Sacred Stone Memories Chapter 11/Quest 15 - Storyline

The Scent of Blood

Yauras	!
Sol	Aghh...!
Bud	...
Victor	N-nice!
Basheeny	No way... Is that really Captain Yauras?
Kanon	I can't believe it! Are you all really here? Truly?
Seida	Kanon... This isn't the end. The outcome of this battle hasn't been preordained. Time spent looking to the divine for answers is time that you can spend trying to come up with your own solutions.
Othima	Right, right...but there's no need to be so harsh, Seida. I mean, if she hadn't taken that moment to call for Excalibur, we wouldn't have our chance for payback now.
Kanon	Wh-what's going on?! I can't understand... I thought... I thought all of you had lost your lives!
Othima	Oh, we're definitely dead. Just to be clear.
Kanon	What?
Kudanstein	I see... Phantoms, then.
Kanon	Phantoms?! But...they look...so alive. I mean, they look like they used to when they were alive.
Seida	Hm... I will concede that my memories are unexpectedly intact for a Phantom. Perhaps that is thanks to Excalibur.
Othima	That would explain it. If Excalibur was used as a catalyst for our summoning, it may have allowed us to be summoned forth as we were at the end of our lives. I mean, that's my analysis of the situation, but there's really no telling.
Kanon	I see! So that's what Captain Cadanova meant when he said to believe in Excalibur!
Kudanstein	Then...it was Kanon who summoned you here?
Yauras	Not quite.
Kanon	Huh?
Yauras	The moment you called to Excalibur was the catalyst which allowed us to be summoned, but...I believe it was someone else who summoned us forth.
Kanon	What...? Who could it be?
Sol	Ha...hahaha... You people just don't give up, do you? How fun! What can the dead, even freshly risen, do in the face of utter destruction? Nothing!
Yauras	Oh, right. This is no time to be chatting like this. We have to do something about that ball of dark energy.
Kanon	R-right! I just...don't know what we can do.
Othima	Yeah... That guy's making use of powers from another dimension. Not gonna lie. It's not to be underestimated. Still, give it a moment's thought. He specifically said he would transform Northern Pride into scorched earth. "Transform."
Kanon	Okay, and...?
Othima	Come on! "Transform"? Like...a chemical reaction? No? Nothing? I mean, it's obvious that Cursed Sun is just an attack based on thermodynamics and has a physical mass of its own.
Yauras	In other words, it is possible to deal with it using science.
Othima	Hey! Hey, I was on a roll! The one time I get to display my astonishing knowledge and experience as a researcher... Fine, whatever... Seida, can I ask you to cover me?
Seida	I've been waiting on you. This conversation has dragged on for too long.
Othima	Seriously? I don't get any respect around here. Whatever. Focus... Final Atmosphere!!!


Sol	What?!
Chloe	The ball of dark energy stopped moving?!
Kanon	Final Atmosphere?!
Othima	Ahem, it's actually, um, just a normal Ill Atmosphere. I mean, come on, doesn't "Final Atmosphere" sound way better?
Sol	My Cursed Sun was frozen?!
Othima	Yeah. Pop quiz! What happens when something that has been frozen solid is dealt a physical blow with enough strength?
Sol	What...? No!
Seida	Twin Fang God Wolf!!!
Yauras	Everyone, get down!
Kanon	...
Victor	Wh-whoa...
Bud	It shattered into tiny pieces! Yes!!!
Basheeny	...
Sol	Nnrk...!
Kagura	He's taken damage from that as well! Kanon!
Yauras	Wait! It's too early to let our guard down! Stay back!
Kanon	...
Acht	Nngh... Sol, are you all right?
Sol	...
Acht	Sol...?
Sol	Hm? Yes, I'm fine, of course. Something at this level isn't worth your concern.
Acht	Understood.
Othima	Now, then... Shall we? Oh, hey! Captain Kudan! You're looking good! I thought you were dead! I mean, not that I can talk, having actually been dead.
Kudanstein	I am grateful for your assistance in this battle. I do not feel deserving of standing on the same side of the battlefield with you any longer.
Seida	What's with that? Of course we'll help you. I mean, now that we all know that we're on the side trying to save the world.
Kudanstein	What?
Yauras	We have always been on the same side. Our methods and justice may have been different, but there was never any time that our goals were counter to yours—to save the future of Babel.
Kudanstein	...!
Othima	Captain Vettel... I cannot fully express my gratitude to you and the Scarlet Flame Guard. If it was just the Holy Guard in this fight, we would have fallen a long time ago. There are not enough thanks in the world for what you have done.
Vettel	So you all have become Phantoms... I see.
Othima	I apologize that this is how we are meeting again. Um... Ahem. Ahem! Could you not look at me like that? You're gonna make me blush.
Victor	Captain Vettel... Phantoms are basically like...ghosts or something, right?
Vettel	...
Othima	Kid, could you show a little more sensitivity over here? Words can hurt, you know.
Kagura	Everyone... I'm so sorry... If only I...
Yauras	You have nothing to apologize for, Kagura. You've done well.
Kagura	Huh?
Seida	You've borne the weight of the hopes we passed on to you better than we could have imagined. Be proud.
Othima	After all, you were the one who neutralized the Matter. If you hadn't done that, there's no way any of us could have made it this far. You've done an incredible job.
Kagura	Th-thank you!
Seida	Kanon, all of us have personally fought with that man. Our experience should be helpful to you now.
Othima Yauras	...
Kanon	Understood!
Othima	If all of the Captains of the Holy Guard stand together, there is nothing that can stand in our way. Right, Captain Kudan?
Kudanstein	Hmph.
Neun	Heheh. In other words, you reanimated cadavers have shown up to get your revenge? Psh, then all we have to do is kill you again. Right, boss?
Sol	Huh? Ah, right...
Acht	...
Neun	Hey, what's with you? It's not like you to get distracted when we've got business to take care of.
Sol	Right, of course. It's nearly time. Annihilate them.
Acht Neun	...
Spica	Here they come!
Miuna	They're really coming at us with the intent to kill this time! Get ready!
Kazahaya	G-get ready, you say...
Acht	It's pointless. There will be no mercy now that we have received our kill orders. My offensive is all-encompassing... There is no way for any of you to escape death!
Bud	Wh-whoa!
Chloe	No! There's no way to come away from an attack like that without significant damage! Everyone, watch out!
Acht	Fools. I already know how you fight. I know how to predict your movements.
Kagura	Oh no! I should have been more careful!
Miuna	Kagura!
Acht	I've caught you. This is the end for you. Goodbye.
Miuna	Ah, crap... Is this seriously how it ends? All of us done in by this one person?
Kazahaya Spica	...
???	How unrefined.
Miuna	Huh?
Acht	My attack was deflected?!
Yauras	I am sure I told you before... Speaking like that is crude and improper.
Miuna	Yauras!
Yauras	Long time no see, Miuna. Perhaps not since I crossed swords with Cadanova. Focus. If you do so, no matter what she claims, this attack can be dodged. Don't give up so quickly.
Kagura	I'm sorry, Captain Yauras...
Yauras	Kagura, be more confident. It is only natural that you have been intimidated after having witnessed the depths of their savage strength. However, you cannot allow that to affect your ability to read the battlefield. You cannot forget that you are one of the most dangerous people for them here.
Kagura	Huh?
Yauras	Remember. Of all the people here, you have seen the most of what they are capable of. That means that you are the person most likely to be able to read their movements on the battlefield.
Kagura	Oh! I see!
Yauras	We can win this, my friends! The Holy Guard cannot lose! We carry the burden of ensuring peace with our absolute justice! We cannot let it fall here!
Spica	...
Yauras	You there. Can you keep going?
Spica	Yes!
Acht	My sympathies. You may have arrived in time to save them this time, but nothing has changed. Their fate has already been sealed!
Spica	Here she comes!
Yauras	I will hold her off! You all must take the opportunity to analyze how she attacks!
Later...
Acht	You plan to take me on by yourself? Hmph. Impossible! This is the end for you!
Kazahaya	Captain Yauras!
Yauras	Calm down. No matter what kind of attack this is, the fact remains that I am the target. In other words... Whatever attack it is, wherever it comes from, however many there are, it is mine to deal with! I will deflect it!
Acht	Wha—?!
Bud	Whoa! She really deflected the whole barrage?!
Kagura	Not yet! Captain Yauras, behind you!
Yauras	What the—?!
Acht	Hm?!
Yauras	That was close! I didn't expect her to have such speed!
Kagura	Ha! I got it! She distracts with a showy flurry of attacks, and then, while her opponent is still reeling, goes for the back! An old, but reliable trick!
Acht	Tch!
Yauras	You don't scare me!
Kagura	No, it's fine.
Yauras	Huh?
Acht	I don't know what you think you have figured out, but you haven't won just because you were able to deflect my attack once!
Kagura	I have to be honest. When I first saw you fight, I saw someone who had managed to turn every part of her body into a weapon. I couldn't find a single opening...at first.
Acht	At first?
Kagura	I realized something when I watched you shoot out your false left eye. You have a single blind spot.
Miuna	A blind spot...?
Acht	What?
Kagura	It's located somewhere that your good right eye could never be able to see...
Yauras	The area that your left peripheral vision would cover. Your right eye could never make up for that particular blind spot.
Acht	You—?!
Spica	...
Kagura	Exactly, and now...there's no reason to chase her, because someone is already standing in that spot.
Spica	Thank you, Kagura. Without your insight, I would have never been able to get this close.
Acht	N-no!
Spica	Single-mindedly following after the person you idolize more than anyone else... I can understand why you would do that. However, there is no way that I can allow you to eliminate the people who are here with me. I think that you can understand that feeling too.
Acht	No!!!
Sol	Acht!
Kudanstein	Where do you think you're going?
Sol	Huh?
Kudanstein	Do you really have the time to be worrying about someone else? It's time for our second round.
Sol	Persistent, aren't you? I don't have time to play right now, but rest assured I will be right back to grind your face into the ground.
Kanon	We won't just let you go! You're too dangerous! The three of us will take you down right here, right now!
Sol	Three...?
???	Binding Arrow!!!
Sol	What—?! Nnrgh! Wh-what is this?!
Seida	We're done letting you confound us with your supernatural agility. We won't let you move freely anymore!
Sol	What?!
Kudanstein	I don't have time to waste on this fight either. I won't underestimate you and let you get away again!
Sol	You...!
Neun	Tch! What do these guys think they're doing?
Victor	Don't think we'll just let you do whatever you want!
Neun	Excuse me? Who do you think you are? I'll destroy you, you little upstart!
Victor	Wh-whoa!
Basheeny Vettel	!
Neun	...
Basheeny	You are a powerful enemy. You have proved that to us, abundantly. We won't underestimate you!
Vettel	Really, it's actually kind of inconvenient how strong you are. Ready, Basheeny?
Neun	You think you can stop me?
Basheeny	Huh?
Neun	Raaaarrrgh!
Vettel	Grk...!
Basheeny	Urgh!
Victor	Captain Vettel! Basheeny!
Neun	Ugh, I can't believe I have to waste my time on you. Hurry up and let me smash you all to pieces! Huh?
Basheeny	Nngh... Just...as planned.
Vettel	O-of course we never thought...that we would be able to stop you...on our own.
Neun	Wh-what is this?! Ice is forming on my arm?!
Othima	Sorry, you two... I didn't want you to have to suffer like this, but... Thanks to your help, seems like I get the chance at a round two with this guy.
Neun	You again!
Sol	Neun!
Kudanstein	Hmph. Seems like the tide has turned for you, hasn't it?
Kanon	Tch... While you're here distracting me, Orion is attempting to summon Nimul down unto this world! I don't have time for this!
Seida	That is the reason you destroyed the tribes of Saga? You will pay for what you have done to them today!
Kanon Kudanstein Seida	Huzzzaaaaahh!!!
Sol	I-I...
Kudanstein	Die!!!
Sol	I...am not so easy to kill, you realize.
Kudanstein	Grk...!
Seida	Ngh!
Kanon	Urgh...
Sol	I will explain this to you again, slowly this time. There is only one person who stands a chance of stopping me. That person is Orion, who carries the Alchemy of Power. No matter how many little friends you have, you will never defeat me.
Seida	Not only has he broken free, but to do so much damage in the process...!
Kanon	Is there no limit to his power?!
Kudanstein	S-something's not...right.
Kanon	Huh?
Kudanstein	I'm almost certain that I was able to land a strike on him using that opening that Reimei created for me...
Kanon	Yet, he fights as if that never happened at all.
Kudanstein	No, I'm sure I felt it pierce through his flesh. No matter what dimension his powers come from, his body should be flesh and blood like the rest of us.
Sol	...
Kudanstein	Hey, you! What kind of trickery are you using?
Sol	...
Kudanstein	Hey! Are you even listening to me?
Sol	What...? How many times are you going to make me say this? Just give up. No matter how many of you there are, you'll never defeat me!
Kudanstein	What are you going on about? That wasn't my question!
Seida	Blood...
Kanon	Huh?
Seida	I can smell blood on that man!
Kanon	Blood?
Sol	Haaa... Haaa... Nngrk...
Seida	At his feet... There's a pool of blood at his feet!
Kudanstein	What? He's...?!
Kanon	He was hiding his injuries?! Even while fighting?!
Sol	Haaa... Haaa... What? This is...the end...for you. You'd better start praying...and hope someone answers.