EoR Wine Country - NNWM2k19 - 17
Nov. 26th, 2019 04:23 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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heroicrecordsWC: 47196/50000
>>> “…..”
> “…..”
“Sorry to keep you waiting, ladies.” Atma smiled at the girls around her. Their pasts all coming back to them, Atma’s face clear and distinct as that of the one that’d helped them write their history, promising anything bad happening in it to be written clear and just when she could find the time. And this was one of those times that time was just the time to reset time, in a timely manner, as it were. But that was her, the Root, the one spoken of since language was invented by the mortals, from ancient Babylonia up until the cyber saturated futures, to the end of the universe and back to the beginning, written as she was, strong and valiant and more handsome than the male champions of their eras, a gleaning, warm, shining figure that had nothing but good intent for all women who crossed her path, be it out of historic and job necessity or just because she found her cute. It was hard to tell with some of them, honestly.
A message from da Vinci chimed in about then, a bit frazzled, fuzzy at first until she could set the emergency contact machine on stable, looking at them all with a look of stern concern.
“So, you’re the Root, right? Can’t be anyone but the glowing one at this point, I presume.” da Vinci asked.
“Yeah, that’s me.” Atma responded. “What’s up? I’m about to save womankind here again. Like, this is absolutely something that cannot wait. For once. I don’t like having to say no to a lady, but we’ll have plenty of time to discuss this after everything is said and done, da Vinci.”
“I don’t believe we’ve met though? But then again, you’re everywhere. Of course you’d know who I am. I promise though, only one question.”
“What’s up?”
“Are you sure about this? Your bet’s made everything back here go haywire. History itself feels like it’s on the verge of collapsing. If you make one wrong move, it’s over. Not just this, but everything. There’s someone here named Shiki whom I think you know well who’s pretty confident you’ll win, but she’s also explained everything about you. If you lose, that’s just… It’s it. Game over. Forever.”
“I’ll win.”
“Hey, uh, if I may ask just one thing, too...” Mash interjected. “What is it that gives you the absolute confidence to make a bet like that and think you can pull it off out of nowhere? You’re risking everyone and everything!”
“You’re both worried. That’s sweet. But trust the one you call Shiki. We both know that we know that I know that she knows… Well, that I’ll pull this off. I’ve made dumber moves before.” Atma responded.
“That’s not true, and you know it. It’s quite like you to be this reckless, though.” Shiki was heard in the background, the only one there calm besides Atma, sipping her tea and sighing. “Just make sure you come home okay? And no more dangerous bets like this for a while. I don’t care how much better a story it’ll make, you need to calm down sometimes.”
“Yeah yeah, sure, mom.”
“You know it.”
“Besides, Mash?” Atma went back to the other question. “I have the power of the women here at my side. I have the power of all the women I’ve ever met and helped. The power of the women I’ve yet to help along my journeys. The faith you all want to have in me to pull this off, whether you want to have it naturally or out of an instinct to continue surviving. I’ve never lost before, or we’d not be here now. I don’t intend to make this my first loss on my win streak, young lady. Besides, you and your kouhai still need to go on more dates. I’ve seen the future, and...”
“ENOUGH!” Mash blushed.
> “Oh, that’s scandalous...”
>>> “Wait no, the boss can wait, let’s expound on THIS lore first! Aww yeah.”
“Some other time, you gigantic weirdo.” Atma smiled. “Anyway, you’re just going to have to think that tomorrow is going to come, that this sun will only set on Haborym and nobody else. Him and his cronies are done for, or my name isn’t Atma.”
“I, I suppose… I remember being in some dire situations alongside Senpai on the battlefield and just having to believe she’d do the right thing, as… scandalous and rambunctious of a woman as she is.” Mash tried her best to relax, but it’s not all that easy when you know your end may very well be nigh. She wished she could take a servant sized dose of Klonopin right now, but would that really help anything? A sedated Mash isn’t how she wants to see it all end, if it does come to it. And if she pulls this off and wins, well…
“You foolish Root, Archer, Counter Force, whatever it is you call yourself, have you had enough words with the idiots who are placing such misguided faith in you, or am I going to have to burn down your communication lines with them too?” Haborym interjected, hissing and popping his flames out, bringing forth Guzman, Cortes, and Moriarty. “I think I’ll do that just now anyway!”
With a great red glow, he burned down what little could be used in the area to transmit a message, with the last thing anyone heard was da Vinci mumbling something about how they were their only hope now, more than they ever knew.
“So, you’re going to make us mow through countless other servants, huh?” The Maou spoke up. “Delightful. You’ll make excellent sacrifice to the will of the Root. My spirit sibling, no matter her form, will feed off your deaths and become stronger, putting me instead in charge of the lands you so desire! You have no place or business here!”
“I’m owed revenge against one, but I’ll take some against these fools as well.” Penthesilea grinned, her eyes going dark and gold, almost matching the ones the Root had. “Been a while since we fought together. It’s an honor to fight alongside you at your true form, Atma.”
“A thousand years was what I originally cursed you to the underworld for, for ruining my people, my temples!” Quetzalcoatl snarled. “But I shall see to it that you have a thousand more each time the previous number is up! Mucho torture for you, those whom would take without asking, si?”
“You’re the one who’s protected this golden, shining coast I landed on so long ago, huh?” Drake smiled. “I can’t think of a better figure to inherit my spirit and wanting of freedom and adventure! You have my guns at your command, Atma! Let’s blast these bastards back to whence they came!”
“I agree, what a fine specimen indeed, to succeed me and carry my will on too, protecting this fine land!” Norton threw her sword up. “Let us charge these fools the maximum fine for the hell they’ve wrought on my shores!”
“Aye, ark that bloochin’ deeger right in ‘is head. Brightlighters don’t interact. Let’s turn this into a bucket of blood and put up our dukes, it’s time to shark for the rights of bahl appleheads from every and any tree, and have a rawncher of a time doing so!” Madge came in, her parasol swinging around and open to reveal a massive gun hidden inside. “Let me spat give ‘em what for!”
“I… I can’t believe I have to say this AGAIN! But stupid jerks, or stujerks, don’t seem to fucking get it! Like, I’m the only one who’s allowed to actually burn the world down! Not Solomon, not any of you selfish idiots, you’re supposed to want to burn the world down because it’s there! Not for any other dumb reason! I can’t believe I’m the same class as you!” Jalter snarled. “Gross. I don’t care what you are, Atma, let’s just hurry up and cut these idiots down.”
“I don’t like this, not at all!” Bunyan added. “To think that these are the ones responsible for burning down all the trees I was going to cut for the nice lumberjacks around here who would use it to make such nice, beautiful things. It’s horrible to think about. I thought the American frontier was supposed to be a place that would welcome all of us! Ugh, what bullies! My axe is yours to chop these fools down! Let’s so do and then grab a bite. I’m starving and none of the snacks in this lobby interest me at all!”
“So, this is whom Nobu claims to be related to, huh? Are we sure you aren’t padding your resume? You would claim you’re the long lost sibling of something as incredible as the ultimate swordswoman!” Okita hacked. “But this is definitely serious, far more than any of our events. I’ll see to it they’re made allies with nothing but the edge of my sword. Let’s take them all down!”
“I don’t want to think of a world that doesn’t have Atma in it to inspire me.” Samantha added. “She helped me through so much and put me on a right path in life. Without her, I wouldn’t be half as motivated as I am now, probably lost still somewhere figuring myself out. For her sake, and her mission, I will make sure her path is a steady one as well!”
“Heh, I didn’t think you had it in you, brat.” Koshka said, terse as always. “So, you going to do it? You can’t back out now, not that I’ve ever known you to.”
“Yeah, Atma’s going to kick your ass.” Bianca grinned her toothy grin. “She also helped me with so much and was one of the only people I ever knew to have consistent faith in me, and got me through the darkest days without her light flickering once. Let’s get ready to rumble!”
“So, this is the woman you chose?” Diaochan whispered to Cassandra inside her mind. “I remember her telling me way back when to pull this whole thing with Lu Bu off. No wonder we trounced Zhou again so easily. I was pretty damn sure I knew that face, I’m glad she still doesn’t disappoint.”
“Yeah, that’s her. She’d always had that kind of aura about her that makes you believe she’s one of the heroes you read about in fiction, larger than life. I’m glad you got to see her again.” Cassandra responded to Diaochan before looking sternly on to the enemy. “This one’s yours. You’ve earned it.”
“I DON’T EVEN KNOW WHAT’S GOING ON I’VE LOST SIGHT OF THE PLOT EVER SINCE THIS GODSAWFUL SIGN GOT PUT ON ME! ROOTS? COUNTER FORCES? I’M JUST A LITTLE GODDESS, I DIDN’T MEAN FOR IT TO GET THIS FAR! WHAT HAVE YOU ALL GOTTEN ME INTO?” Ishtar sobbed. “But if it gets me out of this literal and figurative bind even sooner, so be it, kick their asses! I have no use for these guys anymore anyway! They never actually paid up any of the money or bonuses they promised me! Cheapskates!”
“So...” Atma turned back to her enemies, arms crossed over her chest. “You really think you have a chance? It’s not just these women who have faith in me, but every one that has ever existed is part of the strands that I’ve woven and in turn have made me! You are but a demon, a petty, shortsighted demon, summoning forth people made solely out of the concept of revenge, it seemed, and all had fallen before now, so what makes you think you’re special?”
“Oh would you just shut up already? You heroes and your monologuing! I just want to go down as the one that defeated the Root is all! Give me more fuel for my fire!” Haborym cackled.
“You… You do know if you win, that she won’t have existed, and people won’t know you for defeating anyone of the sort, right?” Calafia came up from behind, wielding her spear and sighing. “You are one dense demon, that’s for sure. Besides, weren’t you the one blathering at me about your plan nonstop before all this? Two can play at that game. Atma, my spear is yours if you’ll have me for your final match. I would be more than delighted to take part in creating more of my state’s glorious history alongside you!”
“So I can burn both of you down? I care not if they remember specifically whom I burned, just so long as my flames remain all consuming!”
Haborym then twisted himself into his most true, core form. A demon pillar, of reds, orange, white, some blue, and a lot of black swirling from below and above, gray clouds forming around him as his last three servants stood in front and guarded him. His voice warped and wobbled, his countless eyes twitching and then focusing on the band of heroes before him.
“So be it. Make your stand. I’m waiting...”
~ END OF CHAPTER 13 NODE 1
It was one of the last times Gudako would be able to see the party setup screen, and both Atma and Calafia stood in the mandatory slots. The first fight was listed as two an Archer, suggesting it was Moriarty, whom had been oddly silent this whole endeavor. With no real reliable lancers, Gudako just loaded up on the Avengers as backup, wondering who decided it was okay to give her three of the five star ones and laughing. What incredible power she’d unlocked! But at what cost?
“Oh dear me, it looks like it’s my turn to fight.” Moriarty smiled, hand up as per usual. “It’s a shame we had to meet like this. Too bad none of my brilliant traps worked, but perhaps they will in another time. Oh well, I guess all that’s left now that you’ve figured out I was behind some of this is to bow out and get beaten again! I’ll take my lumps. It was fun.”
>>> “We never guessed it was you”
> “You really do think highly of yourself”
“W-What do you mean, oh Master? I thought for sure you’d see the genius in them was my design!” Moriarty huffed. “Oh well. Makes it even more time for me to bow out then. Let’s do this. You have even bigger fish to fry. Good luck!”
The battle started, and it wasn’t long before they were able to grind through the first HP bar he had and whittle him down through his second. It was but a warmup of things to come. Pitiful old grandpa didn’t even get a chance to use his noble phantasm, but that’s just how it be in this bitch of a singularity.
~ END OF CHAPTER 13 NODE 2
The next group appeared, two Avengers. Now we’re cooking. Despite it all, Atma and Calafia remained fixed members of the party, and Gudako decided to go with what worked, which was fighting fire with fire. The Avengers stayed, and she went forth into the fight.
“THIS LAND WILL BE MINE!” Cortes laughed.
“You mean OURS, for the last time!” Guzman growled over.
“Yeah yeah, sure buddy.”
“Oh, wonderful, they’re fighting.” Quetzalcoatl pointed out. “This will make it easier to beat them for sure.”
“Yeah I’m wondering what the logic was here, summoning two people who rivaled each other and hated each other in life to try to work alongside each other?” Atma sighed as she drew her magic katana. “I’m impressed they hadn’t offed each other and saved me a node’s worth of work by now.”
“You will not question my logic, you foolish Root!” Haborym pushed his flames forth, making the battlefield now one with fire damage added on top of everything every round. “Let them bicker, so long as it brings fuel to the fire that is their hate and then rains it down upon you!”
“I think logic left this guy a long time ago.” Calafia snickered.
This battle took a lot more careful planning. Maou and Atma had natural fire battlefield resistance, but nobody else did, and putting a ruler in, even if she was the Grand Ruler, was risky, but her buffs and heals would prove more than enough to do things like cut down the damage from the two Praetorian Avengers, each one having a whopping three HP gauges. They traded blows over and over, Atma using it to charge her noble phantasm.
Something about it this time was different though.
“To reach beyond the stars...”
That chant. Something seemed far more determined about it than usual.
“So that I may cut even entropy down! Oh, rays of Alaya, guide my blade where it needs to cut! Hoshinagi – The Star-Rending Sword! One giant cut for me, one magnificent cut for all of womankind! Be cut down to nothing, and burn to ashes!”
Her usual array of cuts was met with an added effect of a spray of holy flames coming from all of it, burning deep in each cut and brought with it a nothingness behind it, though in that nothingness was everything. The power of womankind reached warmly through it, a scene of every major one she’d helped flashing by quickly, lending itself an extra burst of power that not only cut through all of their hit points, but caused instant death to the Praetorian Avengers as well.
Something about that attack was imbued with its own trait now.
“The Will of Womankind” - Instant death to any male identifying servant it latched itself onto.
What an unfortunate turn of events for the two Conquistadors, their blood spraying across the battlefield and ending the fight in a decisive victory for the Master and her army of Calafian Amazons once more.
When the map reloaded, all that was left was Chapter 14 to play. One node. On it was the usual singularity prize; a holy grail. But that was all that could be given as a basic reward; the knowledge that womankind was to be saved was the real prize behind it.
It call came down to this.
Prepare your swords.
~ END OF CHAPTER 13 NODE 3
>>> “…..”
> “…..”
“Sorry to keep you waiting, ladies.” Atma smiled at the girls around her. Their pasts all coming back to them, Atma’s face clear and distinct as that of the one that’d helped them write their history, promising anything bad happening in it to be written clear and just when she could find the time. And this was one of those times that time was just the time to reset time, in a timely manner, as it were. But that was her, the Root, the one spoken of since language was invented by the mortals, from ancient Babylonia up until the cyber saturated futures, to the end of the universe and back to the beginning, written as she was, strong and valiant and more handsome than the male champions of their eras, a gleaning, warm, shining figure that had nothing but good intent for all women who crossed her path, be it out of historic and job necessity or just because she found her cute. It was hard to tell with some of them, honestly.
A message from da Vinci chimed in about then, a bit frazzled, fuzzy at first until she could set the emergency contact machine on stable, looking at them all with a look of stern concern.
“So, you’re the Root, right? Can’t be anyone but the glowing one at this point, I presume.” da Vinci asked.
“Yeah, that’s me.” Atma responded. “What’s up? I’m about to save womankind here again. Like, this is absolutely something that cannot wait. For once. I don’t like having to say no to a lady, but we’ll have plenty of time to discuss this after everything is said and done, da Vinci.”
“I don’t believe we’ve met though? But then again, you’re everywhere. Of course you’d know who I am. I promise though, only one question.”
“What’s up?”
“Are you sure about this? Your bet’s made everything back here go haywire. History itself feels like it’s on the verge of collapsing. If you make one wrong move, it’s over. Not just this, but everything. There’s someone here named Shiki whom I think you know well who’s pretty confident you’ll win, but she’s also explained everything about you. If you lose, that’s just… It’s it. Game over. Forever.”
“I’ll win.”
“Hey, uh, if I may ask just one thing, too...” Mash interjected. “What is it that gives you the absolute confidence to make a bet like that and think you can pull it off out of nowhere? You’re risking everyone and everything!”
“You’re both worried. That’s sweet. But trust the one you call Shiki. We both know that we know that I know that she knows… Well, that I’ll pull this off. I’ve made dumber moves before.” Atma responded.
“That’s not true, and you know it. It’s quite like you to be this reckless, though.” Shiki was heard in the background, the only one there calm besides Atma, sipping her tea and sighing. “Just make sure you come home okay? And no more dangerous bets like this for a while. I don’t care how much better a story it’ll make, you need to calm down sometimes.”
“Yeah yeah, sure, mom.”
“You know it.”
“Besides, Mash?” Atma went back to the other question. “I have the power of the women here at my side. I have the power of all the women I’ve ever met and helped. The power of the women I’ve yet to help along my journeys. The faith you all want to have in me to pull this off, whether you want to have it naturally or out of an instinct to continue surviving. I’ve never lost before, or we’d not be here now. I don’t intend to make this my first loss on my win streak, young lady. Besides, you and your kouhai still need to go on more dates. I’ve seen the future, and...”
“ENOUGH!” Mash blushed.
> “Oh, that’s scandalous...”
>>> “Wait no, the boss can wait, let’s expound on THIS lore first! Aww yeah.”
“Some other time, you gigantic weirdo.” Atma smiled. “Anyway, you’re just going to have to think that tomorrow is going to come, that this sun will only set on Haborym and nobody else. Him and his cronies are done for, or my name isn’t Atma.”
“I, I suppose… I remember being in some dire situations alongside Senpai on the battlefield and just having to believe she’d do the right thing, as… scandalous and rambunctious of a woman as she is.” Mash tried her best to relax, but it’s not all that easy when you know your end may very well be nigh. She wished she could take a servant sized dose of Klonopin right now, but would that really help anything? A sedated Mash isn’t how she wants to see it all end, if it does come to it. And if she pulls this off and wins, well…
“You foolish Root, Archer, Counter Force, whatever it is you call yourself, have you had enough words with the idiots who are placing such misguided faith in you, or am I going to have to burn down your communication lines with them too?” Haborym interjected, hissing and popping his flames out, bringing forth Guzman, Cortes, and Moriarty. “I think I’ll do that just now anyway!”
With a great red glow, he burned down what little could be used in the area to transmit a message, with the last thing anyone heard was da Vinci mumbling something about how they were their only hope now, more than they ever knew.
“So, you’re going to make us mow through countless other servants, huh?” The Maou spoke up. “Delightful. You’ll make excellent sacrifice to the will of the Root. My spirit sibling, no matter her form, will feed off your deaths and become stronger, putting me instead in charge of the lands you so desire! You have no place or business here!”
“I’m owed revenge against one, but I’ll take some against these fools as well.” Penthesilea grinned, her eyes going dark and gold, almost matching the ones the Root had. “Been a while since we fought together. It’s an honor to fight alongside you at your true form, Atma.”
“A thousand years was what I originally cursed you to the underworld for, for ruining my people, my temples!” Quetzalcoatl snarled. “But I shall see to it that you have a thousand more each time the previous number is up! Mucho torture for you, those whom would take without asking, si?”
“You’re the one who’s protected this golden, shining coast I landed on so long ago, huh?” Drake smiled. “I can’t think of a better figure to inherit my spirit and wanting of freedom and adventure! You have my guns at your command, Atma! Let’s blast these bastards back to whence they came!”
“I agree, what a fine specimen indeed, to succeed me and carry my will on too, protecting this fine land!” Norton threw her sword up. “Let us charge these fools the maximum fine for the hell they’ve wrought on my shores!”
“Aye, ark that bloochin’ deeger right in ‘is head. Brightlighters don’t interact. Let’s turn this into a bucket of blood and put up our dukes, it’s time to shark for the rights of bahl appleheads from every and any tree, and have a rawncher of a time doing so!” Madge came in, her parasol swinging around and open to reveal a massive gun hidden inside. “Let me spat give ‘em what for!”
“I… I can’t believe I have to say this AGAIN! But stupid jerks, or stujerks, don’t seem to fucking get it! Like, I’m the only one who’s allowed to actually burn the world down! Not Solomon, not any of you selfish idiots, you’re supposed to want to burn the world down because it’s there! Not for any other dumb reason! I can’t believe I’m the same class as you!” Jalter snarled. “Gross. I don’t care what you are, Atma, let’s just hurry up and cut these idiots down.”
“I don’t like this, not at all!” Bunyan added. “To think that these are the ones responsible for burning down all the trees I was going to cut for the nice lumberjacks around here who would use it to make such nice, beautiful things. It’s horrible to think about. I thought the American frontier was supposed to be a place that would welcome all of us! Ugh, what bullies! My axe is yours to chop these fools down! Let’s so do and then grab a bite. I’m starving and none of the snacks in this lobby interest me at all!”
“So, this is whom Nobu claims to be related to, huh? Are we sure you aren’t padding your resume? You would claim you’re the long lost sibling of something as incredible as the ultimate swordswoman!” Okita hacked. “But this is definitely serious, far more than any of our events. I’ll see to it they’re made allies with nothing but the edge of my sword. Let’s take them all down!”
“I don’t want to think of a world that doesn’t have Atma in it to inspire me.” Samantha added. “She helped me through so much and put me on a right path in life. Without her, I wouldn’t be half as motivated as I am now, probably lost still somewhere figuring myself out. For her sake, and her mission, I will make sure her path is a steady one as well!”
“Heh, I didn’t think you had it in you, brat.” Koshka said, terse as always. “So, you going to do it? You can’t back out now, not that I’ve ever known you to.”
“Yeah, Atma’s going to kick your ass.” Bianca grinned her toothy grin. “She also helped me with so much and was one of the only people I ever knew to have consistent faith in me, and got me through the darkest days without her light flickering once. Let’s get ready to rumble!”
“So, this is the woman you chose?” Diaochan whispered to Cassandra inside her mind. “I remember her telling me way back when to pull this whole thing with Lu Bu off. No wonder we trounced Zhou again so easily. I was pretty damn sure I knew that face, I’m glad she still doesn’t disappoint.”
“Yeah, that’s her. She’d always had that kind of aura about her that makes you believe she’s one of the heroes you read about in fiction, larger than life. I’m glad you got to see her again.” Cassandra responded to Diaochan before looking sternly on to the enemy. “This one’s yours. You’ve earned it.”
“I DON’T EVEN KNOW WHAT’S GOING ON I’VE LOST SIGHT OF THE PLOT EVER SINCE THIS GODSAWFUL SIGN GOT PUT ON ME! ROOTS? COUNTER FORCES? I’M JUST A LITTLE GODDESS, I DIDN’T MEAN FOR IT TO GET THIS FAR! WHAT HAVE YOU ALL GOTTEN ME INTO?” Ishtar sobbed. “But if it gets me out of this literal and figurative bind even sooner, so be it, kick their asses! I have no use for these guys anymore anyway! They never actually paid up any of the money or bonuses they promised me! Cheapskates!”
“So...” Atma turned back to her enemies, arms crossed over her chest. “You really think you have a chance? It’s not just these women who have faith in me, but every one that has ever existed is part of the strands that I’ve woven and in turn have made me! You are but a demon, a petty, shortsighted demon, summoning forth people made solely out of the concept of revenge, it seemed, and all had fallen before now, so what makes you think you’re special?”
“Oh would you just shut up already? You heroes and your monologuing! I just want to go down as the one that defeated the Root is all! Give me more fuel for my fire!” Haborym cackled.
“You… You do know if you win, that she won’t have existed, and people won’t know you for defeating anyone of the sort, right?” Calafia came up from behind, wielding her spear and sighing. “You are one dense demon, that’s for sure. Besides, weren’t you the one blathering at me about your plan nonstop before all this? Two can play at that game. Atma, my spear is yours if you’ll have me for your final match. I would be more than delighted to take part in creating more of my state’s glorious history alongside you!”
“So I can burn both of you down? I care not if they remember specifically whom I burned, just so long as my flames remain all consuming!”
Haborym then twisted himself into his most true, core form. A demon pillar, of reds, orange, white, some blue, and a lot of black swirling from below and above, gray clouds forming around him as his last three servants stood in front and guarded him. His voice warped and wobbled, his countless eyes twitching and then focusing on the band of heroes before him.
“So be it. Make your stand. I’m waiting...”
~ END OF CHAPTER 13 NODE 1
It was one of the last times Gudako would be able to see the party setup screen, and both Atma and Calafia stood in the mandatory slots. The first fight was listed as two an Archer, suggesting it was Moriarty, whom had been oddly silent this whole endeavor. With no real reliable lancers, Gudako just loaded up on the Avengers as backup, wondering who decided it was okay to give her three of the five star ones and laughing. What incredible power she’d unlocked! But at what cost?
“Oh dear me, it looks like it’s my turn to fight.” Moriarty smiled, hand up as per usual. “It’s a shame we had to meet like this. Too bad none of my brilliant traps worked, but perhaps they will in another time. Oh well, I guess all that’s left now that you’ve figured out I was behind some of this is to bow out and get beaten again! I’ll take my lumps. It was fun.”
>>> “We never guessed it was you”
> “You really do think highly of yourself”
“W-What do you mean, oh Master? I thought for sure you’d see the genius in them was my design!” Moriarty huffed. “Oh well. Makes it even more time for me to bow out then. Let’s do this. You have even bigger fish to fry. Good luck!”
The battle started, and it wasn’t long before they were able to grind through the first HP bar he had and whittle him down through his second. It was but a warmup of things to come. Pitiful old grandpa didn’t even get a chance to use his noble phantasm, but that’s just how it be in this bitch of a singularity.
~ END OF CHAPTER 13 NODE 2
The next group appeared, two Avengers. Now we’re cooking. Despite it all, Atma and Calafia remained fixed members of the party, and Gudako decided to go with what worked, which was fighting fire with fire. The Avengers stayed, and she went forth into the fight.
“THIS LAND WILL BE MINE!” Cortes laughed.
“You mean OURS, for the last time!” Guzman growled over.
“Yeah yeah, sure buddy.”
“Oh, wonderful, they’re fighting.” Quetzalcoatl pointed out. “This will make it easier to beat them for sure.”
“Yeah I’m wondering what the logic was here, summoning two people who rivaled each other and hated each other in life to try to work alongside each other?” Atma sighed as she drew her magic katana. “I’m impressed they hadn’t offed each other and saved me a node’s worth of work by now.”
“You will not question my logic, you foolish Root!” Haborym pushed his flames forth, making the battlefield now one with fire damage added on top of everything every round. “Let them bicker, so long as it brings fuel to the fire that is their hate and then rains it down upon you!”
“I think logic left this guy a long time ago.” Calafia snickered.
This battle took a lot more careful planning. Maou and Atma had natural fire battlefield resistance, but nobody else did, and putting a ruler in, even if she was the Grand Ruler, was risky, but her buffs and heals would prove more than enough to do things like cut down the damage from the two Praetorian Avengers, each one having a whopping three HP gauges. They traded blows over and over, Atma using it to charge her noble phantasm.
Something about it this time was different though.
“To reach beyond the stars...”
That chant. Something seemed far more determined about it than usual.
“So that I may cut even entropy down! Oh, rays of Alaya, guide my blade where it needs to cut! Hoshinagi – The Star-Rending Sword! One giant cut for me, one magnificent cut for all of womankind! Be cut down to nothing, and burn to ashes!”
Her usual array of cuts was met with an added effect of a spray of holy flames coming from all of it, burning deep in each cut and brought with it a nothingness behind it, though in that nothingness was everything. The power of womankind reached warmly through it, a scene of every major one she’d helped flashing by quickly, lending itself an extra burst of power that not only cut through all of their hit points, but caused instant death to the Praetorian Avengers as well.
Something about that attack was imbued with its own trait now.
“The Will of Womankind” - Instant death to any male identifying servant it latched itself onto.
What an unfortunate turn of events for the two Conquistadors, their blood spraying across the battlefield and ending the fight in a decisive victory for the Master and her army of Calafian Amazons once more.
When the map reloaded, all that was left was Chapter 14 to play. One node. On it was the usual singularity prize; a holy grail. But that was all that could be given as a basic reward; the knowledge that womankind was to be saved was the real prize behind it.
It call came down to this.
Prepare your swords.
~ END OF CHAPTER 13 NODE 3