17 17 301 1 Without hesitation, she withdraws her arm and retracts her spear. The shaft of the spear sweeps across another Corrupted attacking from the side and stabs yet another target in one fluid motion. 1 2
22 22 301 1 Under the lead-gray sky, machine parts pile up into a large mound. Waving her banner spear, she sends Corrupted flying into the air one after another. She is like a dancer gliding among dozens of partners in an intricate dance of death.
23 23 302 Vera. 24
24 24 301 As for you, you stand behind her, dodging scrap metal as you watch the fierce spectacle unfold.
25 25 302 I have a question. 26
26 26 301 Vera What? 1
27 27 301 The dancer has no intention of looking back. She only glances at you as she spins around with her spear, seemingly casting you a look of "don't bother me if you're okay."
28 28 302 Why am I in the back? 29
29 29 301 DialogDisable Vera Isn't it normal for a commandant to stand at the rear and watch from a safe distance while Constructs fight the Corrupted on the front line? What's wrong? 1
30 30 302 Not every commandant fights like that. 31
31 31 302 But that's not what I mean. 32
32 32 301 DialogEnable She is right that it is a common tactic for commandants to assign Constructs to fight on the front line while they provide support from the rear. However, the problem is...
33 33 401 2 1503
34 34 301 Skint! Vera runs her banner spear right through another Corrupted's frame. The body is powerless to resist, but the limbs writhe in the air, indicating the need for one more final blow.
35 35 301 She turns a blind eye and tosses the Corrupted behind her carelessly. The struggling Corrupted lands in front of you, its bright red lens pointing at you as it lets out a harsh metal shriek.
36 36 201 1 500013
37 37 401 2 1508
38 38 301 1 Corrupted —Raaargh!—Rrrgghh! 1
39 39 302 ...Here we go again. 40
40 40 202 1 1
41 41 301 The problem is that Vera is not actually killing any of the Corrupted. Instead, she is merely slashing them a few times and tossing them to the side. Since the mission started, you have been forced to finish the job as Corrupted bodies continue to pile up.
42 42 301 The original plan was for you to stay in close proximity to Vera to widen the safe zone. But with her flailing around her banner spear, she is like a fierce rose in battle. Get too close, and you will get stabbed by a thorn.
43 43 201 1 500013
44 44 401 2 1508
45 45 301 1 Corrupted Urgh... 1
46 46 401 2 1510
47 47 301 PanelActor1Shake You raise your gun and shoot, causing the red light on its lens to fade to black. Its sharp claws, just one inch from stabbing you, fall to the ground.
48 48 302 You did that on purpose, didn't you? Letting them approach? 49
49 49 201 1 500345 13
50 50 301 1 Vera Find that out just now? 1
51 51 301 Clearing the way in front of her, she slows down her pace and throws a sarcastic smile at you between the fighting.
52 52 204 1 2
53 53 301 Vera Don't you fight like this, Gray Raven Commandant? I'm just having you help clean up the aftermath. 1
54 54 302 This is how you want me to help? 55 I wouldn't exactly call this "helping." 55
55 55 301 Vera Haha, think what you like. If you are afraid, blame yourself for taking part in this mission. 1
56 56 301 Vera But we can't quit now. We're almost at the mission location. 1
57 57 202 1 1
58 58 301 Right at that moment, Vera stops. She plunges her spear into the ground and kneels down.
59 59 301 Mechanoid ruins spread out before you. A dusty metallic smell seems to linger in the gray air. An array of mechanical parts are stacked at random. Among the piles, you catch occasional glimpses of movement.
60 60 201 1 500013
61 61 401 2 1508
62 62 301 1 Corrupted Rgh—Aargh! 1
63 63 301 Right where Vera is kneeling, a mechanoid hand bursts out from the ground as the Corrupted roars. The mechanoid still bears some human resemblance. It must have been a destroyed Construct.
64 64 201 1 500345 2
65 65 301 1 Vera Hmph! How can a pile of junk this infected even move? 1
66 66 204 1 13
67 67 301 Vera Whatever... Time to die! 1
68 68 301 As if too lazy to pull out her banner spear, she shoves her fist into the Corrupted's core.
69 69 401 2 578
70 70 402 400 578
71 71 301 Ka-cha... You seem to hear a faint ticking like that of a mechanical heart. Suddenly, the Corrupted's rigid body collapses into Vera's arms like a sleeping infant.
72 72 301 Vera Let's see if this Corrupted's got anything... 1
73 73 301 Vera kneels down lower and feels around the Corrupted's frame, which no longer shows any sign of functionality.
74 74 202 1 1
75 75 301 You cannot see what she is doing from where you stand. All you can do is listen.
76 76 401 2 570
77 77 301 At first, you hear the faint sound of friction.
78 78 401 2 1506
79 79 301 Following that, you hear the clanging thud of metal hitting metal.
80 80 401 2 574
81 81 301 Finally, you hear a deafening bang as she finally stands up from the Corrupted. She fixes her hair with the hand holding a dangling bundle of parts.
82 82 201 1 500345 8
83 83 301 1 Vera Ugh, recovering resources is always such a pain in the ***. What were the higher-ups thinking just sending one Construct? I guess I'll scavenge while we inspect the place. 1
84 84 302 Need my help? 85
85 85 204 1 13
86 86 301 Vera You? What do you know? Stand back and don't get in my way. 1
87 87 204 1 2
88 88 301 Vera Of course, if you're so interested in Construct autopsies, I won't object. But don't blame me if scrap just so happens to come flying out and slit your throat. 1
89 89 302 Forget it... 90
90 90 202 1 1
91 91 301 Autopsy... Although official statements from Babylonia use more politically correct terminology, Vera does not bother mincing words when referring to the mission objective.
92 92 301 Aside from recovering resources, the objective of your mission is to investigate the area—that includes the dead soldiers here.
93 93 301 This sort of mission is not particularly uncommon, but you rarely participate. That being said, most participants are not like Vera.
94 94 201 1 500345 2
95 95 301 1 Vera Oh, look at the tracks here. Seems like this group of Constructs put up quite the resistance before they died despite not knowing a single thing about tactics. 1
96 96 301 Vera But their cores were obliterated. Ha. It's not that they didn't have the strength to continue fighting—they just gave up in despair. I guess they must have seen something. 1
97 97 204 1
98 98 301 Vera 2 o'clock. Looks like it started with that Construct hanging upside down. That's their captain. 1
99 99 204 1 8
100 100 301 Vera Let's see... They probably stuck to the front line here. They lasted about five waves—no, six. Right as they were able to go on the offensive, they saw a giant Corrupted crush their captain and kick him into the tree. 1
101 101 204 1
102 102 301 Vera After that, they couldn't even stand a single wave before they were overrun. 1
103 103 202 1 1
104 104 301 Vera Hmph. Men without a banner. What a pity. 1
107 107 301 AniZhuanchangEnd Unwilling to continue listening, you close your eyes.
108 108 301 Vera slowly and methodically describes the fallen soldiers' final battle.
109 109 301 Some fought desperately, some sacrificed their lives, and some fled. Just listening to her analysis, you vividly imagine what they must have experienced on the battlefield. And the final moments before their deaths.
110 110 301 Now, their final moments have been pulled out of the dust by Vera, dissected and analyzed, becoming the material for studying the battle.
111 111 301 How should one react when hearing their final moments? You do not know what to feel.
112 112 301 But Vera does, with certainty. She is just carrying out her mission, recording those endings and bringing them to light.
113 113 301 Just like her nickname, "Death". A Grim Reaper.
116 116 301 1 Vera Hey, Gray Raven Commandant. I know I told you to stay away from me, but are you really going to just stand there and daydream? 1
117 117 204 1 2
118 118 301 Vera Keep that up, and you'll be a permanent resident here. Shouldn't you familiarize yourself with the surrounding area first? 1
119 119 302 That won't be necessary. 120 I've already bought a house here. 120
120 120 301 Vera Really? Then suit yourself. 1
121 121 204 1 8
122 122 301 Vera I don't have time to look after you. Take care of yourself if any Corrupted ambush us. 1
123 123 302 ...Got it. 124 (Walk over) 124
124 124 204 1 13
125 125 301 Vera Hmph, good. 1
126 126 301 Looking up from the broken mechanical parts, Vera suddenly smiles at you.
127 127 202 1 1
128 128 301 Right at that moment, she pulls out a small part from within the Construct's frame. It's a half-full glass tube containing a vibrant green solution.
129 129 302 What's this? 130
130 130 301 Seeing this peculiar object, your curiosity causes you to speak without thinking.
131 131 201 1 500345
132 132 301 1 Vera Huh? You think I— 1
133 133 301 Vera hesitates as if deliberating whether or not to belabor a response.
134 134 204 1 1
135 135 301 Her eyebrows twitch, then she blinks twice before smiling a big toothy grin.
136 136 301 Vera Well, alright... Since you saw it, I'll tell you. 1
137 137 301 She throws the glass capsule high into the air and catches it.
138 138 204 1 2
139 139 301 Vera This little fella is called an inverse scale inhibitor dispersant. It's a top-secret reagent developed by Babylonia. 1
140 140 302 An inverse... what? 141
141 141 204 1
142 142 301 Vera Forget it. The point is... it's top-secret. Most of the information on its production and ingredients won't see the light of day—some of which cause humans to feel excruciating pain. 1
143 143 302 That's why you were dealing with those suspicious people?
144 144 204 1 4
145 145 301 Vera Oh, you still remember that. Then you should know that this thing must be kept secret. 1
146 146 204 1 2
147 147 301 Vera I won't go into detail. But to put it simply, this thing is kind of a cardiac stimulant that can be administered to people on the brink of death via intravenous injection. 1
148 148 301 Vera This thing exists in every Construct, just under the spine. It's impossible to remove without disassembling the entire Construct like I did just now. 1
149 149 301 Vera Hmph. If this ever gets out, how many commandants do you think will request Constructs to crack open their frames to save themselves during crises? You know how it is between Commandants and Constructs. 1
150 150 301 Vera That's why this tech has been kept top-secret all this time to prevent that from happening. Only a handful of honorary commandants are authorized to know. 1
151 151 302 Is that... why you're telling me? 152
152 152 301 Vera Yep! You're now an honorary member, Gray Raven Commandant. Now that you know this secret, you can order your team to find a Construct to save yourself when your life is in danger. 1
153 153 301 Vera I'm sure your team members will fall all over each other trying to help you. 1
154 154 302 ...I wouldn't let them do that. 160 Cut the crap. 155
155 155 204 1
156 156 301 Vera Not bad. People who think this is fake are the best at keeping secrets. Keep at it. 1
157 157 204 1 1
158 158 301 Vera But when you're one foot in the grave, I can't wait to see you begging them to use this lil' thing. 1
159 159 302 Never. 160
160 160 202 1 1
161 161 301 You respond without even taking time to consider the possibility.
162 162 301 Regardless if what Vera said was true or not, you would never choose to do that on the battlefield. Whether it is Gray Raven or other Constructs, you would never want to put them in harm's way.
163 163 301 This is the only thing you can firmly answer.
164 164 201 1 500345
165 165 301 1 Vera ...Is that so? 1
166 166 301 Vera just shrugs.
167 167 301 Vera Forget it. Doesn't matter. I'm done recovering the resources here. Let's return to the conservation area. 1
168 168 301 She stands up and casually kicks away the Construct scattered on the floor. She throws over the parts she collected from the surrounding area, implying for you to carry them back.
169 169 204 1 2
170 170 301 Vera Alright, let's get going. 1
171 171 301 Her tone becomes sharp and pretentious, reminding you of those birds with names you cannot pronounce in those nature documentaries.
172 172 301 Vera Dear Com—man—dant— 1
173 173 301 1 AniZhuanchangBegin You nearly gag at the sound of such a sweet and intimate tone, which causes your body to tense up.
