4 4 301 DialogEnable Gloomy clouds blanket the sky. Golden rays of light struggle to penetrate the clouds as if attempting to save what remained of Earth.
5 5 301 The transport craft carrying the Strike Hawk trio breaks through the dark clouds and lands steadily on a patch of open land covered in yellow sand.
6 6 401 2 1513
7 7 301 As soon as the hatch door opens, a blonde figure rushes out. He looks around and shakes his head in disappointment.
8 8 201 1 1081001
9 9 301 1 Kamui There used to be abandoned ruins here, but now there's nothing. 1
10 10 202 1 1
11 11 301 Only scorched earth remains underfoot. Everything that was once here has been reduced to charred rubble, leaving only devastation.
12 12 301 Billowing white smoke rises from the scorched earth. Cinderelikn remains of everything that once was stretch out a hand, beckoning the distant sky only to vanish in thin air.
13 13 201 1 500155
14 14 301 1 Chrome Well, this IS ground zero for the Longinus strike. 1
15 15 301 Chrome follows Kamui out of the cabin, then scans the surrounding area.
16 16 301 Chrome Nothing is left here, but the Punishing concentration still continues to fluctuate sporadically. 1
17 17 201 1 1081001
18 18 301 1 Kamui Guess the show ain't over just yet. 1
19 19 202 1 1
20 20 301 Despite the Red Tide having been cleansed for quite some time already, it shows signs of surfacing once more. After a concerted effort to find Luna, the enemy leader, her whereabouts remain unknown.
21 21 301 Whatever the reason, it's the sign of a colossal threat to come.
22 22 301 But for Chrome, this recon mission has deeper implications after learning about the current state of 【kuroname】.
23 23 301 —If they can find the Ascendant leader, they can at least give some credence to 【kuroname】.
24 24 201 1 500155 -450
25 25 201 2 1081001 450
26 26 301 1 Chrome Stay on high alert. We need to find the source of this anomaly ASAP. 1
27 27 301 Looking at the ground in front of him, Chrome opens the map on his terminal and tries to figure out their current position.
28 28 301 Chrome Based on the previous investigation, let's head northwest first. That's where a majority of the data anomalies that we have been monitoring are located. 1
29 29 301 Chrome Kamui, go get Wanshi. 1
30 30 204 2 1
31 31 301 Kamui You got it, boss! 2
32 32 202 1 2 1
33 33 201 1 500273 8
34 34 301 1 Wanshi Yawn... You rang? 1
35 35 301 Right before Kamui runs into the transport craft, Wanshi stumbles out of it half-awake.
36 36 204 1
37 37 301 Wanshi Shake me awake like that again and I'll blow a fuse. 1
38 38 301 Wanshi ...The flight over here was so smooth, I was out before I knew it. 1
39 39 203 1 0.25 -450
40 40 201 2 1081001 1 450
41 41 301 1 Kamui You could sleep through a hurricane... 2
42 42 301 Wanshi ...Touche. So, what's the plan? 1
43 43 301 Kamui We need to find out if the Red Tide is still hiding somewhere, obviously! 2
44 44 202 2 1
45 45 203 1 0.25
46 46 301 Wanshi ... 1
47 47 301 Wanshi furrows his brows, then looks around at the scorched earth.
48 48 301 Several days had already passed since they were tasked with deploying the bit domain nodes, but you are still being "monitored."
49 49 301 He has wanted to investigate the commandant's previously unmentioned symptoms on his own in search of treatment, but he has only been met with red tape.
50 50 301 Wanshi (Looks like this mission is just an excuse to keep Strike Hawk out of the picture...) 1
51 51 301 A sneaking suspicion pops up in his M.I.N.D., but he lacks the proper intel to back it up.
52 52 301 Wanshi (Let's finish the mission before investigating any further.) 1
53 53 202 1 1
54 54 301 As Wanshi catches up to his two comrades, the trio begins to make their way northwest through the acrid smell of scorched ruins. After a short while, Chrome's comm link begins to flash again.
59 59 301 1 Hassen Looking at the time, I'm guessing you haven't made it too far. 1
60 60 301 Chrome Correct, Mr. President. 2
61 61 301 Hassen We ran another threat assessment of the mission. You may encounter a mass of Red Tide, so I've temporarily assigned Camu to join the team. 1
62 62 301 Hassen Due to his particular nature as a Transcendant, let him operate alone as much as possible. But DON'T let him remove the filter Asimov made for him. 1
63 63 301 Chrome Roger. 2
64 64 301 Hassen He'll be there shortly. I'll leave the rest to you, Captain. 1
67 67 301 And with that, Hassen terminates the call.
68 68 201 1 500155 -450
69 69 201 2 1081001 450
70 70 301 1 Kamui Did the President just raise the threat level of the mission? 2
71 71 301 Chrome No, he is just taking into consideration the potential risks by assigning Camu to our team. 1
72 72 202 1 2 1
73 73 301 But if the situation is really as simple as Hassen made it out to be, all they would have to do is check if any area had slipped between the cracks.
74 74 301 But are those areas the reason for the increased threat level?
75 75 201 1 500155 -450
76 76 201 2 1081001 450
77 77 301 1 Kamui Damn, I was hoping for a change of pace... 2
78 78 204 2 2
79 79 301 Kamui This place has been picked cleaner than a tub of ice cream in Camu's hand. There's no Red Tide in sight. 2
80 80 301 Camu What was that?
81 81 202 1 2 1
82 82 301 Hearing the familiar voice, the trio turns to see a resentful Camu intentionally keeping his distance.
95 95 301 Camu looks back, but the barren land is devoid of life.
96 96 201 1 500273
97 97 301 1 Wanshi Let's go check it out. 1
98 98 203 1 0.25 -450
99 99 201 2 500155 450
100 100 301 1 Chrome Alright. It ran off to the west—right in the direction of our target. 2
101 101 202 1 2 1
102 102 201 1 500175
103 103 301 1 Camu We also need to check for any signs of the Red Tide. Leave it to me. 1
104 104 201 1 500155
105 105 301 1 Chrome The terrain here is too difficult to differentiate, Camu. We can split up after we reach our target. 1
106 106 201 1 500175
107 107 301 AniZhuanchangBegin 1 Camu Fine. 1
108 108 202 1 1
109 109 301 AniZhuanchangEnd The barren land extends outward like a vast ocean. Under the timeworn and sallow sky, the distant horizon is obscured by smoke and dust, like the scorched edges of burnt paper.
110 110 301 Camu silently follows the trio from a distance, scanning the area for clues.
111 111 301 But no matter where they go, the barren landscape is a lifeless monotony of scorched remains.
112 112 201 1 500155
113 113 201 2 1081001 600
114 114 201 3 500273 -600
115 115 301 1 Chrome Let's split up here. 1
116 116 301 Right as Chrome issues the command, the team hears something nearby. Everyone turns toward the direction of the sound, but there is nothing to be seen.
117 117 301 Kamui Do we have company? 2
118 118 301 Wanshi I can't imagine why someone would be in such a dreadful place. 3
119 119 301 Chrome Maybe it was the person we saw earlier. Let's go check it out. 1
120 120 202 1 2 3 1
121 121 301 The team proceeds in the direction of the sound, but all they find are footsteps containing the Punishing Virus.
122 122 201 1 500175
123 123 301 1 Camu Feels like we're being watched. 1
124 124 301 Standing off at a distance, he scans the surrounding area. His gaze stops on the transport craft that had brought them here.
125 125 301 Camu Hmph. 1
126 126 202 1 1
127 127 201 1 500155
128 128 201 2 1081001 600
129 129 201 3 500273 -600
130 130 301 1 Kamui I feel the same. Could it be someone who was here? 2
131 131 301 Chrome ...We can't tell if it's the same person yet. 1
132 132 301 Chrome Must be a Corrupted or Ascendant nearby given the Punishing concentration of their footsteps. 1
133 133 301 Following Camu's gaze, Chrome looks back at the transport craft.
134 134 301 Wanshi Why would they be hiding if they're an Ascendant? 3
135 135 301 Kamui To draw our attention? 2
136 136 301 Chrome Or maybe they're wounded and trying to avoid a confrontation. 1
137 137 301 Considering that these footsteps might belong to their target, Chrome determines to continue pursuit.
138 138 301 Chrome We can't jump to conclusions. Let's keep searching. 1
139 139 301 Chrome Grab a sensor and split up. Kamui, you take the west. 1
140 140 204 2 1
141 141 301 Kamui You got it, boss. 2
142 142 301 Chrome Wanshi, you take the east. Stay on high alert and maintain contact. 1
143 143 301 Wanshi ...Got it. 3
144 144 301 Chrome Camu, take the north. I'll take the south. 1
145 145 301 Chrome If you find anything or run into danger, don't get impulsive. Keep your comms on at all times. 1
