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Crimson Beauty of The Crescent Moon (Fate/Grand Order)

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Right then. Update will take a good while- mostly because not only must I prep for Week Four and ruleset revising a notch, Summer Rerun is upon us.

It will hopefully be done by the week's end.
 
So uh- I need help.

Does anyone have a better map of 1400s France, perchance? It doesn't need to have the river system involved- I can highlight the important tributaries and waterways myself but uh, if at all possible, I would like a map with a better resolution/details than these town names but without the borders. What has borders ever do to us anyway? Dragons tend to not be discriminatory on the burnings.

The reward would be... well, the maps themselves. More details means that I get to do more elaborate mapping and that means more elaborate information available for the Chaldeans.

If not then well... you peeps already got this map before update dropped. Several important information can be gleaned from this already, I think~
 
I found one that has more town names but unfortunately is a political map as well. I guess you could maybe add the city names in like I believe you did with Domremy-la-Pucelle? Anyway I'll do some more looking.



As for the map you posted I'm guessing Red is the area controlled by the Dragon Witch and Blue are those controlled by Servants/Native forces?

Edit: Found a better map. Not sure if it works but here it is anyway. Unfortunately this one is a modern map, but so is the one you posted originally.

 
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nkd1325 said:
I found one that has more town names but unfortunately is a political map as well. I guess you could maybe add the city names in like I believe you did with Domremy-la-Pucelle? Anyway I'll do some more looking.
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I've checked these ones and decided they were too crowded still for my purpose. Still, thanks. And sorry for the late reply, RL busy-ness + broken laptop makes for hectic weekends.
Nachtigall said:
Higer resolution, decolored regions:
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Images are broken on my end. Other links?
 
General update. Firstly, thanks to @Nachtigall for helping me find a very modifiable map and after oh, a day and two, of attempting to use paint.net, I have the maps. For the purpose of Chaldea, there will be two major maps:

Accurate to Week 3 but there will be some ready analysis on Maxamed's end on what it means. Though there are definitely some insights to be had with the whole detailed maps. Second map is specifically a map that details some of the major road arteries in France circa 1431, with the records taken from the details of the Roman Roads and the French Way. As I do not have any ready (or translatable) French sources, it will have to do for simulating troop movements.

Next up, this is an FGO Quest. And really, what is FGO without gacha? With the help of @Who?, we spent (probably) unnecessary six hours of talk discussing which FGO Servants would be summonable and general summoning criterion by the two Masters over the course of the Quest.

That resulted in a first draft that has 105 names on it. Excluding custom-made Servants.

And though it will potentially murder me, that draft will be refined further with proper categories and the like. Not now though, I think I've enough of map making and list collating. Update will be worked on (once I regain the will to live because like a genius, I corresponded with Who? during midnight to near-dawn) and if there's any comments or feedbacks- really, I'll take 'Vocal are you insane?'- regarding this post.

In the meantime, have a good day y'all~
 
108 servants reached, this thread is now property of Kiara.

Also remember, only design interludes after summoning
 
And as an extention thereoff, it also often shows up in anime and manga.

For example, Death Note's ending was tailored to make sure the manga was exactly 108 chapters long.
 
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Chaldea Week Three Results
  • Threadmarks
    • [X] Plan: France Focus
    -[X] [DECISION] Send him alone. There are skeletons that are best left unseen, so close to the deployment in France.
    -[X] [Staffing] Food. More of them.
    -[X] [Olga 1] Hydroponics Reactivation Pt. 1.
    -[X] [Security] Repair the Reactors Phase Three.
    -[X] [Medical] Industrial Framework: Pharmaceuticals.
    -[X] [Analytics] AAR: Fuyuki.
    -[X] [Olga 2] Sheba Calibration
    --[X] France.
    -[X] [Da Vinci] Automata Creation.
    -[X] [Research] Mystic Code Inventorizing.

    Rayshifting. A novel thing really. It's a thing relegated to the movers and shakers, the supposed forty eight Master Candidates who would prevent the apocalypse from occurring.

    But the snake in the grass patiently waited and struck well. Thus, forty eight are now two. And instead of prevention, the apocalypse is to be cancelled instead.

    So now he is to be sent in instead. Of his own volition, true. As a sacrificial lamb- more appropriate had Abraham been summoned-, yes. But more importantly, there's a knowing understanding that everyone in the meeting room shared when the young Animusphere made her decision.

    The hatchetman goes alone. A wetwork remains a wetwork for a reason.

    Not too dissimilar with his old job. He preferred this one though.

    For all that he found hunting Ahnenerbe members with the Sayeret a fine work, he can't always pick his battles.

    This one though, would prove to be of interest. His prosthetics have been adjusted more, and the work of Da Vinci is to be appreciated for he feels stronger and unburdened with his three new limbs.

    The sheer number of augmetics too makes it easy for him to port to the new power armour and interface with a bevy of weapons and utility tools provided.

    He knows his chances are poor. Even the 'wrong' Servant or danger can tore him to shreds if they get the drop on him. With or without armour.

    But that's why he asked- and the inventor added with reluctance- for the Samson Override.

    Just in case.

    The gentle breeze of the winds struck her face and this prairie, she felt peace and serenity suffused through her.

    Hunting Expedition: 37
    Danger! Higher Results Means More Dangerous Opposition!
    Severity:     16
    Lethality: 67

    For the moment that is, before a charging beast of stone and wood roared its defiant warcry to the assembled Servants and one Master. It bears similarities with ursines that lived within the woods next to the prairies but that makes the differences all the starker with what seemed to be spindly tails of evergreens and nettle needles covering its back.

    The 48th's Contribution: 45

    A rifle crack brought her attention to her Master. The untested and unforged Master whose aim is true as several fistfuls of stone are blown off the ursine elemental's side. The roar that resulted is one of anger, not of pain though.

    And then it charged to the assembled Archers.

    Cooperation of Shepherd and Scoundrel: 46

    "What even is that?!" Billy exclaimed as six shots impacted the chest of the bear with no impact. The retort of nettles though, has the impact that made him back away.

    "Elementals. Annoying even back when I herded sheeps. Best to cut your losses-" Stone after slung stone chipped away at the roaring beast as a shimmering shield diverted the needles heading the shepherd's way. "-And run away but-"

    "Thunderer!" A trio of shots tore of the whipping tails to shreds as the smaller Archer flitted between the onslaught. "-But the Rayshift portal is right there."

    Sloppy. True, both Archers have a different style of fighting but this does not excuse the lack of cooperation between the two. Maybe the 4th Master spoiled her in this regard with her seamless blade dance.

    But then, this is not mere rabble.

    Shielder's Charge: 70

    "Compliments are in order, Da Vinci." The Finn looked at the rubble-strewn entrance of the Hydroponics Wing. Or well, what was a rubble-strewn entrance.

    Three automata, all lovingly crafted in copper-red motif and patterns dressed in Renaissance appropriate outfits are hard at work, systematically flagging rubble and moving them into pallets of wood affixed atop hovering platforms not unlike the current chair that he himself has been using.

    Truth be told, he had been able to walk under his own volition about two days ago. But really, no one is faulting a man like him a small trappings in these times.

    A small ding interrupted his thoughts as one of the pallets moved to the repurposed room where Skaidrite's forge resides. There, the debris will be reconstituted to their base materials- accounting for entropic loss- and be used around the base.

    "Well, I was slightly surprised myself." The inventor contented herself with fiddling her tablet. "I had thought that the Director would have okayed this project from the start. There's a lot of projects that could have been improved with more of these automatas from the get go."

    "And you said naught?"

    "Well, despite appearances, I am not actually unaware of the human concerns." She smiled at the seated man. "I just put it slightly to the side."

    "Slightly, said the genius."

    "Right you are, Anselm~"

    "Still, it would be too much to ask you for a mental health diagnostics machine, would it?"

    She paused her fiddlings to properly face the bureaucrat. "That bad?"

    "More or less." He sighed. "Not a soul amongst the psychiatric staff isn't touched by this. They know enough that their judgement is impaired. And King David had given his verdict too."

    "The harp is of help?"

    "Some of the way. Had we not contended the business of saving the world, I have half the mind of reserving him as a long term mental health specialist but well-"

    "-We're in the business of saving the world."

    Insertion: 43

    Things do not go to a good start when the first thing Avrum feels after the transition from the Rayshift is the dull pain of his head bumping on steel.

    It feels awry when through the concussion, he hears the screaming torrent of a storm and the crackle of lightning.

    It went almost dangerously wrong when his instinct screamed for him to grab something fast. The strong grip of his metal arms saved him for when he looks down, he sees the choppy brackish waters of the North Sea. It would have been a watery grave for him.

    Not quite death with the power armour, he reminded himself. But it would be more than an inconvenience to climb more than the railings that he's holding on. Railings that he quickly vaulted up and over as the magnetic locks on his boots activates on solid footing.

    He should enter now, before something worse than a storm bars his way.

    The ursine elemental is dead. It's easy to forget sometimes, for even him, that the almost dainty wielder of the shield is not a maiden. Well, probably one of the Viking sorts but that's not his place of rule. So he contends himself with an appreciative hum at how a well aimed shield bash, after some distractions on his and his counterpart's end, quite simply caved compact earthenworks that constituted its brain.

    No complaints on his end though, not when the young Shielder is slightly more in tune with her powers. Being able to flicker through attacks is a valuable thing, what with the final blow being her flickering through the needles and lashes of evergreens. But that's a crutch, really.

    No, she will need something else. Power, skill, not a small touch of resolve.

    And probably a sword as well.

    "Penny for your thoughts?"

    "Hmm, not really." David took out his knife. "I'm going to start cutting the cows. You can probably go ahead and start training my Master again. Speaking of, when is yours ever going to come out of her room?"

    "Well…" He shrugged with a smile. "-y'know, when we get deployed to France. Otherwise, she's just-" Another shrug.

    The King made another hum, this time ambiguous in tone and intent. "Not quite revealing her strengths?"

    "That was lucky and you know it, Mister David~" The same smile affixed in the gunslinger's face seems a tad more dangerous now. "'sides, we did our parts and it was your crook that did the biggest rent on her armour."

    "Provenance of the one above, perhaps."

    "And either way, it was a miracle no?"

    Another hum. Ambiguous still as the King turned around and made his last reply, "Maybe."

    First Layer of Seraphix: 45
    Second Layer of Seraphix: 61

    ...Something isn't quite right.

    It's not the fact that everything here is devoid of people even as lights remain on and machinery hums still.

    It's not the fact that he knows the purpose of this terrible place either. Though that is certainly on the list now that he is past the 'public' layers of the clandestine oil rig. Now that he is plugged into the mainframe of the Sub-Layer of Seraphix, he sees the files clearly. The sorts of files that he used to shred and burn in ensconced mountain dug chateaus of the Nazi occults.

    Mages. One thing that he and the wheelchair 'bound' Finn fully agree on is that their powers made them irresponsible and prone to atrocities against the good people of the world. Difference is, Anselm would rather lock them through official channels for an eternity in the Clocktower while he would rather perforate their brain and stake out their hearts.

    Sure, they aren't really vampires. Mostly.

    But here, seeing the all-too-familiar documents talking about 'procurements', 'failed batches', and 'extensive research', he is reminded of the old saying of banality and of evils.

    Destruction: 91

    And it is with satisfaction in his reconstructed heart that in but seven seconds, the work of decades are gone.

    And it is with focus that he honed into the feeling of dissonance once more.

    His incursions to the lower layers had been slightly eventful in that a lot of the doors in his way had been conveniently harder to open, even with the overrides that Maxamed procured. Some had been warped to unusability in fact, necessitating a more forceful entry.

    And now just at the edge of seventh second, he felt it once more. That same feeling during his first deployment to Argentinian wilderness.

    The feeling of not being alone.

    The feeling of being watched.

    SHEBA. Near-Future Observation Lens.

    Le- Professor Lainur's work before his-

    Before. Before.

    For all that Olga Marie herself cannot reconcile the betrayal levied, she understands what marvel the whole array had been. The capacity to peer to the past and extrapolate that to the status of the future. That 'so long as the light of the past shines, the future is never in doubt'.

    His words, bitter as it is to recall, still rings true.

    Which made the state of SHEBA as it is a confusing paradox. The man clearly had no love for Chaldea and liberally destroyed everything. And yet, the biggest weapon still available to her and Chaldea remains mostly untouched. Sure, some of the sensors and a good number of the advanced functions of the Lens is unavailable until truly exotic ingredients can be made available but the damage had been uncharacteristically light.

    What was it? Hubris at the untouchability of his workings? Pity towards Chaldea? Pride at his lifelong work?

    "You, Director-" A soft rumble came from behind where she had been seated. "-Looked like you could use some cocoa. Compliments of McCarthy." Maxamed paused as he held the two steaming cups of the beverages. "The chef. Not the Archer." He offered one of the mugs, coloured the same as the drink inside, with a small smile.

    With a weary smile, she takes the proffered drink. "Thanks. It's just…"

    "I can tell, Director. The matter of SHEBA kept me awake some nights- not that I slept most nights." He yawned openly, before realizing his manners and used his now free hand to cover it. "Apologies, Director."

    "It's fine, Maxamed and really, you should sleep more. I didn't reshuffle the departments for you to keep harder than say, Anselm and Avrum combined."

    He snorted. "I am sure both men would hate to be lumped together like that."

    Her smile seems less forced now. "Maybe. But when a human starts to take as much work hours as Da Vinci…"

    Another snort. "Neither the bureaucrat or the captain can cheat with magic." He taps his left shoulder blade. "Not as if you can't claim the same, Director."

    She nods, taking a sip of the drink. Bitter, not as sugary as she thought but that's fine. "I can't. I suppose we're equal cheaters then."

    "I suppose so." He nods sagely. "And from a fellow cheater to another, what is your cheat sheet?"

    To that, the Director fiddled with her tablet. Her father had been adamant in teaching her the rigours of modern technology around Chaldea and she is savvier with them than… probably most of every scion of the old lines.

    Or all of them, as she is reminded with the bitter thoughts of the Incineration.

    Quashing it and letting it not take hold in her face, a holographic scene lights up and the two sees the map of France, coloured in hues of red and blue.


    "Quite the map. How accurate is it?" Maxamed probed as he hums appreciatively,

    "Honestly? As accurate as can be by collating the temperature average and the magical signatures and well…"

    "With just that?"

    "Well, and your reference sheets. You've been doing most of the calibrations, after all."

    "Ah, so you have been using my cheat sheets." He chuckled before looking closely. "The draconic salient is your concern?"

    "Mostly. Honestly, I am not sure if they are dragon dragons or something else. The signatures, now that we've checked in more details are more towards… drakes."

    "Wouldn't be the first time occidental bias gets in the way of proper reporting." The reply came with some bitterness. "Pardon me again. You may be more right that I need to stop cheating with magic."

    "And again, it's fine. There's a reason father went the way he did by recruiting…."

    "Misfits? People who don't fit the mold? Heretics by Clocktower standards?"

    "Your words, not mine but yes. Now, as the signatures goes, there seems to be some fight in parts of France itself. There's dissipation of energies and temperature averages around Rochefort and Maupertuis that seemed to indicate them being hotly contested and around Loches, it felt as if it's a counter salient of a sort."

    "A powerful Servant then?"

    "Or an invulnerable one."

    "Mmm, the draconic salient seems… dangerous still. Champagne and Burgundy being cut off and taken whole bodes ill."

    "There's definitely a spirited defense in that pocket but it might not last very long. We can't get eyes but it seems that within the next week, if nothing changes, that salient will envelop and make a pocket out of the two regions."

    "Or the mystery blue Servant could push into Tours and-" Maxamed traced the map. "-circle back to Chinon and down. Seems like the winning plan to me."

    Olga Marie Animusphere opened her mouth to counter when an analyst rushed into the room, red faced from exertion. "Director! We have problems!"

    She rose up the seat as Maxamed motioned the man to take breaths and continue on.

    "It's Captain Yisshakar, Director. We can't track his vitals anymore."

    Third Layer: 98

    The blast door that kept the entrance to the final layers of Seraphix is blown open, courtesy of the anti-materiel rifle Da Vinci handed to the captain. The blaring alarms are silenced with the decryption suite within the armour, and his two metal legs pushed him forward and down into the objective that he's here for.

    And the presence played its cards well. It settled for maximum inconvenience in barring his way. Perhaps it didn't expect the force he's able to bring to bear. Or the willingness for him to cut through the bullshit.

    What mattered is that he entered the heart of Seraphix.

    Aman's Paranoia: 94

    And he hasn't gone the way he did without being at least slightly suicidal. He knew that at some point, he lost contact with Chaldea and the other way around. Most likely, he is to die here.

    But in that case, he will die knowing the face of his opponent.

    His free hand grabbed the small tube, one that Da Vinci added with gusto. Though she was reluctant to give him the Samson Override, many things- like the AM Rifle on his right hand- are given freely.

    Like the "Spiritron Disruptor Flash Grenade Mk. V".

    His throw is impeccable. His angles are picked well. And the fuse is almost instant.

    A blast. He dashes forward with his finger close to the trigger.

    A distinctly feminime yelp the next half-second and the barrel of his rifle swung to the source of the sound.

    And his eyes- protected with flash filters- sees the opponent clearly.

    "That is very rude, soldier boy."

    The rebuke cut through his transmissions, blaring at full volume within his raiment. In the same second, he feels every joint in his prosthetics lock in place with his armour.

    Violet. Long tresses of purple cascade down his opponent's back as one hand rubs her equally purple eyes free from the flashbang's effects. In her right, a baton of sorts is pointed towards him.

    Actually no, that's a teacher's pointer.

    "Urgh, I can't believe that of all the people to find me out, it'd have to be a brute like yourself."

    "A brute-" Avrum struggled to speak, "-would've started blasting. And a merciless foe would have done more-" Here, he banks for a longshot. "-to rid themselves of a brute in numerous ways. Yet, she did not. So who are you, and what are you doin-"

    "Tut tut, soldier boy. You don't get to speak just yet." She stood to her- not very tall- full height and in that instant, he feels the same casual power that Servants exude. That inevitable promise of demise if crossed. Of the presence of men and women larger than life and made their mark on history.

    But hers? Hers is power casual that is more comparable to a cat toying with its prey. "You're thinking, aren't you, soldier boy? Well, fine. I guess we can exchange some greetings with the way you seem to be looking my way.

    Name's BB, and you're not supposed to be here."

    "Avrum. Avrum Yisshakar. Of Chaldea. And this is Chaldea's property." He needs to stall, for a bit of time, at least.

    "Well it is. But I mean, why is a normal human here? I thought there's supposed to be Maste-" Her eyes lit up with a cruel sort of recognition. "You're here to dispose of evidence, aren't you?"

    "You've seen what I did." Calm, do not bring attention to his current task. "You can infer what I am trying to do."

    "Hmm, true~ And I don't think I am going to stop you from doing that." She smiles with a twirl. His rifle is still aimed at her center mass. "Bbuuttttt, what will you say about me?"

    "Once I get back, report yo-"

    "Wrong answer~" The cane is within inches to his face now. "You will not do that. You merely, well, got stuck with the dangers of rayshifting- which is a very dangerous thing to do for any regular human."

    "And what if I do so anyway?"

    "Well, I know for a fact that you have a bunch of mechanical parts in you, including your heart." Her smile is wicked and cruel now. "Why, with my skills, I can merely induce cardiac arrest the moment you think of doing so. And the best part is that no one will know a thing of it."

    "You take such pride."

    "Hardly, Avrum. I know my skills."

    "Then I know mine."

    A clicking noise punctuated Avrum's words and with a skip and a hop, BB is two metres away from him. She sees that his left palm is glowing red. Which is weird, because she's sure she hacked everything there is to hack in his armour.

    "I am but a man and I am expendable in the face of extinction. I am hardly the best of leaders and in the event of my demise, my work will be tended by others. But I know that I am a soldier. And a soldier's task is to die well. I know what you're thinking, you thought you hacked everything. You did. But this thing is fully mechanical, and though you can lock my prosthetics, my left arm is still flesh and blood. An override. A simple pressure plate hooked to this armour's power source. Three guesses on what it does."

    "T-That's- You're insane." She exclaimed. "That's a hair-trigger plate and you just- You're activating it now?!"

    "Yes. So, we're at an impasse. You say you'll murder me if I reveal your existence later. I say, I'll murder me now and let my corpse speak the truth." He smiled now. A quiet smile of a condemned man.

    BB looks at him, at the glowing red plate, and sighed. "Humans. Fine, perhaps we're a bit hasty with the mutual threats. Let's negotiate, Avrum."

    The table is set. It's a simple thing of plastics and synthetic materials but atop it is a veritable arsenal of ranged death. Mystic Codes are many things but the main thing would be that it is something attuned to thaumaturgy.

    Honestly, what's so hard with calling them 'enchanted items'? Da Vinci clearly agreed when she- isn't that a surprise- fitted Ritsuka's garb with a proper Code to the latter's standards, but to quote her, 'just roll with it'.

    But back to the table. It has numerous sorts of ranged firearms, ones that she's supposed to train with. In self-defence, it will be useful and-

    The smile is full of mirth and cruelty, you felt as if your wrists snapped when the shotgun flew out of your gras-

    -    and she will not be left defenseless anymore.

    "And fire!" Billy exclaimed and in a flash, Ritsuka grabs the nearest rifle.

    Mystic Code (Ritsuka): 61
    Training of the Last: 84

    Her form is perfect, and she fired the lever-action rifle once, twice, and continued doing so on the target practice drones. They flit and move and three out of four are hit with accurate fire. Recoil felt like nothing, the almost form fitting white coat absorbing the impact and her ears themselves are shielded selectively from the deafening retorts of the fire.

    Twenty rounds were emptied out of the gun and with care, she quickly placed it on the table before grabbing a revolver hanging from her side holster. Her skirt fluttered from the speedy movement and in this, her aim rang true as she fired and reloaded and fired more and more at the remaining movements whose movements became more erratic and faster.

    But she did it. Forty drones downrange of two hundred metres, a target only slightly larger than the clay targets that she often sees on TV are all down.

    "Well well, Ritsuka." The younger Archer smiled. "Just under five minutes. That is a good record."

    "Archer, you shot them all in less than a minute."

    He snorted. "I'm me but for a human who just started, that's quite good, y'know? More than excellent."

    "The Mystic Code I'm wearing helped more. Not going deaf and feeling the exhaustion of constant shooting are nice."

    "That, it is. Now, let's go back to Chaldea. Enough training for tod-"

    "No." Her firm voice stopped the Archer. "Three more."

    "...Alright then. But if the next one isn't also under five minute, I am filing that under you being too exhausted to train more. And this time, we're using rifles only."

    "Still no sign of Avrum, Director." Maxamed said.

    "And it's been thirty six hours since." She answered.

    "We knew that time dilation would happen. But still- Don't beat yourself over it Director." He put a placating hand on her shoulder. "He knew the risks and considering the dilations, we have another four hours before we can declare him 'MIA'. I have good news to bring to you."

    "Well, what is it?"

    Doctrinal Breakthrough: 87

    He offered her a tablet. Unlocking it, she sees what is, at the moment, an exhausting document to process at the current time. But she forced through and-

    "Doctrines?"

    "Yes. With Servants more attuned to speed and power despite the Caster under Hinako, I have provisionally put a plan to emphasize lightning fast attacks on key targets."

    "Attacking Paris directly?"

    "Yes, but I am aware of the danger of the uncertain situation and a rush there would be unwise if there are more powerful Servants. As you can see if you back out of the document and read the second document name…"

    "'A Consideration for Allies'?" She clicked the file and scrolled down straight to the conclusions. "Wait. These- radios?"

    "I estimate with the sheer frontline that they have, the forces on the ground must at least be enough of them to be able to contest all the embattled cities. The problem is that if we consider these dragons being more or less magical…"

    "...then they do not have supply lines." Olga Marie finished. "Ah."

    "Of course, this is preliminary but I think this will be of good use, provided we will be able to help the ground forces and minimize los-"

    For the second time in two days, the same running analyst rushed through the analytics room. "What is it?" Maxamed asked, a slight air of exasperation directed at the runner.

    "It's- Avrum is back online, Director and Maxamed, sir."

    "Yes, I know. There seems to be an interference field and couple that with the storm- Yes, the I hooked up with a signal booster within Seraphix. And I think I am fine, I don't know what will happen once I transition back to Chaldea but- ...Yes. I'll keep myself safe. Yisshahar out."

    "Ten out of ten performance~"

    "Thank you." Avrum curtly nodded before hefting his rifle. As he affixed it to the back holster as he continued walking with someone proudly calling herself Moon Cancer. "Now, your terms are acceptable and good, and… your story really is outlandish. But then, I met King David in the flesh three weeks ago. Outlandish doesn't really cover it."

    "And your part of the deal?"

    "Your story and explanations are so outlandish that I can't help but accept it as fact. Your existence will be secret for the time being." He took a deep breath as he entered the final elevator to reach the final room that held another secret.

    The most terrible secret of Chaldea.

    "Not hesitating?"

    "A soldier does their given task without one." The almost mechanical answer comes. "Doubt must not be in their mind."

    "And yet…" BB prodded, as the elevator shaft goes down.

    "...and yet, the paradox is that the best and worst soldiers are the ones to question their orders in full."

    "But you have no doubt."

    "I have none. But I know that what I will do will leave a mark still."

    The elevator ding resounds like the executor's lever, and the door slides like the hanged man's drop.

    It is a well lit sterile room. Seemingly innocuous with one hundred and twenty eight cylinders barely two metres tall circling the elevator shaft stacked atop one another.

    "Do you want me to open the curtains for you, Avrum?"

    "Please, it's the least they deserve."

    With a wave of her cane, the opaque window of the cylinders becomes transparent and Avrum sees the last things he would need to dispose of.

    Rayshifting wasn't a perfected art. It still isn't. But it was built upon a foundation of these. A foundation of 128 children whose faces are stuck in the agony of death. They're not 'dead', however. The documents Maxamed unearthed said as much. Between the Magical Circuits these child magi possess and the life support chambers, they are stuck in a state of suspended animation that would not allow them a proper death.

    Mages.

    "Quite the lovely name." BB looks around with disgust and fascination on her face. "Celestial Sphere Simulation Room. Nothing spherical nor celestial about this, isn't it? Avrum, if you can't handle this, then I can-"

    "Where is the shutdown terminal?"

    BB paused, before pointing at a somewhat central terminal, one that Avrum had overlooked in his shock.

    "Thanks." He walked towards it with BB in tow. The terminal is a simple thing, really. A onyx terminal with a digital screen that shows the logo of Chaldea spinning lazily. With several taps and swipes, Avrum finds the termination mechanism.

    "So just that then? A push of a button and every one of these children dies?"

    "Yes. That's what's going to happen. And if the theory regarding deaths occurring in the past are correct, they will die in the present once we get Seraphix back online. And as precaution, I will be discharging the magnetic locks on this room."

    "And put this whole thing to the watery seas. You know, you realize that with me here, you don't need to actually press the switch right? After all, there's the guardian from out-of-timeline who has zero moral compunction to kill 128 children." Avrum pauses. "So, unless this is something that my database somehow dings to you making 'hard decisions while hard', I want to know why you're adamant on doing this."

    "Good question. I suppose it's because I've set myself to either die or do a horrible deed in here from the get-go. If nothing else, it will be because at least someone complicit in the darker dealings of Chaldea will release them from this."

    "And you believe that someone else doing this would 'cheapen' the act?"

    "Perhaps. Perhaps it would be that."

    "And perhaps it doesn't matter." BB said simply, crossing her arms. Her eyes peer to Avrum's form. From the way he presents himself, a bronze warform with shimmering red contours and edges- the aesthetics of an Italian Caster shining through, he is someone who would probably make the cut against the weakest of Servants.

    If he gets the drop, and with weapons two magnitudes more powerful.

    But here and now, he is the best and worst of soldiers. Here, he thinks through the words of an errant AI and comes to the conclusion.

    A Soldier's Decision: 93

    "But if it does, and for while these children feel nothing but numbing agony," He turns, his opaque face-plate shimmering to visibility, towards BB. "You are here. And you know why I am here. Twisted as it may be, this is my attempt at giving mercy." At that, the Servant seemingly flinched back. "In the first place, the children shouldn't be here. Nor you. Nor me. But we're here nonetheless."

    "So you're set then?"

    "With absolute certainty. Would you fault me for it?"

    "...No. It would be hypocritic- ah never mind. I told you right? I am a guardian with no moral compunctions. If you want to keep your justifications… then do so."

    The button is pressed, and 128 souls pass to rest.

    And Avrum would like to think that some of the faces relaxed from their undying agony.

    "I'm bac-" Billy the Kid sighs with mock despondence on his face as he enters his erstwhile Master's room. "Are you two-"

    "Yes." The Colchisian Caster said casually, flipping the pages of a tome of thaumaturge in her hands. "Stupid questions gets simple answers, Archer."

    "You say that, but there's a limit to the laziness, right? Just because I am the outdoorsy gunslinger doesn't mean I have to be the only one out and about."

    Mystic Code (Hinako): 14

    "Well, I spent an hour telling Da Vinci that our absolutely not-suspicious Master over here," A pointed look is directed at the Elemental, who is lying to her side on the bed reading a book, "Would not require a private checkup on part of Chaldea to determine the best Mystic Codes for her and as the matter of fact, as the other Caster in Chaldea and her Servant, I will be undertaking that role instead."

    "Which is good." Hinako said simply. "The less people know of my status is the better. She can commiserate with Romani regarding my aversion if need be." She sits up from her repose. "But enough of me. Billy, what other catalysts have you found then?"

    Material and Reagent Rolls: 83, 16
    Servant Catalyst Found!
    Rolling for Quality…     33

    With a wave, the Archer threw a wooden case to Hinako that arced through the air languidly. She takes the thrown case- not even bigger than a cell phone- and opens it.

    "Sadly, some of the caches you gave the location of are duds and contain just the usual sorts of junks and the like. Y'know, regular stuffs that Caster can use." He pauses, just as a satisfying clack signifies the case opening. "Well, except that."

    A piece of bone rests easily within the case. And as Hinako attempts to pick it up, a jolt of static hits her straight on. No, it's a jolt of voltage that goes beyond mere static. Flinching instinctively, Hinako drops the bone of the floor. Dutifully, Medea picked the bone up using a spell.

    "Electric bone fragment?" Medea asks as the Elemental glared at the gunslinger, who shrugged.

    "I didn't touch the bone, but I do know that it's something alright."

    Hinako glared still, "And where did you find this?"

    "Uhh, I think it was when me and Mister David went on a bit of a trip to Japan. Mountains and forests and not much in the way of game but it did have the cache so-" He trailed off, looking at the Elemental who now sported a thoughtful expression. She glanced at the bone, held aloft by Medea.

    Hinako pondered a moment, before speaking. "Berserker. Has to be. I think I know who this bone belongs to."

    Medea stares at Hinako. "And you're not telling us the pronouns this time?"

    "No. Going to challenge you on this now. But this Servant might not be willing to be summoned so easily… or if they did, it would be very likely they present themselves in a difficult manner."

    "Like, mannerism sort of difficult?" Billy asked with dubiousness.

    "Physically. They will be a surprise." Hinako smiled now, with the sorts of smile that Medea oft found her old mentor sported. "And certainly, it will be interesting to see them in here."

    Avrum peered on the clear sky above the North Sea. Here, he alone glanced at the skies after the storm.

    Well, that's because the other person glanced at the choppy waves, swinging her legs without a care on the slippy railings.

    "And that's that, Avrum. The secrets of Seraphix are done away and never to be used again, buried under the seas for all eternity."

    "Hopefully. And your end of the bargain?"

    "Wellll…" BB trailed off. "It's still isn't too late for me to just stop your heart once you return to Chaldea, you know that right?"

    "Mhmm, and the bargain?"

    "Not at all being fazed, are you?" BB mock-sighed with resignation. "Well, fine. Be the spoilsport that way. Yes, I will be relaying the information but I do need the backdoor to Chalde-"

    "You say that as if you don't have it already when you hacked into my suit."

    "-aaand will you stop interrupting me? Humans, I swear. But I will be giving you the end of the bargain once Chaldea is connected to Seraphix properly."

    Avrum frowned a notch. "That wasn't part of the bargain."

    "It will be suspicious if the information gets in now and well…"

    Avrum considered it, before sighing in earnest. "I suppose you are right. I mean, I don't get much of it but from what you said…

    "...Beasts, huh?"

    Week Three Results:
    1. Food. More of them. synergized with Gudako's Training! Gudako gets hands-on knowledge on animal herding and more importantly, gun handling and usage. Gain slight combat experience.
    2. Hydroponics Reactivation Pt. 1 synergized with Automata Creation! One turn of rebuilding action is reduced and Hydroponics will complete at the end of Week 4. Reconstruction and building actions across the board will finish quicker.
    3. Mystic Code Inventorizing complete. Ritsuka gains a modified Mystic Code, specializing in endurance and combat conveniences. Hinako does not gain Mystic Code, but Medea's Action will be locked next turn to create Hinako a panoply of war.
    4. Repair the Reactors Phase Three passed without fanfare. Increase Primary Reactors Operational Levels by 10% and 'gain' 2 Weeks of Fuel. Unlocks "Seal Regeneration".
    5. Industrial Framework: Pharmaceuticals passed without fanfare. Chaldea's medical stocks are restocked. Further actions are unlocked.
    6. AAR: Fuyuki synergized with SHEBA Recalibration: France! Maxamed created the first drafts of attack doctrines and tactics to be used by Chaldea and potential human allies. A complete map of (Week 3) France constructed. Expect the map to shift in time of deployment. Automatic update will be delivered once the Masters reconnect with Chaldea. AAR action will continue.
    7. Seraphix Incursion complete. All research materials and notes pertaining to human experimentations destroyed. System Animusphere room is destroyed and its 'inhabitants' disposed of. Absolutely nothing else happens.
    8. ...still here? Well, Chaldea gains contact with the cute last boss type kouhai BB-chan. She is rather well disposed with Chaldea despite someone throwing a flashbang to her face. And she also would like to give Chaldea a new- *checks note*- 'Research Tree' called "Beasts" provided Seraphix is connected to Chaldea.
     
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    • Oh damnit I'd forgotten BB Channel's been a tag on here for a while. From the looks of it this is preemptively trying to stop EoR Extra? But this also leaves the question of where is Kiara?
     
    Grue said:
    Oh damnit I'd forgotten BB Channel's been a tag on here for a while. From the looks of it this is preemptively trying to stop EoR Extra? But this also leaves the question of where is Kiara?
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    Good question. And really, thank @Magery since the lad is the one who added these tags on his own volition. No, he doesn't access to my notes. And it worked out perfectly~
     
    Oh hi BB. I have concerns that none of the staff was found, like at all, but at least she's not mad at us.

    Seriously, where is everyone?

    Not finding Beckman I'm fine with though. He probably would have blown everything up in his face trying to control everything.
     
    Shade31415 said:
    Oh hi BB. I have concerns that none of the staff was found, like at all, but at least she's not mad at us.

    Seriously, where is everyone?

    Not finding Beckman I'm fine with though. He probably would have blown everything up in his face trying to control everything.
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    Click to shrink...
    well he'll have a hard time this time around since Olga survived

    as for the electric bone fragment, I wanna say either mama Raikou or Kintoki or it could be someone new

    and beast research huh? may also help with the beast we know we'll face at the end of the grand order

    Edit: will BB be joining our roster?
     
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