4 4 301 DialogEnable An instructor once asked in class...
5 5 301 ??? What is the most dangerous enemy?
6 6 301 ??? Overwhelming power? Shrewd tactics? No, the answer is more simple.
7 7 301 ??? The most dangerous enemy is the unknown. When you don't know your enemy, regardless of how weak they may be, they can prove fatal to the entire team.
8 8 301 ??? Only when you know yourself and the enemy can you win every battle. If you want to evaluate the enemy's strength in combat, combat itself is not the only factor.
9 9 301 ??? First, you must consider the environment. If the enemy is familiar with their surroundings, they will have the upper hand.
10 10 301 ??? Second, how well does the enemy know you? If your opponent already knows your weaknesses and combat methods, you can't treat them according to your preliminary analysis.
11 11 301 ??? Three, what is their true objective? Aside from direct confrontation with the enemy, they also have strategic objectives. Ignore this point, and they'll lead you right into their trap. Don't say I didn't teach you anything.
12 12 301 ??? Four, what is the current state of you and your enemy? Aside from injuries and weaponry, what are their strengths and weakness? Can you use these to your advantage? All of these factors must be taken into account.
13 13 301 ??? There are still many other factors that influence your judgement. For example, as we all know, if you don't factor in the ballistic calculator, windage, and elevation when sniping, you will miss each and every shot.
14 14 301 ??? Exceptional and wise commandants have this intuition, allowing them to accurately assess the current state of the enemy.
15 15 301 Prior to the Ascendants making their presence known to the public, many people thought that such measures would not need to be taken into consideration while facing the mindless Corrupted.
16 16 301 But after graduation, the more you participate in combat, the more you understand the instructors' teachings.
17 17 301 AniZhuanchangBegin Especially... Against this unknown enemy.
22 23 301 AniZhuanchangEnd 1 The battle, which is forced to take place, lasts three minutes. During this time, Vonnegut unleashes a never-ending barrage of unexpected attacks.
23 24 301 Practically everyone has sustained injuries, except "her," who is familiar with Vonnegut.
24 25 301 For some reason or another, the agent seems to have avoided fatally injuring the team. Like a cat toying with its prey, he takes joy in relentlessly striking them.
25 26 301 But even Alpha is not able to really hit Vonnegut and all her attacks bounce off of his defense barrier one after another.
41 42 301 1 Vonnegut Say what you like, I'm growing bored of this. 1
42 43 301 He puts his hands behind his back, and a sardonic smile appears on his lips.
43 44 301 Vonnegut The captain who changed his frame hasn't returned yet. Could he have been eaten by the Hetero-Hive Mother? Hmm... 1
44 45 302 I believe in him. 46 No way. 46
45 46 301 Vonnegut Oh? 1
46 47 301 Vonnegut raises his hand, condensing the Punishing Virus into a handful of fine photosand. But just as he is about to clench his fist, an earthquake-like roar can be heard in the distance.
47 48 202 1 1
48 49 301 RImgBg1Shake ??? Haaaargh—
49 50 301 A ragged cry comes from the other side of the wall.
50 51 201 1 500305 1
51 52 301 1 Vonnegut Congrats! Looks like you put your faith in the right person after all. 1
52 53 301 He slowly applauds them.
53 54 301 Vonnegut I'll hold up my end of the bargain. You're free to leave. 1
54 55 301 Vonnegut But there's something I have to do to erase any traces of vital information. 1
67 68 301 1 Vonnegut A bond can be a troublesome thing sometimes, can it not? 1
68 69 301 It seems that Vonnegut has already taken their various evacuation routes into consideration. He ensnares Lucia and others who try to protect you in a surge of Punishing current. Right as the team is unable to continue onward—
69 70 401 2 1503
70 71 301 RImgBg1Shake The ceiling begins to collapse. Even though you managed to avoid the first few fallen fragments, the successive collapses prove too much.
71 72 401 2 1503
72 73 301 A massive stone slab falls on your fragile human body. Even though vital parts like your neck are protected, you still hear a faint crack among your ribs.
79 80 301 1 Vonnegut The demolition here has not been completed. 1
80 81 301 He "keeps his promise" and only unleashes the red current in his hands along the wall and ground. However, you struggle under the rubble like prey caught in a bear trap.
90 91 301 RImgBg1Shake You hear a deafening crackling from an explosion by your ears. A wall collapses onto you, causing your chest to crunch again from the impact.
91 92 302 Arrrrrrrgh—! 93
92 93 201 1 500166 5
93 94 301 1 Lucia COMMANDANT!!!! 1
94 95 301 The almost hoarse cry and the severe pain in your chest penetrates into your nerves. Your broken ribs stab your lungs.
120 121 301 Even as the deafening sound of battle fade into the distance, the shockwaves cause the fractured walls of the waterway to continue to collapse.
121 122 401 2 1503
122 123 301 Right as you are about to drown in agony, the floor beneath you begins to crack.
123 124 302 It's going to break... 125
124 125 301 The cracks begin to expand, causing your body to have a sinking sensation.
125 126 301 As if adding fuel to the fire, you hear the rushing sound of water beneath the collapsing floor.
126 127 301 ...The Red Tide.
127 128 301 In the darkness, a horrifying thought comes to mind.
128 129 301 ...If you fall into the Red Tide, will you turn into one of its projections?
129 130 301 Will you be like Silk Worm's commandant... misleading Ruolin down the wrong path?
130 131 301 If Asimov was here, would he classify these thoughts as the reason for your Mind Beacon's corruption?
131 132 302 ... 133
132 133 301 No... Now's not the time to think about this.
133 134 301 However, no matter how hard you struggle, you cannot free yourself from the wreckage. Struggling will only cause you to suffer and suffocate in even more intense agony.
134 135 301 Using your last ounce of strength, you free your hand grasping the locator.
135 136 302 The locator... 137 Percy... 137
136 137 301 Whether it's from the damage sustained from the wreckage or the existence of the signal jammer...
137 138 301 Percy's beacon on the locator stops nearby, accompanied by a loading prompt.
138 139 302 So that's how it is... 140
139 140 301 You use your only free hand to refresh the locator. Finally, you manage to trigger the alarm function.
140 141 301 RImgBg1Shake AniZhuanchangBegin But right as the alarm sounds, the cracks widen, and the floor begins to collapse.
194 195 301 AniZhuanchangEnd In the aftermath, the survivors exchange glances. Wanshi mends all your wounds, allowing everyone to regain basic mobility.
195 196 201 1 500273
196 197 301 1 Wanshi ...This is just emergency treatment. You'll have to treat your more serious wounds back in Babylonia. 1
197 198 202 1 1
198 199 301 Everyone is wounded to varying degrees from the battle. Fortunately, none of which are fatal.
205 206 301 1 Camu They left before us. They should be in Babylonia by now. 2
206 207 204 1 2
207 208 301 Kamui Camu! When did you get here? 1
208 209 301 Camu Just now... 2
209 210 202 1 2 1
210 211 201 1 500019
211 212 301 1 Reyna Ahhhhh, Captain!! 1
212 213 203 1 0.25 400
213 214 201 2 500028 -400
214 215 301 1 Captain Percy What is it? 2
215 216 301 Captain Percy Still crying about losing a few fingers? 2
216 217 301 Reyna No, it's not that. You gave me Ersi's name tag to hold onto as you were climbing out of the waterway... But... 1
217 218 301 Captain Percy You lost it?? 2
218 219 301 Reyna When we were evacuating... I think I lost it when that weird electric current cut off my fingers holding the name tag. 1
219 220 301 Reyna I was so worried about evacuating, I didn't notice... 1
220 221 301 Percy sighs and squeezes Reyna's shoulder helplessly.
221 222 301 Captain Percy Even if you DID notice, there wasn't anything you could do. 2
222 223 301 Captain Percy Staying alive is more important! 2
223 224 202 1 2 1
224 225 201 1 500166 2
225 226 301 1 Lucia Well, Commandant. We managed to stay alive and complete the mission. 1
226 227 204 1 6
227 228 301 Lucia But... I'm really sorry that I didn't go back for you as soon as I could. 1
228 229 302 There's nothing you could do... 230 You made the right call. 230
229 230 201 1 500309 9
230 231 301 1 Chrome It's dangerous to stay here any longer. Now that you've recovered, let's get back ASAP. 1
231 232 201 1 500166 2
232 233 301 1 Lucia You're right. Let's go. 1
233 234 202 1 1
234 235 301 On the way to the transport craft, you look back to see Chrome looking at you.
235 236 301 Was it a little too coincidental Chrome saved you right at the last second?
236 237 302 Chrome. 238
237 238 201 1 500309 11
238 239 301 1 Chrome What is it? 1
239 240 302 How'd you know I was there? 241
240 241 301 Chrome The locator. 1
241 242 301 He shows you the small locator in his hand.
242 243 301 Chrome I wanted to regroup with everyone after the battle. That's when I ran into them. 1
243 244 301 Chrome glances at Captain Percy, and sees him give a thumbs up.
244 245 301 Chrome Even though it malfunctioned when I approached you, I could tell I was close by given the location of the collapse. That's when I heard the alarm. 1
245 246 301 Chrome I wasn't being pursued by Vonnegut like everyone else, so I could act more freely. 1
246 247 302 What about that agent? 248
247 248 201 1 1081001 1
248 249 301 1 Kamui A strange lady appeared during the battle. Vonnegut stopped attacking as soon as he saw her. 1
249 250 302 A strange lady? 251
250 251 301 Kamui I don't know. We were all more concerned with finding you. 1
251 252 301 Kamui As soon as he saw her, he immediately stopped attacking and retreated. 1
252 253 302 Who could've distracted him? 254
253 254 203 1 0.25 -400
254 255 201 2 500273 7 400
255 256 301 1 Wanshi Was it the other agent that Gabriel had mentioned? 2
256 257 204 2
257 258 201 1 500166 -400
258 259 301 1 Lucia Another agent? 1
259 260 201 2 500309 9 400
260 261 301 1 Chrome It's possible, but we don't know much about her. 2
261 262 202 1 2 1
262 263 301 During the discussion, the team arrives at the transport craft.
263 264 301 On the scorched land, they see a polished name tag engraved with Ersi's name.
264 265 201 1 500019
265 266 301 1 Reyna Ah!! 1
266 267 201 1 500028
267 268 301 1 Captain Percy Ersi's name tag...! What's it doing here? 1
268 269 201 1 500309 9
269 270 301 1 Chrome I'm getting a high reading of Punishing Virus concentration from the name tag. Be careful. 1
270 271 202 1 1
271 272 301 Percy puts on a pair of protective gloves, then clutches it tightly.
272 273 201 1 500166 5
273 274 301 1 Lucia Who brought it here? Could it be... 1
274 275 202 1 1
275 276 301 Everyone looks around at their surroundings, but no one is there.
