4 4 301 DialogEnable Once again, you arrive at the border of the conservation area. Under the lead-gray sky, you walk through the field of mechanical parts left by Constructs and mechanoids.
5 5 201 1 500345
6 6 301 1 Vera Ugh... Looks like this mission is going to be a hassle. We've got quite a few battles ahead of us. 1
7 7 301 DialogDisable Vera No matter. More battles mean less wounded. I guess it's worth it. 1
8 8 302 Vera. 9
9 9 302 I have a question. 10
10 10 204 1 1
11 11 301 DialogEnable Vera Oh, dear! What's wrong? Dear Commandant? I'm not in the mood right now. Ask too many questions, and I'll have a special room in the field clinic with your name on it. 1
12 12 302 Why am I leading the way this time? 13
13 13 204 1 13
14 14 301 Vera Last time you didn't want to help clean up the aftermath. Alright, perfect. This time I need someone to do the "beforemath." 1
15 15 302 Let me guess... You want to use me as bait? 16
16 16 204 1 2
17 17 301 Vera Oh, dear! What gave you that idea? 1
18 18 301 Vera Whatever. Doesn't matter. You always have a way of getting right to the point, Gray Raven Commandant. 1
19 19 302 Can I say no? 20 Fine... 23
20 20 202 1 1
21 21 301 Vera Of course not, my dear Commandant!
22 22 301 You do not need to turn back to see Vera's face to know the expression she is giving you.
23 23 202 1 1
24 24 301 You have no other choice but to follow Vera's orders and continue onward.
25 25 201 1 500013
26 26 401 2 1508
27 27 301 1 Corrupted Rargh—! 1
28 28 301 Right at that moment, a Corrupted rushes forward. Without any other targets nearby, it is clearly aiming at you as Vera watches from behind.
29 29 401 2 1508
30 30 301 Corrupted Urgh—! 1
31 31 301 As it approaches, Vera's banner spear remains unflinching.
32 32 401 2 1508
33 33 301 Corrupted Rrarrggghhh—! 1
34 34 301 Just as the Corrupted is right in front of you with its weapon in your face—
37 37 301 Suddenly, the banner spear comes flying through the gap below your arm.
38 38 201 1 500345 2
39 39 301 1 Vera Not bad, Gray Raven Commandant. You sure make for some great bait. You don't move an inch! 1
40 40 302 Well, not with your spear at my back... Just call me grade A Corrupted food...
41 41 204 1 13
42 42 301 Vera Heh, well don't stop here. Keep going. 1
43 43 302 Quit prodding me with your spear! 44 I'm not some shish kebab! 44
44 44 202 1 1
45 45 301 These Corrupted lack advanced cognition modules, only going after humans. All you need to do is continue onward, and Vera will take care of them one after another.
46 46 301 However, unlike last time when Vera would leave you to do the dirty work, she is sure to swiftly kill each Corrupted herself, leaving no room for danger.
47 47 301 Vera threatens you with a sweet smile as if to warn you not to act rashly. Even if you want to do something, you will be immediately struck by her banner spear.
48 48 302 (Looks like... this is pretty straightforward?) 49
49 49 201 1 500345
50 50 301 1 Vera Well, then. 1
51 51 301 Vera Hey, wait a sec. 1
52 52 301 Right as that thought crosses your mind, Vera suddenly stops you in your tracks.
53 53 301 Vera Take this. 1
54 54 301 You stop and look back. Vera tosses you a small pistol.
55 55 302 What's this? 56
56 56 301 Vera There's a spike in the Punishing Virus concentration up ahead. A horde of Corrupted is heading this way. Playtime's over. 1
57 57 204 1 4
58 58 301 Vera Take this pistol. Don't get yourself killed. 1
59 59 302 Huh? 60
60 60 301 Turning back, the horde of Corrupted arrives right on cue. Compared to their forces, your pistol seems like nothing more than child's play.
61 61 301 Vera What are you worried about? Someone of your caliber should be able to protect yourself. 1
62 62 202 1 1
63 63 301 Vera lifts her spear and begins to swiftly pierce through the horde of Corrupted like an unstoppable force. However, with the deluge of Corrupted attacking from all directions, she has no time to look out for you.
64 64 301 Does she expect you to carry the same weight against this many Corrupted? This...
65 65 302 I've got this! 66 I'm outnumbered! 66
66 66 301 Step back, load, aim...
67 67 301 Stabilize, deep breath...
68 68 401 2 1510
69 69 301 Fire!
70 70 302 Four Corrupted struck at 2 o'clock. 71 Damn it. Missed. 75
71 71 201 1 500345
72 72 301 1 Vera Huh! 1
73 73 401 2 11106007
74 74 86 301 As you shoot, Vera swings her spear horizontally at the enemies. The sheer brute force of the attack slices straight through their metal frames.
78 77 301 The gunfire causes several Corrupted rushing toward Vera to shift their sights onto you. Dropping their defenses for just a second, Vera seizes this window of opportunity and draws an arc with the tip of her spear, cleaving the other group of mechanoids in half.
79 78 204 1
80 79 301 Vera Think you can work on that aim next time? 1
81 80 302 ...Got it. 81
82 81 401 2 1510
83 82 301 You nod and raise your hand. With your aim steady, you pull the trigger at Vera.
84 83 301 At the shooting range, you would have received a stern lecture. But on the battlefield, there is no time for instruction.
85 84 301 Hers was a command.
86 85 301 This time, your aim is tried and true. You shoot a Corrupted closing in on Vera from behind.
87 86 201 1 500345 2
88 87 301 1 Vera Not bad. I guess you pass. 1
89 88 302 Just barely. 89 This is the true measure of a... 89
90 89 204 1
91 90 301 Vera I've still got over a dozen more of those bastards. Get moving. 1
92 91 302 Shouldn't we almost be done? 92 Ever consider working for the Science Council? 92
93 92 204 1 13
94 93 301 Vera If you've got energy to speak, you've got energy to fight. Why don't I give you a few more? 1
95 94 302 Uh... Alright. 95 Er... Only if I have to. 95
96 95 204 1 2
97 96 301 Vera Alright. If that's the case— 1
98 97 204 1
99 98 301 Vera Look, 1 o'clock. See that little runt? Get rid of it. 1
100 99 202 1 1
101 100 401 2 1510
102 101 301 Without saying a word, you aim and fire. Vera steps a foot forward and launches her spear in the same direction.
103 102 201 1 500013 600
104 103 201 2 500013
105 104 201 3 500013 -600
106 105 401 2 1508
107 106 301 After running around as bait, you have already gathered a large horde of Corrupted that now stand before you like a red sea. 1 2 3
117 115 301 Like the staff of legends, Vera's banner spear prepares to part the red sea. 1 2 3
118 116 202 1 2 3 1
119 117 301 Your bullet signals her to begin.
120 118 301 The bullet hits a small Corrupted resembling a transmitter, which was causing Corrupted to gather here in the first place.
121 119 301 By removing this signal, the instinct-driven Corrupted will lose their senses of direction soon, and the two of you should be able to defend the front line.
122 120 201 1 500013
123 121 401 2 1508
124 122 301 1 Corrupted —Raaargh!—Rrrgghh! 1
125 123 202 1 1
126 124 301 However, Vera's ambush distances the two of you from each other. Without the protection of her banner spear, a new horde of Corrupted begins to surround you.
127 125 302 ...No problem. 126
128 126 301 After fighting alongside Vera, you finally begin to understand her fighting style. You do not panic like last time. Instead, you take a deep breath, steady your feet, and approach her as you fire your gun.
129 127 301 On the battlefield, she is like an unrestrained dancer. If you wish to be her partner, you must rise to her sense of autonomy. If she is out of reach, you must dance your way to her side.
130 128 302 This side's all taken care of. 129
131 129 301 Step by step, you press the line. Forward and back, you make your way to her side. Falling back one last time, your back is finally at the hilt of her spear.
132 130 301 No enemies will ambush you from behind, nor will they ambush Vera. Indeed, this peace of mind is like two partners dancing in step.
133 131 301 AniZhuanchangBegin Soon after, Vera begins moving again. This time you move in the direction of more Corrupted—
136 134 301 After dancing with the rose for who knows how long, your arms begin to ache from holding the pistol right as all the Corrupted have been completely eliminated.
137 135 302 Enemies eliminated. 136
138 136 301 Vera Right.
139 137 301 You see Vera's mouth move, but you cannot hear what she says from this distance. However, you cannot mistake her affirmative tone for anything but confirmation.
140 138 302 Do we need to recover any resources here? 139
141 139 301 There is no response. Vera, who is standing in the distance, just kneels down and rummages through a pile of scraps. The answer is clear.
142 140 301 Right as you are about to run over to her side, a small robot moving ever so slightly in the distance attracts your attention.
143 141 302 Oh no, you don't. 142
144 142 301 Change direction, step over the scraps, aim, fire—
145 143 401 2 1510
146 144 301 You destroy it in a single shot. This time, you have the hands of a surgeon. The Corrupted transmitter quickly collapses onto the ground.
147 145 302 Time to regroup with Vera. 146
148 146 301 Just as you turn to walk toward Vera, you feel your body suddenly become heavier.
149 147 302 ? 148
150 148 301 RImgBg1Shake You stagger forward.
151 149 302 It can't be... 150
152 150 301 Finally managing to stabilize yourself, you cannot help but squat down. That is when you realize the issue...
153 151 301 Walking through the scrap metal, you have gotten used to treading unstable ground.
154 152 301 RImgBg1Shake That is why you ignored the steady rumbling that had begun to occur underfoot.
160 158 301 1 Vera 【kuroname】! Don't just stand there! 1
161 159 302 I can't keep my balance! 160
162 160 301 Vera has reacted to the situation at hand way before you have. Realizing what is happening, she quickly runs over to the other side of the Corrupted.
163 161 202 1 1
164 162 301 The Corrupted rises from within the ruins, and you almost lose your footing if you have not kneeled to lower your center of gravity. Based on your field of vision, the height of the Corrupted must be over ten meters, with you right on top of it. Jumping down from this height poses too much of a risk.
165 163 301 Prioritize killing the Corrupted or find a way to save yourself? You will have to make the call and relay it to Vera—
166 164 201 1 500020
167 165 401 2 1508
168 166 301 1 Giant Corrupted Urgh—! 1
169 167 301 However, the Corrupted leaves you no time to deliberate. It most likely discovered you after receiving a signal from the transmitter you destroyed. After standing up, the Giant Corrupted immediately begins to shake violently.
170 168 301 As for you, the violent shaking sends you flying off the Corrupted.
171 169 201 1 500345 5
172 170 301 1 Vera Brace for landing! 1
173 171 302 Got it! 172 (Adjust posture) 172
174 172 301 In the case of a high-altitude descent, commandants have undergone safety training for a descent protocol in tandem with a Construct. Vera makes the same call and immediately initiates the descent protocol.
175 173 301 Follow your training, hold your breath, stay calm, pay attention to your limbs. Adjust your landing posture bit by bit——
176 174 201 1 500020
177 175 401 2 1508
178 176 301 1 Giant Corrupted Rargh—! 1
179 177 301 Only to be smacked by the Corrupted's erratically swinging arms.
180 178 302 Ugh...! 179
181 179 301 Train as you will... No amount of training would prepare you for being struck mid-air by a Giant Corrupted.
182 180 202 1 1
183 181 301 RImgBg1Shake Compared with the pain from the devastating blow, the feeling of weightlessness takes precedence in your mind. For a brief moment, you cannot tell whether you are falling toward the gray earth or flying up into the gray sky. Your whole world is spinning, and your arms are at their limits.
184 182 401 2 1507
185 183 301 Krrr... Krr... You hear the Giant Corrupted moving its feet clumsily and stirring through the mountainous pile of scraps.
186 184 201 1 500345 4
187 185 301 1 Vera Hmph. 1
188 186 202 1 1
189 187 301 The metal scraps have probably hindered Vera's approach. A steel plate right before you is covering her crimson hair.
190 188 401 2 1506
191 189 301 Ka-cha! The tip of the banner spear breaks the steel plate in two.
192 190 301 It is Vera. She smashes the steel plate and dashes forward. Nothing stands in her way as she indiscriminately destroys every obstacle in her path.
