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Update LXIII - 100 views of corpses Music: None    That was definitely a voice. I suddenly feel as if a wave of negative emotions is washing over me. Caster's words immediately bring me back to reality. While the aura of negativity is still very much there, the voice that seemed to ring in my head is gone. There's no doubt as to who that voice belongs to. But...how? If I want to know the truth, I have to keep moving forward—! Music: Fear  Well, it looks like Julius has learned to make barriers out of pure hate. That's, uh, new...  Just ahead is a new Inspire-type.  Called a Thelemagica. Remember when I said I had something stupid to do?  This is it. If you'll recall, Tamamo had a room chat for taking 10,000 total damage over the course of the game. There are two additional chats for taking damage. ...by which I mean that there's one at 100,000 and 300,000 damage.  Suffice to say, Tamamo is going to be taking a lot of punishment this week, which means I'll be popping an Ether Crystal after every single fight.  Just ahead is another blocked door. (Which I'll now refer to as a 'hate gate')  I take a moment to pop view_map();, and we can see a telltale red Master arrow all the way by the exit portal.  Up the ramp is another field we have to run through.  There's no way diving into the manifested hatred of a broken killer could backfire on us! Music: Stops  I try to stop the intrusion of these evil thoughts into my consciousness, but they continue to enter my mind.  What? What is this? These overwhelming emotions- What's the source of this deranged irrationality that is rejected and rejects, denies and is denied? It feels as if it crawled out from the darkest depth of hell—!      Refrain. Stop. The voice suddenly stops. As I concentrate harder, I can see a figure beyond the distortion. That—must be a woman. I focus my concentration and as I stretch out my hand, a scene plays out before me— That voice— It sounds much younger, but it definitely belongs to Julius. Though his voice is audible, his figure doesn't appear. This must be his memory, then. The woman named Alicia turns toward Julius, but time has degraded the memory of her facial features.  Yes, the ma=ter has ca=ed. I see... So it's that =me all=ady. The sunlight was so wa=felt so g==hat I just happened to forg==time it was. Let us=urry. *Giggle* We===n't get pun= = if we make hi=== wa= just a little longer. Anyw==, Ju=s, you're= ==son so w====n't it ==better====father? And suddenly a poison symbol! It probably means nothing, I just found it funny. The==nly= =f the Har==ys== =====Leo. The sound of Caster's panicked shouting brings me back to reality. The voices I heard in those memories faded at the end and I couldn't understand them, but those memories definitely belong to Julius. Perhaps he was trying to tell me something. Buried under all those dark memories was...a cry of sorrow? I have to go on. I have to learn what the owner of that voice is seeking. Music: Fear  Right past that is the most useless hate gate here. All it does is block off a small short cut and force us to fight a single enemy!  The minimap shows a link to the south, but you can barely see that the ground is far below us and they just happen to line up.  Ahead is a new Crescent Horn-type.  Which will one day go off to kill Superman.  Another screaming face awaits us just before the second healing fountain.  So let's ignore Tamamo's advice and listen to the voices of the dead! Music: Stops  —Concentrate, on the owner of these voices. I'm drawn into those dark thoughts. Avoiding the distortions that try to envelop me, I reach out with my mind— Where is that figure? When I settle my thoughts, a scene suddenly begins to play in my mind. Is this the continuation of that scene from before...? *Giggle* Making him wait just a little longer won't be enough to get us in trouble. Anyway, Julius, you're his son. Why don't you call him "father"? I can't. I don't have the right. I was not born with that which is needed to lead the Harways. The one who will succeed the throne is Master Leo. That's how it is... Tell me, what is it that he has been so occupied with as of late? He is receiving training by having knowledge burned into his brain. It's a sound thaumaturgical process. ...All of that horrible surgery and he's only three... Even as his mother I so rarely see him.  Master Leo will one day stand at the pinnacle of the plutocracy the Harways have built in Europe.For all the flaws in Artoria's rule, she was at least given a choice to walk away from the Sword of Selection. Leo wasn't even allowed that. He was made to rule and nothing else. The ruler of Western Europe... A burden that pains a mother to see her child shoulder... Julius. Yes? That== Ple= pr==ct Leo. Yes. I exist only fo= that =urpose -All=dy now, to make the relic====Holy Grail, ==='s, have Servan==. Wait, what the gently caress is the timeline here? Leo's three, but Julius has already summoned Li for the Holy Grail War? Does the Moon Cell allow you to pre-summon a Servant? Did they just shove Li into a flash drive until it was time to go to the moon? Juli===...= ...I===logize!== =abble on====sn't asked===... It's all r====... ===plore= ab=== Leo. Ye=== Ev=nge fo== life==... -Something is there. -What is it that you want to say?! And when I finally reach the absolute depths of the blackened soul behind these memories—    Caster is almost screaming in desperation and fear. It seems that I'm...still alive. Music: Fear  But it was there, a cry for help in the depths of Julius's consciousness. I have to know what it means—  Past the healing fountain is a double whammy of new enemies.  First we have a new Nephilim.  And a new Fishbite!  The Trigger is behind a hate gate, so we won't be getting it just yet.  Finally, we have one last hate gate blocking off some loot, and a final barrier between us and Julius.   I somehow know that that hatred is directed at me. It is so intense that it feels as if my very soul is being impaled by it.   But now he's just a shambling corpse. And as long as you're here, Tamamo is invincible! Now, just hand me a shot— I mean, say the word and he's toast! Also, we have to beat him to get out of here...Archer Tamamo when, Lasengle? The source of this feeling of hatred is Julius, but... His power seems different than when I last faced him. The threat before me is very real, but I have Caster by my side. And if I don't defeat the enemy before me, I'll never make it to the Elimination Battle. In addition— Even as the force of his grudge hits me, I feel something other than a desire for my death. I want to know what that feeling is, no matter what may be waiting for me up ahead.  There they are, but even from here they both look a lot worse for wear.  The man standing there greeted me in a quiet voice. The serenity of his voice contrasted with the chaotic and noise-filled atmosphere of the Arena.   ...Is that not so? You defeated me, but I have returned because of a question I wish to ask you. Also, I will not be defeated by one such as you. I cannot allow myself to fall to one such as you. ...I don't quite understand what exactly is driving me, but it is those feelings that brought me here.Music: Stops  Music: Breach  This is truly just too funny. Am I the only one who knows who and what you really are?! Ha...hahahahahahahahaha! Unlike a mere ghost such as yourself, I am ALIVE! After I fell I became a ghost. While falling through the perdition created by SE.RA.PH, I fought to continue on! Right at the end, I saw the truth! As the Moon Cell began to tear me apart, I saw what you really were! And as if the remnants of his sanity finally snapped, Julius suddenly lets out a roar of maniacal laughter. In addition to the hatred and insanity reflected in his eyes, there was— A sense of obligation and duty? Has the killer before me come back from the dead to fulfill his duty—? That's exactly right. I could accept defeat at the hands of any other Master but you. You being the one to defeat me is unacceptable. Whether this world lives or dies should be decided by us. Choices that will determine the fate of the world should be made by those living in the present. Not by you— A relic of the past like you should not be allowed to influence what happens in the here and now!Music: Stops Sound: Heartbeats  You know, I think this makes Julius the only person outside of Hakuno's team to find out about the whole AI thing.  Huh, so the Moon Cell bases the AI it makes for the Grail War off of dead people. Makes sense, really. It already has all the data on everyone who ever lived, and using someone else saves it from having to make some form of algorithmic AI generator. ...wait, does this mean Sakura, Taiga, Kotomine, and Issei are already dead in this timeline? What the hell is Rin's deal, then?        The changes that must be made in this era will need to be done by us— Leo, my brother must be king, or- That's it. That must be the reason. That's my one responsibility. That is what keeps me trapped here. Ah...but nothing matters. Please, put me out of my misery. Round six has already come and gone. One more person... One last victim... Once I kill you, my duty will be done. The man hisses out his command. For a moment, I'm violently dizzy. As my vision spins, I fall into a pit of darkness—!  Oh god what the gently caress!  What did he do to you, Li!? Music: Duel - Kill Or Be Killed   My Servant lets out a small cry of surprise. ...Oh dear god, that's some other person's arm attached to him! That is so incredibly disgusting. Julius must've ambushed a great number of Masters and killed them. He somehow managed to preserve one of his victim's arms and appropriate their Command Seal. I wonder which Master's arm he stole. What if that arm belonged to the Master of Berserker? ...you know, the funny thing is that line works regardless of route. It just doesn't make sense, as we see Gatou or Rani fade out from start to finish, so there's no real chance for Julius to pop in and yoink an arm. It looks like Julius's crime against nature turned Assassin into a Berserker. What a disaster. Most Servants have only one class, but this one has the attributes of two. His power must be incredible. I can't believe that this Servant's mind and body have been able to endure this outrageous injustice— Hakuno, Li's mind has clearly been unable to endure this.  Now— Burn to ashes—!   Despite the class change, we still have a Level E Matrix against Julius.  "Grrr~!" Are you a wild beast now, sir?But they're so out of it that I get every move revealed, every turn. And despite Hakuno's claims of Li being even more powerful with two classes, his health has actually dropped to a pitiful 10K. I'd actually have to try to lose this fight.  Anyways. Music: Stops  It will not happen! I will not lose to you! I suffered through hell itself! My consciousness was ripped from me! In death I know what it means to live! Once I defeat you, everything will come to an end! My suffering will be over—! His crazed voice is tinged with sorrow. As I realize this, a rushing noise reaches my ears. I am forcibly drawn into a violent maelstrom— My body feels like a piece of paper fluttering in the wind. As I start to black out, I am shocked by what I see— Is Julius actually crying...? Music: Duel - Kill Or Be Killed  Back in serious land, 10K HP is nothing at this stage of the game, so I can go all out without caring for my MP reserves.   The only thing that can trip you up is that Li has picked up an actual offensive Skill, and will use it as his first action every turn.  He also has a new buff, which adds Stun to his Breaks. He still keeps Heightened Chi and Charged Chi, and Julius himself changed his Code Cast to heal(64);    But they never get a chance to use them on account of a sudden case of instantaneous death.    On the plus side, Julius got us our first level of the week! And since I can't really throw their new lines in their old Matrix page, I'll just toss them in here: Battle start How shameful. Women hate persistent boys. I'LL ELIMINATE YOU! ESPECIALLY YOU, YOU BASTARD!!!~~ Command Select  AAAAAAA, AAAAAAAAAAAAAA-!! "Grrr~!" Are you a wild beast now, sir? (Battle start)~ Now then... I'll put you out of your misery... (High health)~ Suffer to the very end... (High health)~ Ahh... Put me out of my misery... (Low health)~~ Attacks EYESORE!! (Enemy Extra attack)~ I'LL FIGHT TILL I'VE ROTTED AWAY!! TILL WE ALL ROT AWAY!! AAAAAAAAA-!! (heal(64))Next time: Even at the end of the game, filler is unavoidable. BisbyWorl fucked around with this message at 10:49 on Feb 19, 2023 |
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Apr 12, 2022 09:20
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Well that's horrifying in many different ways. Considering you said that filler is inevitable, is this going to be a Mega Man-style boss rematch chapter?
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Apr 12, 2022 13:39
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BisbyWorl posted:
you don't have the right, ohh, you don't have the right
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Apr 12, 2022 14:00
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Blaze Dragon posted:Well that's horrifying in many different ways. Would certainly be a way to go about the week now that we're at the apex. The rancor of the dead rising up to choke us and the path forward while we piece together how to deal with Gawain's... unique brand of horseshit.
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Apr 12, 2022 20:15
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As someone who has had no exposure to Gawain as a servant, I'm very curious to see what makes him so nightmarish.
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Apr 12, 2022 22:16
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Harways killed the present and are eagerly rubbing their little greedy hands together, anticipating last steps of the plan to murder the future. It's up to the past to end ambitions of their stagnant dead end.
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Apr 12, 2022 23:11
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Kelsing posted:As someone who has had no exposure to Gawain as a servant, I'm very curious to see what makes him so nightmarish. If I had to guess I'd say "in the running for greatest knight of the Round Table", and that's it, that's entirely and completely enough all on its own, but I'll admit I don't find how Fate decides servants' abilities and power levels to be particularly intuitive.
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Apr 13, 2022 00:18
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Sum Gai posted:If I had to guess I'd say "in the running for greatest knight of the Round Table", and that's it, that's entirely and completely enough all on its own, but I'll admit I don't find how Fate decides servants' abilities and power levels to be particularly intuitive. Fate seem to like pulling heroes as an amalgamation of their history and various myths, and Gawain has... a very broad and diverse amount of portrayals to pull from. Up to and including being Almost Literally English Folk Hero Superman. Just about any portrayal of him that isn't a bitter and spiteful second-fiddle to (insert author's favorite knight here, usually Lancelot) tends to make him the strongest and most capable of Arthur's knights, at least pre-Galahad, and some just give him straight-up superpowers due to one reason or another (and are tied to stories about him that likely pre-date even Arthurian canon.)
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Apr 13, 2022 02:00
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Sum Gai posted:If I had to guess I'd say "in the running for greatest knight of the Round Table", and that's it, that's entirely and completely enough all on its own, but I'll admit I don't find how Fate decides servants' abilities and power levels to be particularly intuitive. I'm pretty sure it's literally just based on what's dramatic at the time considering FGO.
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Apr 13, 2022 02:06
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The round table is Some Horseshit.
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Apr 13, 2022 02:43
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Update LXIV - That which cannot be surrendered Music: None   Farewell, Li Shuwen. You deserved a better end. With a ground-shaking roar of bestial rage, the once ferocious martial artist disappeared into the sky. Li Shuwen. Considered by many to be one of the greatest masters in the history of Bajiquan. Though he dedicated his life to martial arts, he was undone by the karma his acts of violence demanded. Julius's normally refined features contort as the Command Seal on the back of his hand glows deep red. ...! Unable to withstand the pain that's surging through his body, Julius hunches over. I can barely watch as he writhes in pain. ...It's too late to help. Julius's Command Seals disappear one by one and his body collapses upon itself. I cannot bring myself to strike the finishing blow. Despite the fact he tried to kill me many times over, I can't kill him as he is now. The person from who this body of mine is copied from might have lived their life much like he did. His eyes slowly open.Music: Goodbye  Julius breathes in deep. There's no longer the madness of bloodlust tinging his eyes. The serenity in your eyes... Though I cannot understand why, you actually have some pity for me. As his shoulders move in time with his labored breathing, Julius looks up into the sky of this empty world, covered by the waters of a virtual sea. ...You were right, you know. It's exactly what you guessed. ...The Holy Grail, the Harways... None of that ever really mattered. ...When I was young, only one person ever showed me love. Me, who had never been loved before. No one can live without love. Not even someone like me, whose life had no value otherwise. There was a woman who taught me that my life had value. To really drive home how bad the Harways are: They had Leo and Julius's own mother killed.  And they had Julius do the deed. ...I can no longer clearly remember the exact events. Looking back on it, the whole incident seems so surreal. ...I liken it to a badly-made movie: poorly made, laughably acted, and generally done in poor taste. ...Julius isn't looking my way. He is now deep in his memories. But since then, my purpose was clear. I would work to grant her final wish, and then...join her in death. People began to despise me like I was an evil spirit whose hands were forever tainted with blood. But I could accept that. Because in trying to grant her wish, I had a motivation in life. But you— While destroying my cause, you didn't finish me off. ...Why? It seemed like you wanted to be saved. I've been more awed by Julius than by any other opponent. -But inside his ferocity lay a deep melancholy. Behind his frozen gaze, I sensed a man crying out for rescue like a helpless infant.  Julius casts his eyes down. Never considering that there might be hope, or another path. My whole life I've been an insect, desperately drawn to a single light far ahead of me. But... Maybe my life wasn't all that bad. ...It's bright here. If I could be born one more time, I may live the same way again. Even if my dark journey ends in pain, it means everything to see light at the end of the path. A yellow light can be seen reflected off the eyes in Julius's raised head. Maybe he's seeing the only person who can truly save him. I can only hope that's the case. I'm sad that I'm powerless to do anything for him myself— You are...crying...for me... —I had forgotten the beauty that such a gesture can hold. No— Don't shed tears for me— Before his finger reaches my cheek to wipe away the tears, it melts away into thin air. ~ I wanted to understand you. Julius's words are quiet as his eyes flicker open. His eyes have always had a lonely, lifeless cast to them. His face never shows expression. But after watching him reach his limit of pain several times over— Somewhere deep within that fervor, I uncovered my enchantment with this steely killer.  Those who come near me either hold me in contempt while using me like a chained dog, or they cower. But you... Yes, you look at me straight on. Unflinchingly. No matter the depths of darkness and despair surrounding you, your eyes flash with determination. I wish I had such strong will. I envy that about you. He raises his right hand toward me. To pity myself for a contemptible life that's been lived without a single companion. Julius glances away, as if in embarrassment, when I take his hand in mine. ~~  ...I'm sorry for making you stay through these moments with a man such as me. Farewell, Julius Berkisk Harway.   Goodbye overrides the normal dungeon music for the rest of the day, but the hate gates are still up, so the Trigger is still out of reach.  Way to kill the mood, Tamamo.  Music: School III  However, don't you think it's really suspicious that we haven't seen the little king around?! He talks all big about being a king, but mark my words he's off plotting something sneaky right this minute!  Music: School II   I'm almost positive that guy wanted everything about him to remain inscrutable, even his death. He may have been a dastardly villain, but at the very least he had a sense of shame. And he was an assassin; it's not like he wanted anyone's approval. He chose strength above all else. If you must remember anything at all about him, remember that even in the end, he still had his pride. ...That may be true. Just like Caster says, Julius's life was his own. I can't take responsibility for how he led it. I nod in acknowledgment of Caster's words. Now that I think about it, I haven't told Rani about Julius. I wonder if she's around today-? I think I'll go see her later.Music: Down to Dawn  At some point I must have hit 100 perfect fights, but something feels screwy about it. Like, the first chat was at 10 perfects, and I got that halfway through Week 1. There's no way it should have taken me this long to hit 100, especially once I got enough MP recovery to sling spells freely. Doubly so considering I spent all of yesterday getting my rear end kicked for the damage milestones. I'm sorta wondering if there's a specific lock on it to stop it from popping before now.  Wha—?! You maxed out the counter?! M-Master, you are a king of fighters! You've actually exceeded the number of perfect battles tracked! I'm truly impressed. Forgive the Go reference, but you're almost good enough for the title of Honinbo. Here is a little memento to mark this special occasion. It's a little something I knitted in my spare time.Honinbo is the oldest Go competition in Japan, starting in 1941!   I gratefully take the item Tamamo had, for some mysterious reason, tucked into her bosom. ...I've been wondering about this for a while now, but where does Tamamo keep all of her stuff? Could her sash actually be a gateway to another dimension? It's even blue...Is that a Doraemon reference? What an interesting observation! But some things are better left unsaid, so let a girl have her secrets, okay? ...What I don't get is why you don't apply your intelligence to starting a romantic relationship with— When it comes to affairs of the heart...and body...you are my most formidable adversary.What is the Nine Tails? Music: School II  A key item.  It does absolutely nothing. Congratulations on 100 perfect fights with the hardest Servant in the game!   Unfortunately, I don't think your primitive brain is capable of comprehending the truth. The Arena got hacked AGAIN. This is so embarrassing... Enough! I'm going to raise the firewall so high even the Great Wall of China will be jealous!  Be sure the connection you share with your Servant doesn't overwhelm your good judgment.  Rani smiles, seemingly unaware that she's the reason I've made it this far. I have to win one more time to be worthy of that smile. I have to reach the Holy Grail.  Rani's beaming expression gives way to one muddied by anxiety, though still steadfast.  I have a request, Hakuno. A request— If she wants me to get the Holy Grail, I've already committed. Her burdens and my resolve... Both drive us to accomplish our task of attaining the Holy Grail.  As Julius was the cunning scorpion, Leonardo is the lion—the pride and strength of the Harways. He is the true representative of those Western European plutocrats. The Holy Grail is his to lose. I'm surprised to hear Rani lecture so, but her earnestness is really quite endearing. I don't plan on giving Leo any quarter. He's my better, so I have to go all out. That said, I'm different from what I was in the first round. I have my Servant and Rani, both of whom have seen me through some tough patches. I knew I could have faith in you, Hakuno. If there's anything at all you wish me to do, just ask. It's in my power to make sure that smile never diminishes, and that we go to the Grail hand-in-hand. Despite what she said earlier, Hakuno never really gets around to telling anyone about Julius coming back.  Quick stop to cash in my SP...   You wouldn't want to run the risk of getting trapped in the Arena, would you? And a quick scene by the Arena. Caster's subdued manner and twitching ears immediately tells me something is wrong with her.  Caster seems to have returned to her normal exuberant self, but it feels...really forced. I want to help her in any way I can. She is my partner in all of this, so I ask...  Is something troubling you? With a small gasp, Caster becomes almost immediately wide-eyed and flustered at my question.  ~ Do your ears itch or something? Master! No bad touch on my ears! I know how appealing Tamamo's fluffy ears are, but doing that makes my no-no bits all tingly! Also, doing...that...where we can be seen makes it worse! Can't you wait until we're alone?!The T Regulations, Tamamo, the T Regulations... Caster tries to brush me off in her normal flirty way, but I can see the effort behind her smile.~~ This is more serious than I thought. Tamamo is usually all smiles, but it seems that right now she's anything but happy. I'm finally able to read the subtle changes in her mood. She can talk to me about anything. When I tell her this, Caster responds with a sigh.  I'm pretty good at fooling the Moon Cell's surveillance, but I may have messed up this time... But this time, Tamamo really screwed up! I won't be able to hide my mistake... More or less....Tamamo, what have you gotten yourself into when the Moon Cell is keeping an eye on you? With that said, Caster frowns, folds her arms across her chest, and begins muttering to herself. To anyone else it'd look like she was just kidding, but to me it's obvious she's really worried. What did she mean by the Moon Cell's surveillance?  Servants generated by the Moon Cell are obligated to protect "this one thing" at any cost. For example, if a Master tried to destroy the system, we Servants would be required to stop them. That's the gist of it, anyway. And if a Servant puts their Master over the system—...wait, Rani tried to destroy the Moon Cell in her fight with Rin, why didn't Lu Bu stop her? If Blind Rage lets a Servant ignore it, then why would the Moon Cell leave in such a gaping loophole for something designed to keep it safe?  And that's a hell of a thing to drop in the 11th hour! Hold up a second. This means Tamamo, who's been my number one supporter since the beginning, has been violating this edict?  Yeah, let's continue with this train of thought, shall we? Um...I'm sorry to have dumped this on you, Master. Tamamo will figure this out on her own.  With a final fetching victory pose, Caster disappears, a sad smile still on her face. ...Now she's just being stupid. There's no way I'm going to be able to forget anything she just said to me.  Music: Fourth Chimeric Lunar Sea - First Floor  The hate gates have turned back into normal doors.    And we get a quick montage of all of them opening as soon as we come in.    First off, we have the door by the entrance.  It has some loot.  While the other door near the entrance...  Has absolutely nothing of value!  Third gate.  More loot.   The fourth gate.  Which does nothing but lead to the fifth gate.  And before we get to the end, a cutscene starts up by the fountain. Music: None   Music: School III  As those words leave my lips, Caster's expression turns decidedly gloomy, and—  But, really, I'm fine! It may not seem like it, but Tamamo-no-Mae is actually a very patient woman! And I'm pretty sure I can overcome any torture that the Moon Cell could possibly devise! ...Pretending to not notice what she's going through isn't going to work anymore. She means more to me than anyone else. How can I possibly ignore the fact that she's suffering?  My fundamental role will always be to help my Master make it to the Holy Grail. That should be my only goal. So, I can't allow you to put yourself in danger on my account. So forget about my petty problems and focus on the Holy Grail. Our next opponent is really strong, you know. As she says this, she turns her back to me again. The shiver of emotion that ran from the tip of her tail and up through her ears was impossible to miss.  You have to trust me, Caster! ~ Be true to your feelings, like always. But I always have! Gah! I didn't know you had a sadistic streak, Master! And I AM honest about my feelings!~~ Anyway, I don't want her to struggle with her problems by herself. We're more than Master and Servant now. Haven't we always helped and supported each other throughout the war? Uh....um... I don't deserve such kindness... That's why...I can't...ask for... Caster's voice starts to crack with emotion before she can finish her sentence. ...The agreement with the Moon Cell. Any Servant who puts their Master before the Moon Cell will be punished. And as her Master, I'd be punished as well. Even if unintentional, any Master who raised such a troublesome Servant would be eliminated. ...That's why Caster is insisting that she should handle it by herself. Her rationale is that if I don't know anything about what's going on, the Moon Cell would leave me alone. Seriously, this is such a strange thing to drop on us with zero warning or foreshadowing prior. And I'll give you a quick spoiler: this whole 'Moon Cell kills Servants that prioritize their Masters' thing is only mentioned today only. It is never a factor before or after this scene. It feels like the writers had no ideas for how to fill this day, so they whipped up a one-off plot beat to kill time.  When I first met her, I found her exuberance overwhelming. Having faced death together numerous times, there is no one else in this place that I trust more. I cannot- I cannot let her struggle alone.Both choices here give the same result. I can't let her face this alone. If the Moon Cell is going to punish her, I will be by her side when it comes. We've been together for a long time now. My feelings for her aren't forced. Though I don't really exist except as data and she's not human, our feelings for each other are real. As someone who once had nothing, the bond between us means everything to me. It's a treasure that both Tamamo and I share.   A genuine smile lights up Caster's face as she repeats the word to herself again and again. The worry that was coloring her expression is gone, replaced with something akin to hope, or even joy. —But before there's any time to enjoy the moment... Music: Stops  Welp.  The Moon Cell officially wants us dead.  ...it summoned one dude for this?  It doesn't even attempt to slap Hakuno with a soul deletion? —What in the hell is that? An ominous figure approaches us. It feels as if its only purpose is to eliminate us both.  It looks like the hidden stats that govern my affection towards you have been maxed out!Technically speaking, you can skip this. There's nothing stopping you from leaving the Arena early before you hit this scene, but fighting this guy is the final requirement for your Servant's Level E Matrix regardless of which one you have. ...Or something like that. Caster has obviously been hiding this from the Moon Cell for a while. But her feelings that screamed "My Master means everything!" couldn't be hidden from the Moon Cell forever. B-But—! If this is the worst punishment the Moon Cell can think of, this'll be a cinch to deal with! Isn't that right, my dear Master?!Music: Duel - Friend Turned Foe   Now, just sing out a command, Master! I'll show how brave I can be! I'm getting SO EXCITED! As a direct creation of the Moon Cell sent to take us out, this must be our strongest* opponent to date!  Next time: A Tamamo tell-all!** *May not actually be the strongest. **May not actually tell all. BisbyWorl fucked around with this message at 04:47 on Feb 20, 2023 |
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Apr 16, 2022 09:08
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BisbyWorl posted:Tamamo, what have you gotten yourself into when the Moon Cell is keeping an eye on you? Wedding preparations. Like, bridezilla would not even remotely begin to describe the issue.
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Apr 16, 2022 13:37
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It actually makes sense that the figure Hakuno's gonna fight is called the SE.RA.PH. You see, a small fact fans tend to forget about, introduced in FGO, is that Reality Marbles can be manifested as a field replacing the real world, they can also be manifested as independent figures: Oda Nobunaga can manifest her Anti-Divine burning Honnoji as a flaming skeleton* for example. So that figure might as well be the Arena personified (since every area we've visited is it's own Reality Marble generated by SE.RA.PH). Honestly Nasu planned things ahead more than people give them credit for. *Even if the lore started on a joke Summer Servant Avenger Nobunaga can do the same, so it's 100% canon that Reality Marbles are just Stands.
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Apr 16, 2022 16:36
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Reality marbles can explicitly be anything and everything (including nothing), of course some of them will end up as stands.
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Apr 16, 2022 20:02
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GiantRockFromSpace posted:It actually makes sense that the figure Hakuno's gonna fight is called the SE.RA.PH. You see, a small fact fans tend to forget about, introduced in FGO, is that Reality Marbles can be manifested as a field replacing the real world, they can also be manifested as independent figures: Oda Nobunaga can manifest her Anti-Divine burning Honnoji as a flaming skeleton* for example. So that figure might as well be the Arena personified (since every area we've visited is it's own Reality Marble generated by SE.RA.PH). Honestly Nasu planned things ahead more than people give them credit for. The SE.RA.PH is more of a Marble Phantasm then a Reality Marble. Since it's rewritten the surface of the moon for the Mooncell tournament.
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Apr 17, 2022 09:21
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Our girl finally figured herself out enough to have poses with character!
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Apr 17, 2022 14:04
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Update LXV - You're my only star Music: Duel - Friend Turned Foe  Soooooo, for an enemy sent by the Moon Cell...  Strong enough to earn the second and final usage of Friend Turned Foe in the entire game...  It has less HP than Li Shuwen did just yesterday. For comparison, the last boss we've fought that had less than five digit HP was Nursery Rhyme. This week's Nephilim has 7K. The SE.RA.PH is an utter joke.  Music: Stops  This punishment program was activated because my Servant has broken free of the Holy Grail's control. And although we fought as hard as we could, we had no chance of overcoming the power of the Holy Grail. The form it took was horrifying, as if it crawled from the depths of my nightmares, stopped before us, and— Moving as quick as lightning, swung its arms down as if to strike through my skull and directly at my brain. But this might be for the best. Though I do feel bad for my Servant, I am happy to have experienced such a powerful bond with them...  Music: Duel - Friend Turned Foe  It dies to an unending barrage of Curses, just like everything else.  It doesn't even have any attack Skills to try and pose a threat! All it has is a buff called A.C.E that lets it auto-win normal clashes which, considering the whole digital theme, probably stands for Arbitrary Code Executi- Future Bisby recording the Rin Route posted:Fuckers.  At least the SE.RA.PH is kind enough to drop an Elixir on death.  Friend Turned Foe keeps playing. And almost as if it was never there, the program sent to kill us vanishes. The bond that we share...even if it's against the rules, I will not allow it to be destroyed. That whole thing about the Moon Cell killing any team that might pose a threat to it? Yeah, it'll never come up after this. The Moon Cell sent one (1) (uno) (いち) dude to kill us, so now that we killed it the Moon Cell just hopes we don't try to break it, I guess.  As Caster somehow manages to go demurely ecstatic, she looked even lovelier than ever before.  She's right. Even as we speak, Leo may have already taken possession of the Holy Grail. What we've faced just now was only one of many obstacles. We haven't even gone beyond the first floor yet. But one thing I can say for certain, what I now have with Caster is more precious to me than any treasure. That's not how it works Hakuno, you know this! Leo physically cannot claim the Grail unless he manages to beat you!  Friend Turned Foe overrides the normal music for the rest of the day. Music: Battle - Fourth Chimeric Lunar Sea  Except, ironically, actual battles, which play the normal music. Music: Duel - Friend Turned Foe    Just one final Trigger to go!   Are we going to continue wandering the Arena? If so, we should proceed with caution. And the final gate holds one last chest.  Two Elixirs in one day sure isn't bad!  I gain a level while eating damage.  Music: School III  For the first time, there's actually no Taiga request on the first floor! Which makes that empty area near the start even stranger, in hindsight. All it has is a single enemy.  Music: School II  The only remaining Masters in the school are me, Leo, and Rani. At least I have two people to talk to. I just wish one of them wanted to have a conversation right now. We could talk about... Oh, that's right. I've never asked Rani what she'd wish for with the Holy Grail. Sound: Phone ringing   We only get two days in the first floor. My terminal chimes, informing me of a challenge. The last challenge. By meeting it, the door to the last Elimination Battle will open. While I'm immersed in thought, the classroom door slides open and Kotomine appears.   Your opponent has received his notification as well. You'd do well not to back down now. I don't need Kotomine to warn me that the search for the final cipher keys won't be easy. I run the risk of crossing swords with Leo on the second level, too. Then, I won't see you again until the day of the Elimination Battle. Good luck. His chuckle sort of undermines the whole meaning of "good luck." He leaves the classroom. -The last challenge. There are four days left until the day of the Elimination Battle, and my uncertain fate awaits me there. I should do whatever I can so that I have no regrets.  Today's a very special day! Music: Down to Dawn  Because we have, at long last, Tamamo's final yellow chat! To recap: in order to get this we needed at least 3 points during Tamamo's survey on Week 4, not pick the harem option on Week 6, and fight the SE.RA.PH yesterday. Tamamo has, by far, the most in-depth unlock requirements for her Level E Matrix.  For example, what is the world outside of this school created for the Holy Grail War like? Whose memories and what world's history was used to create this artificial reality? -Oh. Oho! Could it be that you finally noticed my feminine charms and can no longer control your youthful ardor? Or is it that you just want to give in to your animalistic urges and see what happens, thinking, “to hell with the final battle!” That is what's bothering you! Also... The remaining days I'll be fighting with her by my side can be counted on one hand. It seems that Tamamo only has cheerful things to say, but that might be because she's just trying to keep my spirits up. ...At least that's what I want to believe, anyway. I'm certain that most Servants don't care this much about their Masters. ...With that thought a wave of doubt washes over me. She claimed that she was a deity of some kind in the past. If that's the case, why would an immortal want to serve me? Is there something wrong, Master? You look unwell all of a sudden. Could you really be ill? ...No, I'm just being paranoid. She may be overly playful and teasing at times, but I know that Tamamo really does care. Despite usually leaving well enough alone, I went ahead and asked, wanting to know more. Especially why a Heroic Spirit like her is so devoted to serving me. I thought I've already told you why. Because I like serving humans. It's that response that makes me feel so insecure. If just being given the opportunity to serve is her sole objective— Then that would mean she could have chosen anyone to serve and be just as content. Of course. I do have my standards, but in general anyone would be fine. I initially responded to your summons because I heard you calling out for help. It was almost like an arranged marriage! I mean, there's absolutely no spiritual connection between us. ...The smile on her face as she says this makes it even harder to deal with my conflicted feelings. Maybe I'm just slightly disheartened by the thought that Tamamo would be perfectly happy with anyone...? Hmm. Judging by the look on your face, you're probably imagining something ridiculous right now. Um, Master? Do you actually believe it's a bad thing to be able to serve anyone? Does the person one chooses to serve have to be someone special from the very beginning? Err...I wouldn't go that far... If I thought about it rationally, it'd be worse to choose who you'd serve based sole on personal preference. You don't have to take a person's humanity into consideration in order to be useful to them. It means more to serve a person with respect to what that person hopes to accomplish.  I will only serve those whose intentions and actions are ultimately good. Whether they are male or female, child or adult, or even a saint or sinner, only their intentions matter. That is one principle I will never betray. Regardless of my notoriety, I want the one I serve to be content. It's just... *Chuckle* I become infatuated somewhat easily and can't help but like the person I serve. But this time, it was love at first sight! Seriously, I'm being completely honest! If I devote even just a tiny bit of myself once, I'll stay with the one I serve until the very end! To stand by my Master until their spirit transcends reincarnation; that is all Tamamo-no-Mae wishes for! Tamamo's tail stands out straight, as if for added emphasis. I can't doubt the truth of her words. This fox-eared deity honestly adores this mere mortal. Her wish is an irrefutable declaration of this fact. That's it exactly, so stop worrying and just acknowledge Tamamo as your blushing bride. Seeing as Tamamo herself said she didn't need any reassurances, I'll just ignore what she just said. ...However, why would she wish for something like that? As a goddess, Tamamo could fulfill that wish any number of times. Tamamo said that all she wants to do "is serve humans." However, what I know of the story of Tamamo-no-Mae is that it ended in tragedy. She was eventually hunted down and killed as an enemy of mankind. Wouldn't she want revenge instead...? That's because...there are things that even a goddess like me cannot do. Well, several things, actually. Mmm... I guess it can't be helped. I'm usually not one for talking about myself, but I can't let my Master have any misconceptions about me.  I'll try to keep it short, so no need to prepare any tea. So please, sit, relax and enjoy! Tamamo  Tamamo the walls  Tamamo why are the walls vanishing and why is it suddenly night time Music: Stops  Music: Ending   My fascination with humanity began when I first left for Izumo. Observing those who worshiped me, I became curious about the lives these ridiculous little mortals led. Seriously, if you look at humans from the perspective of divinity, they're beyond inconsequential. I can't say anything to argue. It'd be like how humans view ants and cockroaches. However, though I may be just a data stream in this place, I'm still human; I wish she'd be a little more...tactful. Huh? I thought you wanted to hear my story? The truth is often painful; you'll just have to deal with it. ...And anyway, the relationship between humanity and divinity will always be one of inequality. Even as I looked down on mankind, part of me wanted to know more about the human condition. -I mean, my fixation sprung from— I guess you'd say a weird sense of justice. At first, I thought that I'd use my power to scold and punish if they committed evil acts. ...However. As I continued to watch mankind, my curiosity grew more intense. I mean, by divine standards, human existence is pretty depressing, yet they seem so happy most of the time. Even if their circumstances are dire and they themselves are weak little creatures, they are usually smiling. And though most of them will never see me, they not only worship me, but do so with their bodies and souls. I mean, humans were so happy devoting themselves to me that I wanted to serve someone in the same way— And boy was that a mistake! A god with any sense should just stay in the Celestial cave where they belong! In an obvious attempt to cover her sudden bout of melancholy, Tamamo forces out a chuckle. It's from this point the legend begins. Driven by curiosity, she poses as the courtesan Mizukume. And as she was incarnated as a young human girl on Earth— She lost all memories of herself as a goddess. Mizukume grew to be a true beauty and the then-emperor of Japan, Toba, fell in love with her at first sight. However, the passionate love affair wasn't to last. A diviner in the royal court identified Mizukume as a fox spirit and she was forced to flee the palace. It was never discovered whether Mizukume was just leading the emperor on, or if her love for him was real. The story of Tamamo-no-Mae has been told countless time in endless variations over the centuries. Wow, I totally freaked back then! I woke up one morning thinking my head felt...heavier. It was then I discovered these adorable fox ears! It's a lot like what happens to the unsuspecting heroine in comic books. It'd be like if you woke up one morning to find out you've turned into a girl, or a potato bug. My first reaction was like, "No way, do I really have fox ears growing out of my head?!" I was able to get away with hiding them for about a month. It was very heroine-like of me. But then that jerk Abe came along-This is the second time she's mentioned being turned into a potato bug, what's up with that? Anyways, Abe could only refer to Abe no Seimei, one of the most famous onmyoji in Japanese history. (Even though the historical Abe died over a full century before Tamamo's legend took place. That's just how Nasu rolls.) It makes my ears twitch just thinking about that shifty-eyed jerk! He was gorgeous, though. This horrid, yet handsome diviner with a soul as black as the underworld just blurts out my identity. And the uproar he caused! As a result, I had to escape from the inner sanctum of the court in a hurry. To add insult to injury, even those stupid dog-spirits joined in the chase of yours truly. It must have been the first time in the history of Japan's ecosystem that a fox had been hunted by hounds. ... Tamamo is speaking in her normal cheerful tone, but the actual event must've been terrible to experience. To wake up one morning to find out that not has your body changed, but that you're no longer a human being... ...In the very center of power of human society, she was the only one who wasn't a part of mankind. I couldn't even begin to imagine her confusion and her fear at the time. Not to mention her self-doubt, disbelief, and misery. The fear of eventually being found out and persecuted. And above all, dreading the moment when the one she loved most condemns her as a monster. All of this like a millstone on her back. Trembling alone in the darkest corner of the court, unable to confide in anyone and praying for an end to her nightmare. ...None of the pain she felt comes out in Tamamo's words. She only speaks of the good things.  They said things like: "You have come a long way." "What a rough journey you had." Well, they must have been worried about me, but I wish they could have realized how I was feeling. As a girl, I thought they should've been more encouraging, like "You'll find someone soon! Keep at it!"  ...I can't listen anymore. It might be because of my connection to her as a Master, but I can feel her pain as if it were my own. Tamamo is putting up a brave front in the here and now, but I can feel the tears of the scared young girl sitting alone in the fields of Nasuno. Hunted by those who claimed to love her, and forcibly separated from those she loved. It was only after being surrounded by fellow foxes that she realized who and what she truly was.  It was in the comfort offered by the foxes around her that Tamamo-no-Mae said those words to herself. She was betrayed and hunted down by humans who feared her. She did nothing wrong; she only tried to help them prosper. She was forced to flee the village she considered paradise simply because she "wasn't human."  And I was like, "all right, let's do this!" and fought back. I did go overboard and kill everyone, though. It may seem like I'm making excuses and all, but at least I apologized, you know? But no one listened to me. After the second such encounter, I was regretting what happened and tried to reason with them. It rained arrows for three straight days and nights, and nothing I said seemed to register with them. However, the assault never slackened and the hatred of the humans never lessened. It was then she realized...  And even though I am divine, I was a fool. I didn't realize my mistake until my final moment.  ...And that's how it ended. Tamamo-no-Mae died screaming, felled by an enchanted arrow. That is the story of Tamamo-no-Mae. It can be dismissed as a tale of a goddess deemed unworthy of the gift of humanity. ...To boil it down, it's a story of a delusional child-goddess who admired humans too much. Music: School III  In fact, it'd be a-okay if you threw me to the ground and gave in to your overwhelming carnal desires! Even as she finishes her sentence, the wild fox-girl leaps at me. She's obviously playing around in order to lighten the mood...or not. Because she's actually pouncing on me. Argh! Why can't my Servant stay serious for more than a few seconds?!  Eek! I've been...rejected?! And even run away from?! No way! Where did you learn how to escape my super-secret concupiscent vulpine mounting technique?Foiled by the T Regulations once again! It wasn't skill, just survival. Tamamo issues a stream of insults under her breath, "you meanie" being the nicest. ...To say her expressions of love are persistent would be a gross understatement. Considering her gory demise at the hands of man, she still only "wants to serve." Yes, because that's just how I am. That, and it brings me joy to be an important part of someone's life. Although I am not human, it warms my heart to be needed by someone. To add to that... I've already experienced that feeling of warmth, Master. I am your Servant. My soul yearns to serve, and I have to confess that I've come to truly like you. I once made an enemy with nature due to my desire to be human, which went against divine providence. But it's different for me now. I want nothing more than to serve you, my dear Master. But if us gods who love humans have to protect them in spite of divine providence, then so be it. So, please allow me to stay by your side until the very end. Regardless of what kind of person you turn out to be, my love for you will never change! Until my selfish desires shatter it to pieces with my Eightfold Blessing of Amaterasu, I will protect you! Although that ”selfish desires" comment worries me, Tamamo's declaration makes me truly happy. For one like me, who had no future and no place outside of the SE.RA.PH, she instills in me the desire to stay alive. ...This long struggle is coming to an end, and the enemy I have yet to face is undeniably powerful. But I no longer feel any unease. For now, with her fighting by my side, I need keep focusing on obtaining the Holy Grail, making sure that I regret nothing I do along the way. We finally filled out Tamamo's Matrix!  It gives us her second Detail entry.  Dakini Deva posted:While Tamamo-no-Mae is generally believed to be a nine-tailed fox spirit with many of the attributes associated with the tantric deities known as Dakini, she is frequently mistaken by many as one of the Inari or sometimes even a manifestation of Buddha. This is the link Nasu used to tie Tamamo to Amaterasu. The entire Tamamo-no-Mae legend has ties to the Dakini. (In fact, Dakinis were described by Gautama Buddha as the offspring of King Kalmashapada, the same king Lady Kayo corrupted) An offshoot sect of Shingon Buddhism, known as Tachikawa-ryu (which was created by Ninkan, a monk who tried to kill Emperor Toba, the same emperor in Tamamo's tale), worshipped the Dakini, Amaterasu, and the Buddha Vairocana (who has ties to the Dakini, convincing them to stop being horrifying flesh eating monsters) as a single entity. Therefore, Tamamo = Dakini = Amaterasu. Music: School II  Now, all of this seems straightforward, right?  Whitewash the obvious waifu character so that they didn't actually do any of the bad poo poo in their past, that was all just baseless slander, right? Even her killing an army was just self-defense!  According to Moon Cell records, they've actually been an economic powerhouse since ancient times.But if you pay attention, you'll notice that Tamamo's story has some... inconsistencies.  Your opponent is the Harway prince? I suppose that was inevitable.If all she wants to be is a devoted wife, why does Tamamo have such a wild sadistic streak?  Why didn't she say a word about the Sesshouseki, which we know is stuffed with her curses because she's been hitting people with the drat thing for Land of Eternal Bane? Why does this CG, which shows her after being run out of the palace, only show her with a single tail, when her own Matrix info confirms that she had a full set of nine?  And most puzzlingly... Update XLIX posted:
If Tamamo reacted so violently to being compared to Daji... Update LI posted:
Then why does she explictly call herself a Chinese fox? Update VI posted:And why is Tamamo-no-Mae, a Japanese Servant, referencing China's imperial tomb? As the very first thing she says to us, no less! This is the brilliance of Tamamo's character. She's so petrified of someone finding out just how deep this goes that she wraps herself in layer upon layer of deception to try and keep it hidden. We started picking at one layer, so she gladly reveals it, leaving Hakuno and the player happy that she came clean, while Tamamo is relieved that we've only scratched the surface. Of course, all of those questions will go unanswered in this game. We'll have to wait a while longer to dig deeper into her past.  With that all out of the way, let's go talk to Rani. Music: Down to Dawn    —Sorry, I hope I wasn't intruding. When I apologize for interrupting her meditative state, she smiles reassuringly.  What were you thinking about? Rani's upraised eyes cloud over, as if her brain is processing some unpleasant conclusion. When she answers me, she's sullen. ~ I'm so glad to see your smile. I suppose it might look that way. If so, then you're the cause, Hakuno. I'm an instrument of Atlas. I've never had any purpose outside of carrying out their mission. Rani is here in the first place because of the Atlas Institute, but surely the bonds holding her to it have been loosened. However... I can no longer do their bidding.~~  Since Atlas's founding, alchemists have envisioned ways to prevent humanity's self-destruction. Though every thought experiment ends in humanity's annihilation, they continue their research. I do not know the manner in which my professor believes humanity will perish. I do not know whether the Moon Cell is the trigger or the panacea that will stem the destruction. Again, the Moon Cell should have stopped that cold. I have been greatly thwarted, but I can at least keep the Harways from attaining the Holy Grail. I have never been anything but a sacrifice. That is my function. Rani speaks indifferently, but I find her choice of words to be disconcerting. What does she mean by...function? She told me that she was "made," but I don't know the details. I'm pretty sure she doesn't mean someone who was simply "taught all she knows" by Atlas.  I am the results of an alchemist's thaumaturgy, of practices slipping into the sands of time. I am not a bearer of human life like Rin Tohsaka... or the other Masters. Even though she thinks of herself as an instrument, when I look at her, I see a slightly eccentric, but normal, girl. On the surface, maybe she's just a doll sent to carry out a task.  You filled this empty vessel with your hopes. That is why I wish to live, and see this mission through. Those aren't the sentiments of a homunculus, but of a human heart. She's no longer beholden to the whims of the Institute, but to her own heart. I'll honor her resolve with renewed efforts of my own to win this war. Music: School II  Because... I want to leave this place with you. Taiga turns up now that the second floor is open.  If it's the last one, sure. I know I've been making you work really hard, but this is the final one. Honest. I have a feeling that somewhere in the Arena is an "object that grants wishes." If you go and get it for me, I promise I will leave you alone. Really, no more requests, ever! You can find it today only on the Arena's second floor. Could you please go get it for me now? or Silver Anklet will allow you to use code casts that can greatly improve your Servant's abilities. They're far more powerful than any of the Mystic Codes sold here. Be sure to equip one posthaste.Tamamo hasn't suffered enough, so no.  And the would-be king finally puts in an appearance. Next time: We get a breath of fresh air. BisbyWorl fucked around with this message at 04:57 on Feb 20, 2023 |
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Apr 19, 2022 09:26
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It seems that you hide your weakness behind a warrior's pose. Perhaps you are like Daji, but not as civilized?
Don't you know what a yakan is in Chinese buddhism? Would it help if I were to say jackal instead?
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Information Matrix - Caster (Level E) The Eightfold Blessing of Amaterasu posted:A mirror wielded by Tamamo-no-Mae. It is one of the sacred treasures brought down from the Heavens by the god Takehinateru-no-Mikoto and was originally kept in the great shrine in the Izumo Province. According to passages in the Chronicles of Japan, the mirror was later moved to a site in the Kawachi district at the behest of the Imperial Court. Maleficium posted:The Witchcraft that Caster uses is all physical phenomena performed with her own body. Red Lily of the Killing Stone of Nasu posted:This skill involves the use of the infamous Killing Stone of Nasu. After her death, Tamamo-no-Mae's spirit began to haunt the area around this stone and also imbued it with a terrible curse that killed any creature that came near it.  Territory Creation C posted:This skill allows one to create a reality tailored specifically to their skills as a magus. Unfortunately for Tamamo-no-Mae her personality is ill-suited for the task of manipulating reality and she has great difficulty even creating a small-scale crafting studio for creating minor amulets and other types of low-level talismans. Maleficium (EX) posted:The sacred rituals of the Dakini goddesses. The rituals confer the abilities to perform such actions as foretell the time and place of one's death and manipulate the hearts and minds of both men and women. Due to a number of very harsh lessons impressed upon her in her past, Tamamo-no-Mae no longer makes use of her still formidable skills in these areas. Transformation (A) posted:This refers to the abilities of either changing ones appearance or borrowing the physical form of another. As a kitsune, or fox spirit, Tamamo-no-Mae is able to alter her appearance and even species at will. However, due to a traumatizing event in a past incarnation that resulted in her death and temporary damnation, she rarely, if ever, uses this ability. Character Background posted:In the final years of the Heian period, there was a beautiful courtesan in service to the Emperor Toba known as Tamamo-no-Mae. Born Misukume, she first entered the court as a servant at the age of 18, but quickly became a well-respected lady and a favorite of the emperor himself due to her incredible beauty and the depth of her intelligence. Dakini Deva posted:While Tamamo-no-Mae is generally believed to be a nine-tailed fox spirit with many of the attributes associated with the tantric deities known as Dakini, she is frequently mistaken by many as one of the Inari or sometimes even a manifestation of Buddha. Combat lines: Battle start  My darling will obviously be the winner here, you know? ~ Let's wrap all this up before breakfast. ~ Let's not stress out about this, okay? ~ Master, your orders. (True Name Revealed)~ Let's clean up this mess without leaving a trace. (True Name Revealed)~ Okay, Master. Let's crush them swiftly. (True Name Revealed)~~ Command Selection  I'll show the power of a servant! (Effigy battle)~ Let's go~! (Normal)~ Let's begin. (Normal)~ I'm ready~! (Normal, True Name Revealed)~ I'll dig right in~! (Normal, True Name Revealed)~  Ugh, come on~. You're so annoying! (VS weak enemy)~ Life in the human world is fleeting, isn't it? (High health)~ I'm not in the mood to lose. (High health)~ Now, cry for me in a more pleasant voice~ (High health)~ This just isn't worth our time, Master. (High health, True Name Revealed)~ I'd like to get this over with already. (High health, True Name Revealed)~ Do you understand the power of our love now!? (High health, True Name Revealed)~  Hyaa…! We're on the brink, darling! (Low health)~ Darling, fight! (Low health)~ “There is many a slip between a cup and the lip,” and all that, Master! (Low health)~ We can't afford to lose focus now! (Low health, True Name Revealed)~ I can still fight. Let's kick it up a notch! (Low health, True Name Revealed)~ Master, don't give up! (Low health, True Name Revealed)~~ Commands confirmed I'll curse you~ ~ Please watch me! ~ Here I come! ~ I'll do my best! ~ Please leave it to me! (True Name Revealed)~~ Normal attacks Take that! (Attack)~ Good effort! (Guard)~ Nope! (Guard)~ Ineffective! (Guard)~ Swift is Heaven's vengence! (Counter)~ Returning the favor! (Counter)~ Back at you! (Counter)~ Please die. (Break)~ I'll break through! (Break)~ Cry your heart out! (Break)~  Perfect! (Extra turn)~ Ah ha, am I glowing? (Extra turn)~ Here we go! (Extra attack)~ Let's do it! (Extra attack)~~ Master support Thank you!! ~ I'll work even harder! ~ My love is priceless! ~ You won't escape!~~ Damaged Owww! (Opponent extra attack)~ Oh no! They've figured us out, darling! (Opponent extra attack)~  They got me... (Defeated)~ Please forgive me, my darling... (Defeated)~~ Victory Ha! You're such a genius, darling! (Perfect victory)~ Master! I'll stick with you forever! (Perfect victory, True Name Revealed)~ Resent me as much as you want. (Victory)~ Mhmm, you're very welcome. (Victory)~ And with that, farewell. (Victory, True Name Revealed)~ Heh... Please try again later. (Victory, True Name Revealed)~ I-I thought we were going to die~ (Near-death victory)~ T-that was an intense fight... (Near-death victory, True Name Revealed)~~ Skills Fiery heavens, erupt! (Curse: Fiery Heaven)~  You burn really well~ (Curse: Fiery Heaven)~ Frigid heaven, collapse! (Curse: Frigid Heaven)~ Ice sculpture complete~! (Curse: Frigid Heaven)~ Split your magic with me, okay? (Charm: Spirit Theft)~ I'm going to settle a grudge. (Charm: Spirit Theft)~ Concealed air, gather! (Curse: Chaos Heaven)~ This might rend your flesh to shreds~ (Curse: Chaos Heaven)~ Could you please not touch me? (Mantra: Aphotic Cave)~ Did you think you'd be able to hurt me? (Mantra: Aphotic Cave)~ Let me show you my true strength. (Mantra: Bestial Sky)~ Please regret this, okay? (Mantra: Bestial Sky)~ Gods residing in Izumo, whose beauty breathes life into our souls.Amaterasu, who illuminates the earth, water, and sky. Let this be proof of your purity. Weighted Stone of Tamamo, become the Sacred Mirror of Uka! ...just kidding★! (Eightfold Blessings of Amaterasu) ~ Imperial tomb of the Yellow Emperor, more limitless than the realm of the dead. (Eightfold Blessings of Amaterasu)~ Now scatter, flower of heaven's grudge, eternally bloomingand tearing. Land of Eternal Bane! (Land of Eternal Bane)~ On dakini gyachi gyakanuiei sowaka! (Land of Eternal Bane)
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Apr 19, 2022 09:27
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My interpretation is that Tamamo is repeating the errors of her past. Namely: As Su Daji she was as myths described. Across the ages she mellowed a lot, so by the time she married the Emperor of Japan she genuinely loved him and she was genuinely trying to turn a new I mean she's still Tamamo but Evilholics Anonymous meetings don't work immediately. But, as now, she was terrified of rejection so she cloaked herself with illusions towards everyone, including her husband. So when a nameless onmyoji (or the not so nameless Abe no Seimei in the Nasuverse) came visiting and politely asked why the court had accepted a fox spirit, she was done and everyone rejected her. Self-fulfilling prophecy, very tragic Tamamo you idiot. So here comes Extra and history is repeating itself because she's utterly paralyzed by the fear of rejection. Thankfully Hakunon is perceptive enough to understand this. (Do I need to quote Extella horny Tamamo again? drat girl, wait for a fade to black so the T rating doesn't have to bop you in the nose with a newspaper roll)
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Apr 19, 2022 16:00
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Now that the whole cat is outta the bag I can mention a fun fact! Back in week 3 during the Nameless Forest deal we had a Francis Xavier joke option for our name. Now, the interesting part is that Francis Xavier, as one of the first Christian missioner to proselyte in Japan, entered in contact with Shingon Buddhists. He used Dainichi to refer to the Christian God, except that was how the Buddhists refered to Vairocana-Amaterasu-Dakini. So he changed the word he used to Deusu/Deus. So in short, if Francis Xavier hadn't made that correction, Tamamo here would have also been a Jesus allegory (since they could have synchretized God with the sun trio). Like, the answer is the same with all Servants, but it's funnier if you have Tamamo.
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Apr 19, 2022 16:21
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I think the whole "waking up as a potato bug" thing might be a reference to The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, but don't quote me on that; that's just the first thing that springs to my mind whenever someone references waking up as some kind of monstrous vermin. Tamamo is a really fascinating character, and I absolutely took her at face value the first time I played the game, which is absolutely one of the dumbest things you can do when you deal with her.
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Apr 20, 2022 02:39
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Kelsing posted:I think the whole "waking up as a potato bug" thing might be a reference to The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, but don't quote me on that; that's just the first thing that springs to my mind whenever someone references waking up as some kind of monstrous vermin. That's definitely what the reference is supposed to be, but the real question is why reference that work specifically so often?
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Apr 20, 2022 02:42
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serefin99 posted:That's definitely what the reference is supposed to be, but the real question is why reference that work specifically so often? Maybe it's a metaphor to Tamamo waking up one day and realizing what a monster she was and wanting to change, as Omobono said. Maybe the writers were just on a Kafka kick when they were writing some of Tamamo's scenes. 
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Apr 20, 2022 02:59
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Mr. Locke posted:Nah. But he might be the most inconsistently written character in Arthurian lore, which is really saying something considering Lancelot, Kay, Morgan, and Merlin all tend to be basically different characters in different versions in the lore and still are probably more recognizable as themselves more often the Gawain is. I have sat and read the entirety of Mallory's book (Barnes & Noble hardback ver., if it matters?) and let me tell you two things about Nasuverse in comparison to Malloryverse. 1. The portrayal of King Arthur does not, in any way, violate one single bit of Mallory's canon. You can read the whole thing thinking 'Arthur is a woman pretending to be a dude' and nothing will break your suspension of disbelief. I don't think Arthur was even mentioned once as having a frigging beard, unless my memory fails me. I recall Artoria's backstory in Fate/HA being, in fact, a pretty good retelling of a chunk of Mallory's plot. 2. Merlin from Nasuverse (the mobile game's Babylon arc) is 100% the exact same gently caress off troll as in Mallory's book. They are the same person, from the same canon. You cannot convince me otherwise. Merlin is the Greatest Troll in English Literature. Nasu or whoever his co-writers at the time were are very well-read on their Arthurian canon is what I'm getting at. bladededge fucked around with this message at 03:29 on Apr 22, 2022 |
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Apr 22, 2022 03:23
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Update LXVI - Afternoon light Music: Duel of Fate   Leo's words are disarming. It's true. Gawain, who is usually by his side, is nowhere to be seen.  And it is a credit to my brother that you have held out until the very end. Thank you for that. You have my gratitude. It's hard to tell if he's agitated about his brother's death since he's thanking me... Could any normal person be so calm in this situation? It gives me the creeps to listen... Prick. While he said he believed me, he really just believed his childhood promise to his mother. ...But he must have been happier that way.And to make matters worse, he knew full well about Julius's plan to kill himself! If Leo's mother was the woman who Julius mentioned at the end, and the one who wished Leo well... Then he must have been happy when he died, remembering that face and that voice. At least I think so.    I told you not to manifest, Gawain.   ...I apologize for his behavior. He holds no malice, so please try to forgive him. Castigated by Leo, Gawain frowns and disappears. Not missing a beat, Leo continues. I look forward to the unparalleled battle ahead of us, Hakuno. He speaks with sportsmanship, but I can tell he doesn't think that he will lose. I'm still curious about one thing. Why is Leo participating in the Holy Grail War? The Holy Grail will be effective in strengthening the Harway rule. Harway's management system is what keeps the world stable. The real world, that is. Neither strife nor poverty exist within its limited domain. Expanding the boundaries of that domain is top priority. Maybe some people will feel a bit stifled by the system... ...but it's for the greater good of humanity. We want the world to understand that. I don't think Leo is lying. He truly believes he's performing a great service for humanity. He's self-righteous, but looking at his face, I am jealous of his self-confidence. It's better to forget doubts, like he has. And there's the real tragedy behind Leo. Despite my jabs, the kid is charismatic as hell, and could probably work towards making things a lot better. But because he's been created as some form of twisted imitation of the Once and Future King, the only thing he can do is force the world into stagnation. It makes a poetic parallel between Hakuno and Leo, really. Someone who started with nothing and will never stop pushing forward, against one who started with everything and will never let anything advance. Music: School II   Time for the final dungeon of the game. Music: Fourth Chimeric Lunar Sea - Second Floor  We've been to a seabed littered with broken ships, a shattered and ruined city, a fairy tale castle, two seascapes, and a jungle, all held underneath an impossibly vast digital sea.  But at the end of it all?  We finally make it out.  Fresh air and sunlight, for the very first time.  And some funky water orb. Those water pillars are also running up, by the way.    Master, this is the final area. Let's give it our best!  He's a Knight of the Round Table, one of King Arthur's chosen— Gawain, the White Knight. I wonder if my abilities are a match for his...  We start at the very bottom, naturally.  view_map(); reveals a rather sprawling design.  The lower segments have these tiny floating water orbs that spew out cubes.  We get a nice view by the top left.  And a red chest!  Guarded by the ironically named Claustrophobia.  We get a new Mystic Code for our troubles.  The Staff of Rebuke is an upgrade to the Staff of Fortitude we got in Week 5.  mp_heal(32); costs twice as much as (16);, but only heals 50% more Servant MP. That doesn't mean it's useless, mind you, as being able to cram more healing into my single Master move every turn makes it harder for Tamamo to run dry if I have to stop and heal her. There's an arguement to be made for both; mp_heal(16); is more Master MP efficient, while mp_heal(32); is more action efficient. I'll be used the Staff of Rebuke for the rest of the game, either way.  I really do like the glowing abyss here.  The path south has a ramp leading up.  Which leads to a platform showing another ramp and a red chest.  The chest holds Taiga's item.  Heading down the side path leads to some loot.   And further down is two more chests and a Nephilim.    With that cleared up, we can head up the ramp.  But as we move down this small hallway... Music: Fear  We get stopped.   I can sense that Leo has entered the Arena as well. His aura isn't malevolent like Julius's or sharp like Rin's. The pure, unclouded flow of his magic makes me think of the sun shining in a clear blue sky.  This cute girl will teach him a thing or two! Isn't it reckless to head into battle? Still, it will help to see Gawain in action.   Yes, my lord! Watch out, it's the pretty boy duo. Caster has a fair point. I should position myself for attack. We're not allowed to get the Trigger just yet.  —There he is. When we reach where a passageway empties into an open space, Leo appears at the other end. I exchange a quick glance with Caster before we jump out in front of Leo. To his credit, Leo doesn't react, other than smiling like he just ran into a friend. Seriously, what is with the giant orb?  Nice to meet you, Caster. I look forward to fighting you from the bottom of my heart.  Gawain is a bit of a jerk, if you couldn't already tell. It's all right, Gawain. Though... I feel enticed. How odd. Please accept her challenge, as I would like to have a taste of my opponent's power. -As you command. At Leo's signal, Gawain readies his sword. He somehow looks more hulking when he does so.   That's a joke of course. Fox ears aren't my cup of tea. Wha...! I-I thought this guy was an uptight snob, but he actually said something not horrible? Be silent. The way of the knight is obedience. My sword belongs to my king, and I draw it for him alone. This holy sword and my body are vessels for the will of my king. —A holy sword. Gawain, one of the best-known Knights of the Round Table, holds the sister sword to Excalibur. Its name is... Galatine, actually. The game makes this typo a few times. No way! I always thought it was some stuffy old sword, but does it have real sun in the handle?! Yes. There is a fragment of the sun dwelling in the Galatine, as evil can only be purged with flame. This blade— ...and this body as well.  Music: Duel - Unauthorized Battle     There's probably another duel after this, and then the Elimination Battle! I'll be able to stop dying all the time! Music: Fear  Please get stronger before our next fight. Otherwise our battle will be meaningless to me. Leo disappears in the Arena. He was so much more powerful than I imagined. And yet, he still seemed to believe that I was holding back. —The next fight? If there is a next time, of course. I'll be better prepared next time... If there is a next time. ...A sharp pain rises from the wound I took from Gawain's longsword. It burns like a red-hot rod being pushed into me. Like the sun itself burning through my flesh... I'm crushed under waves and waves of pain. My vision fades... —and never returns.  Music: Duel - Unauthorized Battle  Other than that, this is just a normal duel.  Buuuuuut he sorta takes zero damage from everything, just like Li Shuwen. While the implication with Li was that you were unable to land a hit thanks to his invisibility, Gawain is just that strong. Divine Aegis is a Luck buff.  While Siege Perilous adds Skill Seal to his Guards. As you might imagine, locking out Tamamo's Skills would utterly cripple her, but again, that would require me to use something other than a Skill on an unknown move in the first place.  Three rounds of nothing later.  And we're done. Music: Fear  -As you command. I have the SE.RA.PH's intervention to thank for my life, I believe. There isn't a single scratch on Gawain's silver armor, but Caster is struggling for breath. Today was fun, Hakuno. I look forward to engaging you in combat again. With a smile, Leo disappears off into the Arena.  He really is as powerful as the sun. —It was too much. I, as well as Caster, have overcome a lot of powerful enemies, but it's beyond us to make even a scratch on Gawain's armor. Just four days remain before the Elimination Battle. I wonder if we can really close the gap in ability before then? There must be something we can do. If we don't find a solution, I won't be able to reach the Holy Grail— Music: Fourth Chimeric Lunar Sea - Second Floor  Level 2 completely fills out his Key Word tab.  Excalibur Galatine: The Resurrected Sword of Victory posted:The sword of Sir Gawain and the sister sword to Excalibur. It is said that like Excalibur, Galatine once belonged to the Lady of the Lake. However, its legends have been overshadowed by its more famous counterpart, and therefore very few people know of its true significance. Knight of the Sun posted:While King Arthur was ruled by the movement of Artemis, the goddess of the moon, Sir Gawain drew his strength as a knight from the sun. It is said that his powers are at their greatest when the sun is at its zenith. ...hey, did you notice how the sun is shining bright on this floor? I think we might be in trouble. Excalibur posted:Arthur, said to be the mightiest of all the kings to rule Britain, is believed to have ruled sometime in the fifth or sixth century.  Unless we eliminate that, we'll just be repeating the same battle over and over. Recklessness won't bring about change. Unfortunately, I have to think up a plan. The upper half of the floor is blocked off while Leo is around, so we can't get the Trigger today.  So all I can do is head back. Music: School III  This is just my animal intuition speaking, but I'm sure he's got some trick to that invulnerability. We'll win if we can discover his secret in the next four days. The power of love is on our side! Next time: The pure essence of Nasuverse conflicts. BisbyWorl fucked around with this message at 05:01 on Feb 20, 2023 |
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Apr 23, 2022 09:27
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Update LXVII - Full armor double Saber Music: School II   Look at it this way—none of your opponents have been easy. But, you ended up trouncing every single one of them! So, you'll win this time, too! And even if winning all of those was luck, then you have the luck to win a thousand times! Tamamo will be your lady luck, guiding the dice however many times it takes! ...That's right. Not a single fight has been easy. I just need to do the same thing one more time. Just once more. I shouldn't worry, because I have Rani as my ally.  Well, the Moon Cell replicates that function that the Holy Grail used to do. Unlike the original Holy Grail, this digital simulacrum can manage over a hundred Servants at once. No punk will ever hack into my precious Arena again! Okay, do your best out there! We'll be done with our jobs soon, but until then, let's rock!I get the feeling we'll be hacking the Arena to deal with Gawain.  Music: Duel of Fate  I tell Rani about my encounter with Gawain, who I fought against the previous day. His name which bears no shame, the blade that shines like the sun, his apparent invincibility- I wonder if the legends of him receiving divine protection have an element of truth to them? As long as the sun shines, Gawain might be the mightiest Heroic Spirit, even greater than Arthur. The power of legend— Gawain's exploits are described in detail in the "Knights of the Round Table" mythos. It's said that he was a hero who was blessed with great powers by the sun. Now that I think about it, his abilities seem to be taken straight from the legends. However, even heroes can die. And in the end, Gawain, too, will succumb to death. No matter how powerful he may be, he cannot escape the ties that bind him to his legend. Per the legend, if one were to overcome his greatest strength, he'll be left vulnerable. The stories say Gawain died by the hand of Sir Lancelot, who waited until the sun set to strike what became a fatal blow. But in the SE.RA.PH, the Arena days are controlled by the system. I couldn't imagine the sun setting while inside there. Unfortunately, my power is such that it'd only be for a moment— And I can't guarantee it'll work. While Rani's power as a Wizard is without question, to use such an advanced technique— I wonder if there is something I can do to help? At first I couldn't think of a place on campus that a Wizard could work without bother... Maybe the multimedia room that Julius was using before... But the secret to gaining access to it probably died with its original occupant. For now, I'll poke around the multimedia room. Maybe I'll find a clue about how to get in—Music: School II  Now, the scene technically ends here.  But all I have to do is move like five feet to start the next one.   I knew it... I earn a mild electric shock when I touch the door. It's been booby-trapped.  -I have an idea. If only Julius can enter, then I just have to pretend to be Julius. How I'm going to masquerade as the guy, I don't know. If only I had something of his... Anyway, I'll go look around the place where I fought Julius. Maybe I'll find a clue.   ...This...isn't it. *Sigh* Please, you have to get it for me! Come on, you'll try again, won't you?Turns out the teacher doesn't need a Teacher's Emblem.  ...If I must.Despite having nothing on the first floor, we still have two sidequests this week. Thank you, thank you, thank you! You have...my gratitude! The "object that grants wishes" has to be on the Arena's second floor. It just has to! That area's probably over the sea right now, so everything should be copacetic. After two day's time, I won't be able to see you again, so please get what I asked for before then.They're just both on the second floor. And since we have to go back to the first floor today, we really one have a one day time limit to get it.  This is actually the only time in the entire game where the plot forces you back to the first floor after unlocking the second. Music: Fourth Chimeric Lunar Sea - First Floor   Perhaps I should go to where he and I fought, and where he disappeared. I might be able to find something of his there, or at the very least some kind of clue. There isn't much time left in the prep period. If I don't look into it today, I may not get another chance. I should be a bit more cautious when I go exploring.  There are absolutely zero changes in the floor, so let's jump ahead to the where Julius died.     It looks like it's a feather from his coat. That should be good enough for our purposes, right? Interesting thought. Maybe something so tied to Julius would be enough to break through the protection. I'll give it a try as soon as I return to campus.  I gain another level while letting Tamamo eat hits. ...just don't ask me when I gained that first level.  Music: School III   Music: School II   With this, the Multimedia Room's identification scan should prove no obstacle to you. I'll begin opening our new base of operations immediately. Come by this evening. We'll make plans at that time. I hope the procedure goes well... No, I need to focus on chipping away at Gawain's ability for now. Music: Down to Dawn  The standard room chat changes for today. Um, Master? This may seem kind of random, but would you consider just stopping right here and now? To live in absolute freedom. Just let the Holy Grail, and that child, be. And there's a way around the rule about dying if you don't win. It's not that hard to create a loophole. Then we could go back to the beginning when the school was calm. That'd be okay with you, right?You know, that loophole would have been really nice to know before we killed Rin, Tamamo. I bet she really could have used it. Also it screws over Rani, depending how strict the 'only the winner can leave the Moon Cell,' thing is. Her sudden questioning takes me totally by surprise. And even more surprising than Caster's words is the look of frail weakness in her eyes. I-I'm joking! Really! Turning back after coming this far wouldn't fit my Master's personality at all. If we were going to drop out of the war at all, we would've had to do it at the beginning. The lives of the six Master's we've beaten...mean nothing to me. But I can't dismiss all of your efforts. All right, let's get our heads straight and head out! Oh, and forget everything I just said now, okay? ♥Music: School II  The Holy Grail will continue to observe and record the Earth. Music: School III  I hold up Julius's possession as Rani requests.  Next, Rani utters a low chant, and the lock clicks open.  There is much power in this place. I believe I can hack the Arena to lower the lighting from here. Please stall for time however you can, Hakuno. Of course. While Rani is hacking here, I'll distract Leo. If correctly timed with the fall of the light, just one strike against Gawain is all that is needed.   After I nod in agreement, Rani goes into the Multimedia Room. I better go find Leo right away, because if I miss him going into the Arena and mess up the timing, the plan will amount to nothing. And for whatever reason, we're just not allowed into the Multimedia Room. The only time we get to look inside was during the route split.  Stop off to get more Magic...  If an emergency arises, these items might help keep you and your Servant stay alive. You can buy this stuff in bulk, so be sure you stock up. And Leo is by the Arena.  There's someone in a deep crimson uniform across the hallway. —It's Leo. I have to get him to the Arena and buy some time while Rani finishes her hacking. I've got to chase him down before I lose sight of him—!  Music: Fourth Chimeric Lunar Sea - Second Floor   Leonardo should be close. Please draw him out and buy us some time.  We're allowed to head further up now.   We're roughly even with the sea at this height.  Ahead is a three way path. To the left is the exit portal, ahead is a bunch of enemies guarding some loot and the second healing fountain, and to the right is another ramp.  Let's check out the ramp first.  The last new enemy of the week is a Fortress.  There's a second.  How long have we been underwater? Huh... The time felt so short yet so long.And a third.  And just past that...  ...is Leo, standing at the very top of the world. He's standing right next to the Trigger, so there's no way to go to the Elimination Battle without springing this ambush on him. Music: Breach   ...Leo, the Trigger is right next to you. You can see it in this shot. From Leo's conversational tone, you would think he forgot that we'd fought yesterday. ...That works for me. I bring up my uneasiness about the "utopia" Leo spoke of. —A world in which he sees regulation as a necessity. A puzzled expression on his face, Leo answers me with a question.  No poverty. No war. No inequality. Those things are the conditions for happiness. Conditions the Harways maintain. There are two types of people— Those who manage, and those who enjoy the fruits of being managed. In this case, the fruits of being managed are stability and happiness. ...Y-You have a point.The other option skips ahead a bit. There's...some logic in what Leo's saying. Not everyone is capable of having and striving for goals. I was lucky Rani showed up. She guided and pushed me to where I am now. And also, every time I'm in dire straits, Caster has been there to pull me through. I really doubt I'd be standing here if I'd had to face this war alone. Ugh, way to make myself feel bad. Yes, it the role of a king to give the world that guidance. That is why I MUST attain the Holy Grail. If you could return to Earth, I'd enjoy speaking with you more about the Harway's utopia. The Harway utopia— For all its validity, it leaves a bad aftertaste in my mouth.  The screen bugs out here and forgets to pull the pixilize filter from Hakuno's lines. The disapproval evident in Caster's tone makes me reconsider what Leo was saying. For stability to exist, no one can disobey the king. No one can try to better themselves. This stagnation is Leo's wish... It's the Harway's vision of utopia. ...I see. No wonder I feel so uneasy about it. The other choice jumps to here. When people have nothing to strive for, stagnation trumps stability. When individual people work toward a better tomorrow, humanity as a whole progresses. Dan taught me to strive for a goal. Alice reached out for the vigor of human life while in stasis herself. Even Gatou wanted badly to shape the world. And didn't Rin Tohsaka fight against the world? And...even Julius... Even that twisted man took a step forward and grasped his memories. I'm positive that stability had no role in the best part of the lives of any of these people. The stability that Leo would impose on us is suspended animation. Of course we'd be free of struggle.Ahahahahaha Shinji is the only person to get left out of this. Get hosed, Shinji.  This line only shows up if you picked option 2.  While this next bit only plays if you pick option 1:  You cannot understand me, but I see the eradication of strife under my rule as the noblest achievement. Leo sighs, and glances casually at Gawain... Shall we, Gawain? It is sad, but she places herself in opposition to the Harways. That's the end of that conversation. The atmosphere on the battlefield instantly changes, and Caster leaps forward to engage. Oh, you're a Saber. Then I will be my Master's armor. I'll be impenetrable steel! I will wrap around my Master's body and protect her from every attack and every evil. Being armor means I can get a lot more snuggly with my Master than if I was a stupid sword. I would burn steel to ash with my holy sword if it prevented my lord from his rightful rule. No—! Even if I turn into ash, I'll be like a phoenix and resurrect! I'm good at transferring souls. Who cares about kings? Nothing in the whole world is more scorching than the fires of love.The second choice links up here. I had just intended to stall for time, but suddenly the tension in the air draws tight as a bowstring. *Chuckle* No one can resist a fox's provocation...! Now that he's all steamed up, he won't notice that I'm just stalling for time with my attacks! Probably. Caster smiles and I'm left wondering if this outcome was inevitable. Fortunately, it seems Gawain has lost his cool. I'll just have to stave him off long enough for Rani to finish...! Music: Duel - Unauthorized Battle   Better listen to it now, because this is the final use of Unauthorized Battle!  Music: Stops  And then- A heavy, scorching strike hit me and sent my body flying. The sound of a grotesque splatter still ringing in my ears, my vision fades with my thoughts. Sound: Phone ringing The last sound I hear is the chirping of the terminal—   The fight is the exact same as last time. Music: None  Caster's taunt is gleeful, but the expression on her face is stern.  Even though Gawain is upset, he continues to strike heavily and effectively, driving Caster back. —Still nothing. I can tell by Caster's face that they're at their limit. I may have to prepare for the worst... Sound: Phone ringing   Solar powered enemy? Hack the sun! Music: Duel - Prelude to Confrontation  This is it.  With all her might, Caster drives a single blow into Gawain. A moment later, Gawain is fuming at what's happened to his body.  Ha ha! Now you can't cheat anymore! Caster taunts Gawain, but I'm not sure we cheated any less... Well, at least she's happy. Nasuverse.txt  As a reminder, those waterfalls are falling upwards. After Gawain reluctantly lowers his sword, Leo turns to me. He's still so drat upbeat— Leo and Gawain do not get more powerful in the Elimination Battle. This is just some more random stuff that comes out of nowhere only to be immediately forgotten. I'm glad to know I wasn't wrong in getting excited about facing you.Music: Stops  For someone admitting defeat, Leo looks positively chipper. He laughs cheerfully as he logs out. He was only using a third of his power just now... Knowing Leo, he wasn't lying. But, at least I've neutralized one of Gawain's abilities. Two days remain until the Elimination Battle. Can I catch up to Leo by then—?   Level 3 nets us his third Skill.  Numeral of the Saint (EX) posted:A condition unique to Sir Gawain's existence. During the hours between 9am and 12pm and those between 3pm and sunset, all of his powers increase by a factor of three. This was related to the ancient belief that the numeral "3" was the sacred number of the Celtic gods. Next time: Hacking the game for the sole purpose of fox abuse.
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Apr 26, 2022 09:16
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Quite jarring when the dialogue directly contradicts reality, like that Moon Cell annihilation creature being a super weakling (really seems the cell could have just disintegrated any contestants at will with no hope for a defense if that actually mattered, like when losing an elimination battle). Leo also just seems like a rather straighforward opponent to beat, does not stike me as a person who has 20 hidden plans or aces up his sleever for if and when things go wrong, just blindly trusting in his own and his servants superiority. All his cards are on the table and you just have to manipulate his royal straight flush into being a losing hand, somehow.
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Apr 26, 2022 11:41
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Koboje posted:Leo also just seems like a rather straighforward opponent to beat, does not stike me as a person who has 20 hidden plans or aces up his sleever for if and when things go wrong, just blindly trusting in his own and his servants superiority. I mean, ask anyone who played FGO at launch about having to go against Gawain without the possibility of hacking the sun. Like, when we meet ser Kay and he learns we had to go against sun-powered Gawain and win his reaction is a very impressed, sympathetic and amused "you poor bastard". 50% untyped damage reduction. 400k base HP at a time when it was a big amount. 50% NP charge per turn. gently caress you AoE damage on his NP.
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Apr 26, 2022 13:30
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Koboje posted:Leo also just seems like a rather straighforward opponent to beat, does not stike me as a person who has 20 hidden plans or aces up his sleever for if and when things go wrong, just blindly trusting in his own and his servants superiority. All his cards are on the table and you just have to manipulate his royal straight flush into being a losing hand, somehow. Probably because, in his eyes, his victory is all but preordained. He was born to rule, he needs the Holy Grail to rule, therefore he will obtain the Holy Grail. This might as well be a play put on to humor the Moon Cell before he can get to work. Hakuno needs all these plans because she's weak as poo poo and has to compensate, but why would Leo bother with that when he's already going to win? The scary part is, this actually has some merit. The very last Arena is a place that effectively gives Gawain nigh-unconditional invulnerability, and the only reason we could get around it was because of Rani. If anyone else made it to the end, they wouldn't have the spare set of hands needed to both hack the Arena and attack Gawain at the same time, so this whole week would have been an effortless victory lap for him.
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Apr 26, 2022 14:09
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And that's not even mentioning how even without Numeral of the Saint, Gawain is strong enough to be easily a match for Cu or Lu Bu.
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Apr 26, 2022 16:16
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Koboje posted:
Seeing how his servant is quite literally invincible for most of a duel, he really doesn't have much need for a strategy, which is probably why in F/GO Gawain is literally the most gorellia of the Unga Bunga clan of servants.
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Apr 26, 2022 16:51
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Omobono posted:I mean, ask anyone who played FGO at launch about having to go against Gawain without the possibility of hacking the sun. And then he can't even scratch Grandpa in the following cutscene, because there's always a bigger fish and someone with more powerlevels than you.
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Apr 26, 2022 18:08
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Crasical posted:And then he can't even scratch Grandpa in the following cutscene, because there's always a bigger fish and someone with more powerlevels than you. That's still one of my favorite moments in the story. 
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Apr 26, 2022 18:45
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I guess I need to see/play/something Grand Order then! I have no knowledge of GO thanks to it and other anime being really annoying to get access to in Sweden.
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Apr 26, 2022 23:40
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Koboje posted:I guess I need to see/play/something Grand Order then! I have no knowledge of GO thanks to it and other anime being really annoying to get access to in Sweden. Here's a pro tip from someone who's been playing FGO since the NA server opened: just watch the story cutscenes on YouTube.
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Apr 27, 2022 00:35
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Koboje posted:I guess I need to see/play/something Grand Order then! I have no knowledge of GO thanks to it and other anime being really annoying to get access to in Sweden. It's, uh... rough. Rough is the word I'm going to use. Rough until almost the end of the plot. Around chapter 6 (where the Knights of the Round are the focus) the original Fate writer comes in and suddenly you've got some top-tier navelgazing/action anime writing going on, and I thought It was worth it to get there, but be warned. You're playing a gatcha game. Also: HACK THE SUN 🌞💥🎆
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Apr 27, 2022 00:51
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serefin99 posted:Here's a pro tip from someone who's been playing FGO since the NA server opened: just watch the story cutscenes on YouTube. Are all of these (or at least a good number) there? Is the story understandable like that? Because I sure as hell am not playing a gacha and much less one with FGO's reputation, and all my knowledge of the story comes from the Babylonia anime.
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Apr 27, 2022 02:42
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Blaze Dragon posted:Are all of these (or at least a good number) there? Is the story understandable like that? Because I sure as hell am not playing a gacha and much less one with FGO's reputation, and all my knowledge of the story comes from the Babylonia anime. The only thing you'd be missing are the battles themselves, which sometimes have fun flavor bits or small bits of dialogue, but otherwise can be safely skipped.
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Apr 27, 2022 02:48
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Just pushing things to a new page.
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Apr 30, 2022 09:03
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| # ? Jun 2, 2024 09:27 |
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One more, and...
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Apr 30, 2022 09:04
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