is this vision genuine? Or an illusion conjured to motivate Miyao to kill?
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Dec 21, 2019 05:58
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Guys I have a small inkling Miyao is the mole. Just a guess. A hint.
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Dec 21, 2019 06:28
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The writing is doing a great job of making me uncomfortable -- I have no way of knowing when it's going to get even grimmer then before and I both love and hate that uncertainty.
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Dec 21, 2019 06:30
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Joking aside, the tone of 'adorable Miyao' makes me fairly sure that this is something Toujirou implanted in him. Given what we already know as viewers is happening in this setting with Koshka, it's entirely possible that sometime in the past such mass-scale human 'processing' was conducted for whatever reason, perhaps while carrying out genocide during AW3 or some such. Someone could fake this sort of memory in this setting, but the depressing thing is that I really don't think that's necessary, especially with the knowledge stores the Kings have at their disposal. EDIT: Like I'm going to be a real bummer for a moment and say that this sort of poo poo is something I think the Nazi 'scientists' would have been down with if they'd had the technology to actually carry it out, instead they did a bunch of other stuff that wasn't actually possible to hurt people instead. Sometimes people really are cartoonishly, horrifically evil when they can be. PetraCore fucked around with this message at 06:58 on Dec 21, 2019 |
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Dec 21, 2019 06:55
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Throwing things out there that are likely wrong, but could the memory be Meow's and she's seeing Miyao dying as her older brother?
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Dec 21, 2019 09:35
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Maigius posted:Throwing things out there that are likely wrong, but could the memory be Meow's and she's seeing Miyao dying as her older brother? This whole sequence makes me wonder if Meow and Miyao used to be in different bodies, but then got stuffed into the one to enhance their parallel processing ability, alongside Murderyao. Seems like it'd fit right in with all the other stuff going on with the Gauntlet Knights. Arcvasti fucked around with this message at 00:06 on Dec 22, 2019 |
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Dec 21, 2019 22:10
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Arcvasti posted:Murderyao I've started a collection of names for this thing, since canon just calls it "Miyao". I've also seen Evil Miyao, Dark Miyao, and Miyao Alter.
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Dec 21, 2019 23:55
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Quinn2win posted:I've started a collection of names for this thing, since canon just calls it "Miyao". I've also seen Evil Miyao, Dark Miyao, and Miyao Alter.
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Dec 22, 2019 01:00
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I've been rolling with Miyaotrice.
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Dec 22, 2019 03:18
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I go with Blueyao.
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Dec 22, 2019 09:24
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Miyao, Myself and Aiyao.
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Dec 22, 2019 11:52
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Myriad Truths posted:That 'perfect corpse examination that even an amateur could perform' line literally made me spit out my drink when I read this initially. I did not expect THAT Umineko reference. Ahahahaha, you've made a terrible, terrible mistake. Because now I, Person-Who-Might-Be-Miyao......have duct tape!!!
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Dec 22, 2019 20:30
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