3 3 301 DialogEnable There is only silence. Occasionally, chirpings from birds can be heard, disrupting the monotonous quietness as if a sharp beak piercing the veil of the night sky.
4 4 401 2 1506
5 5 301 With a sudden, explosive smash, the vined metal door in front falls to the ground.
6 6 301 Specks of metal and broken leaves scatter in the air. Amidst the dusty aftermath, a pair of legs step on the dry, fallen leaves on the floor, the barren land crackling under their weight.
7 7 301 ??? Is this the place?
8 8 301 ?? The target location is 35.61 km ahead of us.
9 9 301 Another set of legs enters, startling a moth resting on a traffic sign.
10 10 301 The sky is still dark. The waning moon tries its best to illuminate the area with its sliver of light.
11 11 301 The path ahead is completely shrouded. With the presence of the unexpected guests, the only living thing in sight flaps its wings and flies above the rusty metal fence, heading for the sky.
12 12 301 Almost all lives have departed the place. Only darkness awaits ahead, where no light can come through.
13 13 301 The silhouettes of the two Constructs look like phantoms under the dim moonlight.
14 14 201 1 500168
15 15 301 1 Vera What the hell are you two doing? 1
16 16 301 Breaking the silence, Vera closes the holo-projection on her terminal and turns to face her two teammates nearby.
17 17 301 Vera It's a door! Why didn't you just open it?! 1
18 18 202 1 1
19 19 201 1 500336
20 20 301 1 Noctis Oh, could it open? I didn't notice... 1
21 21 201 1 500168
22 22 301 1 Vera Set up the gear and prepare to work. 1
23 23 202 1 1
24 24 201 1 500328
25 25 301 1 No. 21 Roger. 1
26 26 202 1 1
27 27 301 The Constructs begin to take out the node device used for enhancing remote connection from the crates they have been carrying.
28 28 201 1 500168 -450
29 29 201 2 500336 4 450
30 30 301 1 Noctis Do we have to use this now? We've never seen this thing before. 2
31 31 301 Vera Who knows what the big brass are thinking this time... You guys get on with this. I'll scan the terrain first. 1
32 32 301 Vera I confirmed the details on this location earlier. This place... was a small town abandoned during the late Golden Age, seemingly a regular residential area. There isn't much else in the database. 1
33 33 301 Vera They're pretty common during the tail end of the Golden Age. The Punishing Virus concentration here is also normal... 1
34 34 301 Vera What is our objective this time, 21? 1
35 35 202 1 2 1
36 36 201 1 500328
37 37 301 1 No. 21 Capt., we're supposed to investigate the abnormal M.I.N.D. fluctuation detected in the area. 1
38 38 202 1 1
39 39 201 1 500168 -450
40 40 201 2 500336 4 450
41 41 301 1 Noctis So even you didn't know what we're here for? 2
42 42 301 Vera Tsk. Of course I do. 1
43 43 301 Vera ...Of course I do... 1
44 44 301 Vera After what happened... Calling us back from the Red Tide-infested sewer all of a sudden, then having us benched in the base for so long—someone has been planning something. 1
45 45 301 Noctis You mean passing all our tasks to Hellhound was meant to prepare us for what comes next? 2
46 46 301 Vera Guess you can put it that way. 1
47 47 301 Noctis But this is a scouting mission! I hate scouting! 2
48 48 301 Vera Use that thing in your head you call a brain. We're probably going after that Ascendant here. 1
49 49 301 Noctis That Ascendant? Which Ascendant? 2
50 50 301 Vera ...Tsk. Luna. Based on what has been revealed from the frontline reports, that female Ascendant leader has been missing since she was heavily wounded, hasn't she? 1
51 51 301 Vera She's probably the Ascendant the top brass wants the most... but why us? 1
52 52 301 Noctis Okay, I see. They want us to catch a lone Ascendant. 2
53 53 301 Vera Unfortunately, I don't think you see shit. 1
54 54 202 1 2 3 1
55 55 301 Vera ignores Noctis' protest and instead keeps her sight ahead of her... on the small town bathed in the soft glow of the moon.
56 56 201 1 500336
57 57 301 1 Noctis Whatever! I'm sure something fun is waiting in there, and I'll blow them up one by one! 1
58 58 201 1 500328
59 59 301 1 No. 21 Capt., the nodes are running. 1
60 60 201 1 500336
61 61 301 1 Noctis So are mine! 1
62 62 201 1 500168
63 63 301 1 Vera Alright, let's report in first. They'll give us the exact coordinates later. 1
64 64 201 2 500328 600
65 65 201 3 500336 4 -600
66 66 301 1 Noctis So do we just sit here and wait? 3
67 67 301 Vera Of course not. Noctis, weed the area within a one-kilometer radius. 1
68 68 301 Noctis For what?! 3
69 69 301 Vera Because you're loud, on top of being dumb as hell! We're obviously waiting for our commandant to connect with us! What else do you think we've been setting up the nodes for? Ice-cream? 1
70 852 204 3
71 70 301 Noctis That trash orb of yours isn't doing anything right now. Fight me. 3
72 71 301 No. 21 Buddy refuses. 2
73 72 202 1 2 3 1
74 73 201 1 500336 4
75 74 301 1 Noctis Don't refuse while hopping onto my head! I won't hold back! 1
76 75 201 1 500168
77 76 301 1 Vera ...Tsk. 1
78 77 301 Vera represses her desire to leave without her team. An inexplicable uneasiness has been slowly brewing inside her ever since she arrived.
79 78 301 AniZhuanchangBegin Vera Late, huh... Not quite your style, Murray. 1
84 83 301 Before you is a piece of blast-resistant glass, your image clearly reflected on it. Your reflections, in fact, are all around you.
85 84 301 Your only link to the outside world is a small window, roughly ten square centimeters in size, which you can open.
86 85 301 On the other side of the glass are agents in black suits, their hairstyles and faces indistinguishable to you. They look like clones if you do not pay attention.
87 86 301 None of them bother to look at you.
88 87 302 Excuse me... 88
89 88 301 Out of a corner beyond the glass slides forward another one of those black-clad men on his chair. He spins it around with a kick to face you before giving you a glance.
90 89 301 Man-In-Black My apologies. It's not the time for questions yet. If you could just wait—
91 90 301 After that, he looks down and continues reading his incredibly stacked reports again.
92 91 301 Dismissed, you close your eyes once more.
93 92 301 Perhaps the exhaustion and stress have begun to numb your senses. If others peek at you now, all they can see is an expression of "emptiness" and nothing else.
94 93 301 —You do not know if those reports are related to you or if they are all about you.
95 94 301 At the top of your head, you do not reckon that you have done enough as a commandant to fill a file that thick.
96 95 302 (Hope the Gray Raven expense reports aren't in there.) 96 (Looks like... they're well prepared.) 96
97 96 301 AniZhuanchangBegin As your consciousness drifts in and out, random thoughts keep popping up until your mind flashes back to a few hours ago—
102 101 301 AniZhuanchangEnd 1 Man-In-Black Are you 【kuroname】, the Gray Raven Commandant? 1
103 102 302 I am. 103
104 103 301 Two humans in black suits stand before you, the name tags in front of their chests saying "John Doe". The twins-looking visitors speak coldly and distantly, with sunglasses on their faces even though being indoors.
105 104 301 Man-In-Black We're from the Special Forces. We need your assistance investigating an emergency. Please come with us. 1
106 105 301 Man-In-Black Special Agent John Doe. We're hoping that you can help us on some recent complications. Here is the application and approval letter for the temporary transfer. Everything is done through proper channels. Questions? 2
107 106 301 There is no inspection report or arrest warrant. The men before you have only handed you a digital transfer note, and as you skim through the crammed lines, you notice the signature at the end—Hassen's signature.
108 107 301 You have been resting in the infirmary for a while after being heavily wounded during the operation clearing the Red Tide-infested sewer.
109 108 301 Lucia and the rest have come and visited, but you were sleeping most of the time. By the time you recovered enough to move, you have not seen any of them since.
110 109 301 AniZhuanchangBegin The truth is plain as day—they have not stopped monitoring you, and you are still under control.
114 113 301 AniZhuanchangEnd 1 Hassen ...Our time is short. Even I have to spend some effort to talk to you like this in private. 1
115 114 301 Hassen Let's cut to the chase. Do you know who has been watching you from the dark? 1
116 115 302 Who is it? 116 Kurono. 117
117 116 118 301 Hassen Kurono. Despite having merged with Babylonia, their forces have never stopped working in the dark. Right now, you're wounded prey to them, and that has stirred up some bloodthirsty sharks. 1
118 117 301 Hassen That's right. Of course you've figured it out. 1
119 118 301 Hassen But the Parliament isn't happy about that. 1
120 119 301 Hassen I mentioned that if Kurono got their hands on you and had things their way, we'd no longer be in control. 1
121 120 301 Hassen But if we are forced to let you carry out what they've planned... 1
122 121 302 ...We'll just have to include that in our plans as well. 122
123 122 301 Hassen I'll not allow Kurono to treat a Babylonia commandant this way. We have to find a junction during the clashes with these sharks to get you back on the right track. 1
124 123 301 Hassen This will be our first junction, as well as our first step to strike back. 1
125 124 302 What exactly are we going to do? 125
126 125 301 Hassen You'll find out soon enough. 1
127 126 301 Hassen We're all in the current now. It's no longer up to us if we go with the flow. 1
128 127 301 Hassen But you have my words, 【kuroname】. You'll likely be involved in an operation soon... They say it's to look for the Ascendant Luna's whereabouts, but... 1
129 128 302 I accept. 129
130 129 301 Hassen That quickly, huh? I thought you'd want some time to think. 1
131 130 302 The time alone in the interrogation room is long enough for me to think it through. 131
132 131 301 Hassen Haha... Gray Raven Commandant, I still believe in you unwaveringly. 1
133 132 301 Hassen Even though my words can hardly account for anything given your situation... but I hope you'll do the same—believe in us. 1
134 133 301 Hassen We'll do our best to guarantee your safety. The team assigned to you this time is the one you can trust the most, even if it took us some effort to get their commandant to go along. That guy is sharp. 1
135 134 302 I see. 135
136 135 301 Hassen ...【kuroname】, if I may—aren't you afraid? 1
137 136 302 I'm never afraid. 137 A little bit. 138
138 137 302 Because I know I'm never alone. 141
139 138 301 Hassen You don't act like it. 1
140 139 302 Because, in the face of fear... 140
141 140 302 Choosing to keep going is what makes me who I am. 141 I refuse to let it hurt those I want to protect. 141
142 141 301 Hassen ...I see, 【kuroname】. 1
143 142 301 Hassen I've got five minutes left. Maybe I can get you to meet your team one more time. 1
144 143 301 Hassen What do you think? 1
145 144 301 Lucia, Liv, and Lee's faces flash by in your head. How they will look and what they will say when they find out you have to carry out a mission they cannot know about with a team other than them...
146 145 301 You can picture it vividly, having been their commandant for so long.
147 146 302 ...That's not necessary. 147
148 147 301 What they need to hear from you is news that will stop them from worrying once and for all, not another notification that starts a new cycle of agony.
149 148 301 Hassen Are you sure? 1
150 149 202 1 1
151 150 302 I'll save that for when I can go "home" for real. 151
152 151 301 AniZhuanchangBegin —And you will try your damnedest to bring them that good news.
157 156 301 1 The voice pulls you back to the present. As the black-clad man steps away, a human woman steps up from the shadow.
158 157 401 2 1516
159 158 201 1 500337
160 159 301 1 She carries with her a charming smile as she watches you. There is no invasiveness in her eyes, just curiosity.
161 160 301 And you meet her gaze without fear.
162 161 301 ??? (...Looks kind of blunt, if anything. Poor thing must have been numbed by all the interrogations and monitoring.) 1
163 162 301 She sits down elegantly as she looks on. Her posture is relaxed, as if she is sitting by the bar, holding a cocktail glass instead of a folder. She is a jazz band breaking into a jail cell.
164 163 301 She carries with her... a sense of danger. Even though your instinct tells you she is not trustworthy, you cannot help but want to hear what she has to say.
165 164 301 ??? 【kuroname】, is it? 1
166 165 301 Her fingers tap on the folder with a rhythm as she rests her head on her hand and looks at you.
167 166 301 Rebecca Nice to meet your acquaintance—please call me Rebecca. I heard about you a long, long time ago... but this is the first time I see you in the flesh. 1
168 167 301 Rebecca Do you know why you are here? 1
169 168 302 I do. 169 I'm not sure. 170
170 169 171 301 Rebecca That saves me the trouble explaining. 1
171 170 301 Rebecca Then let me remind you about that Ascend... no, that "agent". I'm sure you've been questioned many times about that. 1
172 171 301 Rebecca I'm not here to find out how she and you are related. 1
173 172 301 She speaks in refreshing frankness with no regard for who she is, not beating about the bush like those "staff" trying to "interrogate" you in the past.
174 173 301 She holds more power, her agenda more clear.
175 174 301 That is good. You are sick of the pleasantries repeated time and time again.
176 175 301 Rebecca We both have something we want. It's pointless for us to keep fighting, so why don't we both take a step back and focus on our shared goal? 1
177 176 302 Oh, to reclaim Earth? 177 Do we have a shared goal? 179
178 177 301 Rebecca ...Ha. Of course we care about that as well... 1
179 178 302 Good. As long as you understand my terms for cooperating. 181
180 179 301 Rebecca ...Undeniably, we have to work together now... 1
181 180 302 As long as you understand my terms for cooperating. 181
182 181 204 1 4
183 182 301 Rebecca ... 1
184 183 301 Rebecca (Numb...?) 1
185 184 301 Rebecca (No... Haven't avoided my gaze. Relaxed, with the guts to bite back, despite all the interrogation, confinement, and being in an unfamiliar, enclosed chamber now, surrounded by fully-armed Kurono agents...) 1
186 185 301 Rebecca (This commandant doesn't care about what Kurono can do. Or perhaps, there's something else that this human cares about more right now—) 1
187 186 301 Rebecca Alright, you've made your stance clear. I'll skip the pointless act and be honest with you. 1
188 187 301 Rebecca Me, I don't give a damn about the details or truth about your encounter with the Ascendant. That can stay your little secret. Meanwhile, we hope you can offer a hand based on the established facts. 1
189 188 302 Good to hear. 189
190 189 301 Rebecca We've detected M.I.N.D. activity that matches Luna at an area on the surface. All you have to do is stay here and connect with our squad on the ground remotely, monitoring and commanding their search. 1
191 190 204 1
192 191 301 Rebecca What do you say? 1
193 193 302 Alright, I see. 194
194 194 301 Rebecca Good. I'm glad we've come to an understanding. 1
195 195 301 She does not sound glad at all.
196 196 301 Rebecca The squad is ready for remote connection. They can start any moment now. 1
197 197 302 Which team is it? 198
198 198 301 Rebecca You'll find out. 1
199 199 202 1 1
200 200 301 The woman raises her hand, and then a male voice appears in the comms in your ear.
212 213 301 AniZhuanchangEnd Every time you connect remotely, your mind would leave your body, leaving an indescribable blankness. As if someone has hit pause on your central nervous system and cerebral cortex, your perception of time slows and dulls.
213 214 301 Still, you have a feeling that the blankness this time is longer than it has ever been.
214 215 301 Sound, scent, touch—all your senses leave you, save the low, humming pain all over your body.
215 216 301 You have no idea how much time has passed when your mind starts running again. Your heart aches as the sound of your heartbeat fills your ears.
216 217 301 Unlike the remote connection you had with Camu, this one feels... more intense.
217 218 301 The device you are using this time is more intricate, after all, compared with the portable one Asimov prepared for you. Looking like a heavy case for explosives, it speaks to the length Kurono has gone to.
218 219 301 Eventually, a dim light shines through the darkness before quickly disappearing. Your Mind Beacon is falling within at incredible speed, looking for an exit.
219 220 301 Soon, it finds... a slightly familiar M.I.N.D. signal... and two more you do not recognize.
227 228 301 AniZhuanchangEnd 1 An overgrown path lies before you as the hazy vision shakes and sways, and you find two Constructs you do not know standing on the other side.
228 229 301 The female Construct is frowning lightly, a small laser cannon hovering by her side. Behind her also stands a strange, orb-shaped robot, its arms waving.
229 230 301 Next to her stands a tall, red-haired Construct, one of his hands scratching the back of his head, seemingly confused by the unknown connection.
234 235 301 The Construct syncing with you is none other than Vera. The team Hassen said you could trust the most... is Cerberus?
235 236 202 1 1
236 237 201 1 500328 4 -450
237 238 201 2 500336 4 450
238 239 301 1 Noctis Why weren't we informed of something as important as switching our commandant? 2
239 240 202 1 2 1
240 241 201 1 500168 1
241 242 301 1 Vera Perhaps they've transferred Murray to the Hellhounds. They're much better than you two, after all. 1
242 243 301 Vera has quickly regained her composure, as well as her sarcasm.
243 244 202 1 1
244 245 201 1 500328 4 -450
245 246 201 2 500336 4 450
246 247 301 1 Noctis What?! No, I won't allow that! You're screwing with me, aren't you? 2
247 248 202 1 2 1
248 249 201 1 500168 1
249 250 301 1 Vera Ha... That's an improvement. At least you understand irony now. Alright, let's stop complaining—we have the Gray Raven Commandant with us. 1
250 251 202 1 1
251 252 201 1 500328 4 -450
252 253 201 2 500336 4 450
253 254 301 1 No. 21 I don't like it. 1
254 255 202 1 2 1
255 256 201 1 500168
256 257 301 1 Vera A mission is a mission, 21. And if someone here doesn't like it, it sure as hell is me. 1
267 268 301 1 Vera Alright, I'm still the First-in-Command, so my words are your orders... After me, it's the Gray Raven Commandant. Have you met? No? 1
268 269 202 1 1
269 270 201 1 500328 -450
270 271 201 2 500336 450
271 272 301 1 Noctis We've been in two operations that the Gray Raven Commandant was involved, but neither 21 nor I were on the field, so this is the first time we connect with this commandant! 2
272 273 301 No. 21 ... 1
273 274 301 No. 21 does not speak. The little robot, on the other hand, starts rotating around her.
274 275 202 1 2 1
275 276 201 1 500168
276 277 301 1 Vera The big, dumb one is Noctis. He climbs. The small one is 21. She blows up the tree Noctis is climbing. Now we're all introduced, let's confirm our assignment again—I hope you aren't coming empty-handed, Commandant? 1
277 278 302 What kind of introduction is this? 279 Right, let me restate the mission brief. 279
278 279 301 The higher-ups have detected M.I.N.D. activity that matches Luna in this area. Your mission is to investigate the signal and search for her possible whereabouts.
279 280 302 (Repeat mission brief) 281
280 281 301 Vera I knew it's got something to do with that Ascendant when you're involved. You're actually an Ascendant radar, aren't you? 1
281 282 301 Vera Just humor the commandant's orders when I'm not talking—I'm kidding! Can't have you two going off the rails. 1
282 283 202 1 1
283 284 201 1 500328 -450
284 285 201 2 500336 450
285 286 301 1 Noctis Of course. I'm very friendly! 2
286 287 301 No. 21 still has not spoken. She takes a look at you before walking ahead.
293 294 301 AniZhuanchangEnd Noctis chases behind her and finds a traffic sign covered in dust lying horizontally before them, blocking their way.
294 295 301 "Welcome home!"
295 296 301 Says the sign. A small line, handwritten next to it, reads, "P.S. Call Sheriff Byron if needed. The number is—" The number is scratched off. A giant arrow is painted on the right, pointing at a mailbox next to the sign.
296 297 301 Noctis steps forward and opens the mailbox. He coughs from the raised dust before picking up a sheet of paper from within, raising it high after taking a glance.
297 298 201 1 500328 -450
298 299 201 2 500336 450
299 300 301 1 Noctis I found something! A map of the town! What's my reward? 2
300 301 301 No. 21 ...I don't need it. 1
301 302 202 1 2 1
302 303 301 Having expressed his displeasure to No. 21 for ignoring him, Noctis folds the map in half, fuming, putting it inside his pocket.
303 304 201 1 500168 1
304 305 301 1 Vera How are you feeling, Commandant? 1
305 306 301 Vera, staying at the back of the team, addresses you with a question in a conversation only the two of you can hear.
306 307 301 Vera Gotten invited to help, haven't you? I've more or less figured it out, but seeing your... nah, sensing your helpless frustration... 1
307 308 301 Vera This... does put a smile on my face. Don't worry, 【kuroname】. I'll take good care of you. 1
308 309 302 ...Thanks. 310 So will I. 311
309 310 312 301 ヴィラ You're welcome. 1
310 311 301 Vera You're so cute when you struggle. 1
311 312 301 Vera After all, you're going to be my only source of fun for a little while... 1
