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The gossip rag is my favourite bit.
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Jun 11, 2022 03:41
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Clearly the "repel any Catastrophe" ATV ad is actually sociopathic genius: anyone not gullible enough to fall for it will just dismiss it as advertisement hyperbole, and the people who do fall for it will be too dead to sue you, so why NOT say it? It's like a Nigerian Prince scam that way, it has its own inherent filter.
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Jun 11, 2022 03:57
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On the other hand, I fully believe that hunting the wildlife of Terra even for a meal requires jeep-mounted crossbows. The Kazimierz maps may be a weird mish-mash of map features that you barely pay attention to but I think it adds to the flavor. It feels super artificial like you're fighting on the Aggro Crag instead of defending an actual objective. Clarste posted:I just took a down from the Roar Guards Company I took this as Greatmouth Mob saying he just got a big down payment from them so he's reluctant to skip out on the rest of the contract. Speaking of, hey I kinda like the guy. Most of our characters are schemers or bright-eyed idealists but this guy is being yanked around and there's truly nothing he can do about it.
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Jun 11, 2022 08:29
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Oh, that makes sense.
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Jun 11, 2022 10:01
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Yeah, that's how I read it too. He got a big fat check from Roar to commentate in Roar arenas and hype Roar products.
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Jun 11, 2022 15:11
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Welcome back. Last time Maria met a Passing Fan and Spokesman Czarny contacted an assassin. Słoma Food Co. quote:A hundred supermarket chains across the country! Happiness lies with warm clothes and tasty food. Non-stop events during the Kazimierz Major! *New gloompincer food products release, give them a try* Music.   And this is your glass.  Thank you. Thank you. The Roar Guards Company offers a wealth of beverages to its members. I truly envy them. They possess the luxury of standing here and observing each knight's magnificent display. Tell me. You are a good person, correct? Er... Have you broken the law before? ...No. Have you ever committed a wrongdoing? No, of course not, never... So in other words, you are a diligent worker who earns his pay for himself and his family. Doesn't that make you a good person? Y-Yes, if you put it that way, I'd definitely be a good person, a good person like so many others in Kazimierz... Indeed, like so many others. Here. Let us toast to the good people. Ah. Cheers. Tell me. If there were some who sought to deprive good people of their work, to deprive good people of their way of life, could those possibly be good people, now? What do you...? Even the countryside farmers, done tending their fields for the day, will look forward to that competition knight broadcast from the city. For hundreds of thousands... possibly millions of Kazimierz's industrial people, the Major is a part of life. And they are all good people, by and large, my friend. So, you mean... Suppose, one day, the Major was gone... that overnight, the business had vanished. Who would now support our campaign knights' expenditures, which grow annum by annum? Who would vie for Kazimierz's economic standing, and so stave off foreign incursions? My friend, tell me. Are those who would see that happen—bad people? ...... You are a good person, and they would deprive you of your own living to crown their ancient sense of 'honor'. We all rely on others to pave the way. We've given the vast majority—even the Infected—the chance to live... And so those 'bad people' would ignore that, their country and all its citizens, for their own inconsequential, self-centered consolation. My friend. You are a good person, correct?This is such a great villainous speech that I hate to interrupt, but I'd just like to note the disctinction he makes between "competition knights" and "campaign knights". Which more or less means "athletes" and "soldiers". They don't even try to pretend that these gladiators would be at all helpful in a war, but the profits ARE being fed back into the military-industrial complex. So that's fun. Also he is defining anyone who would disrupt the system for a petty reason like 'honor' as evil, so I guess it's pretyy obvious where that's going. ---- Music.  Tourist: This place is Nearl's regular bar, right? Whoo-wee, now this is what I call Kazimierzey! Tourist: Hey, Boss! Think Maria Nearl might come here today?   That's down to your own square luck.  Business been good lately? Thanks to Maria. When's the last time we got so many in here? Back with Zofia? Knight's the magic word. Most people're here just for that. Don't even ask me which of the media monkeys let everyone know...We read that article! Not happy even for the money? Wasn't the idea to give the two of them somewhere nice and quiet to relax?  Hey, Marcin. Think about carving it into this seat here, 'Kowal ONLY.' Don't wanna wait for a spot next time I come by. Cough up a naming fee and I'll agree. Tch.Tourist: Whoa, whoa, Nearl's really here! It's literally her! Tourist: Quick! Don't let the chance slide, go get a picture!   Er, thanks, thanks... picture? You mean me? Sorry, I'm a little... Alright, alright, make way, you lot— Tourist: Hold on... you're Zofia! The 'Whislash' Zofia! Tourist: Hey, the rumors were true! 'Whislash' Zofia is the actual coach of the new Nearl! Tourist: Miss Zofia! I've watched your matches before! They really shook me! Cheering. (Oh, well, we're done for.) (A-Auntie! Think of something, quick!)Tourist: Maria, I love you! Tourist: What did you just say?! Hey, take your fights outside. You've gotta be at least this old to brawl in here. —Mister Kowal! Mister Vogelweide! All customers, listen up! To celebrate our two old regulars and their outstanding performance, prices today are all 20% off! Everybody sit down and get your orders ready! All drinks and snacks are limited supplies only! Once we're out, we're out!Tourist: Discounts? Could it get any better? Tourist: Hold on... hold on... the bald guy there, you think he's... Just old Marcin, nothing more. Go on. What's your business?Tourist: Marcin...? You're the real 'Tremoriron' Marcin... *sobbing*... Today's just too blessed... Give me a 'Marcin Special'... ---- Music.  F... finally... I've never seen this place so lively before... Bless your heart, Marcin. I'll help you recoup the costs later.I think the idea is that he got the crowd under control by making it seem like they had to line up for a special offer, instead of just swarming Maria and ignoring the "bar" part. Hah hah hah. If you think 20% off'll sink my bar, you'd be selling old Marcin short. ...Crafty hand, you. W-What? Can I keep drinking or not?! Place's empty, old boy. Who're you even drinking with? I—*geurgh*— Don't throw up here—do it outsi—Jesus! Your old damned bones!They leave. Let's get down to business, then. Closing hours and all. Closing hours are where we're booked in, hm? Hah hah hah, they're when this little bar's really open for service. Maria... you've gotten enough points already. You've been winning fight after fight. It's incredible. Th... there's been an element of luck to it... As long as you can maintain the score, dig your heels in on it until the end of the season, that'll be the best plan... But I'm worried about something else. Auntie? ...Maria, the next match is a race. Races don't make for great changes in points, so it should be a safe bet. And then after that, don't participate in any more matches. Wha? B... but, just staying... You've done plenty enough. Victory's at hand now. Surely you've noticed it too... Maria, a lot of people are paying attention to you right now. We just need to keep the pace. Wait until the points are finalized, and you'll win a knight's title, and we'll have achieved our goal. Okay? Just listen to your sister. This will all be for the best— ...... But this... this isn't going to change anything at all... If I don't keep going, the Nearl family's still going to be stuck in this position... Uncle Młynar wouldn't approve of doing things this way, either...Hm? How wouldn't it change anything? You'd get your title, the family would get its Knight Primus, and you get to keep your nobility. Wasn't that your excuse for doing this? Młynar? He's like talking to a brick wall! He wouldn't approve no matter what you decided to do. You know that better than anyone, don't you? Just don't think about it too much, okay? Maria... this is all for the best. It's this or nothing. Auntie... what happened? ...... You don't know how deep the Major really goes... You don't know what it is you'll be up against at all... Auntie! ...In the arena, victory will never belong to a knight. Victory will only ever belong to Kazimierz, belong to... to the corporations. If you truly don't want to work with them, you shouldn't have joined the Major in the first place. If we keep doing things your way... Maria, we need to know where to stop. Zofia. What did you find out? ...That Słoma employee I know told me about some rumblings. Maria's popularity has thrown her into the Knights Association's executive sights far sooner than anyone else... If Maria doesn't stop where she should, they'll start making moves! No matter what it is they're planning for us, we don't have to grin and bear any of it! So, Maria, listen to your sister, okay? I... I don't get it... If we don't want to be controlled by them, we have to bow to them? Where's the difference?That's a good point. If the path of least resistance has been laid out for you by someone else... Maria! This is no joking matter—! I know— You could die in the arena! ...'Flametail' said so too. That I haven't seen what the significance of the Major really is... I know I might genuinely have no idea what cruelties she was referring to... but I didn't enter the tournament for fun, either! I don't care about injuries, I don't care about accidents, I don't even care if I have to sacrifice— That's enough!Music stops. Ah... I'm really sorry, Auntie, I didn't mean...Music. That's not a 'sacrifice' at all. And I don't want to watch you suffer for any of this, either... I see how you're thinking. You really need to learn when enough is enough! ...I don't think I should stop here. Even if I don't pass the qualifiers, even if I fall short of my goal, I should be fighting for my own cause... I should be striving to win until I can't win anymore! ...Alright, I get it. Auntie...! I'm now convinced you should stop. You don't understand the Major. You can't understand... the sheer outrage Margaret's actions caused back then. If Kazimierz really was a fair country, everything you've said could be true. But that's not how it goes. Any idiot can see how flimsy all our rules are, and how trivial it is to leave them in pieces. You're still an untitled, unaffiliated, independent knight, Maria. I can apply to the Knights Association for a suspension on your tournament campaign. So there.She walks off. ...Auntie!The door opens and closes as she exits. Cool down, Maria. And let Zofia cool down a little too. She means you well. ...I know. But Zofia's right. A knight doesn't win the Major by will alone. The corps were only interested in giving 'the new Nearl knight' the chance to take root and start growing. When they decide to reap you, they'll come out with their sickles, no second thoughts.Good line. Knights get one right, and it's to apply to the events... beyond the Major, corps have every rank and result in vice grips. Knights don't get a choice any way or how. If Zofia's heard the truth, and the company insiders are making noise... ...... Maybe we should be picking up on the signals. Paying attention, at least.The door opens and closes again.  Weugh... whassappenin'? Swear I saw Zofia storming out just now... What's the long face for, girl? Didn'tcha win? What's to argue after winning? You two, stop making it worse... ...I-I'm going home. I have a race coming up, and I still need to do my equipment maintenance...----  ...*Sigh*.  ...*Sigh*. Hm...? ...... ......They walk past each other. (She's beautiful, but she carries the scent of blood... is she a knight?) (Maria Nearl. Young... even younger than she looked in the material.) (Shame.)This is the scene that launched a thousand ships. ----  Battle Video. Battle Music.  Our map. Many entrances funneled towards one exit on the bottom, simple enough, but the gimmick here is these four drones in the corners that I've circled. It's a new kind of Sponsor Drone, and instead of items they provide a global buff when killed: +100% ASPD and +50% DEF to all operators for 20 seconds. So, ideally, you would save them for the exact moment when they'd be most useful. And to that end, they're all positioned right next to anti-air tiles (from chapter 2!) so it's relatively easy to kill them quickly. Theoretically at least.  I won't worry too much about the timing though, I just like shooting them down because they're like piñatas. So I will go out of my way to put ranged operators on those tiles for no particular reason.  I like maps where Pramanix can make use of her wide attack range.  Anyway, I guess the point of this map is that it presents you with relatively large groups of enemies that sit in ranged-unit range for a bit before they move. Which you're supposed to use the ASPD buff from the drones to kill off quickly? How cute.  That said, it would actually be pretty annoying to deal with all this if I didn't have so much arts damage on this team, since again pretty much everything in this event has high DEF.  Here I did in fact pop one of the piñatas, to help Pramanix and Suzuran chew up this group of 6 heavies at once. It's a little hard to tell from a screenshot, but everyone on the map is surrounded by golden, vertical lines indicating their ASPD buff. I guess there's also the DEF but to be honest I never noticed they did that too until writing this update.  And Provence pops the last piñata...  Just in time for a Bloodboil Knight Trainee to appear and get owned by supporters. Frankly this is overkill and he would've been kited to death by Suzuran anyway, but it's funnier this way. I didn't even need any healing on this map since it doesn't have ranged enemies.  ---- Music.  What exactly is a knight competition? Mr. Szewczyk, what do you think?  ...Forget the song and dance, Czarny, I'm busy. Out with it. What are you up to? I'm very sorry to say... the Roar Knightclub has decided to switch you out of pole position in their starting lineup for the Major. Their new safeguard knight ranks highly just as you do, and his Arts should be useful to the team. ...This... is nothing like what we agreed... Of course, your down payment will still clear. But the rates for a knightclub's reserve are an invariably different question. You understand this, correct? Now, now... don't make any hasty moves. Your child is celebrating a tenth birthday soon, I hear. You needn't lose your job now over assaulting someone as insignificant as myself... Roar Knightclub will still be paying you plenty. You needn't make any efforts for at least the rest of the year. I need the lineup corrected, for God's sakes! I...Last time I misread a line as Greatmouth Mob getting punished by Roar Guards for the match with Maria (when he was just talking about getting a down payment from them), and I think I must've have gotten it confused with this scene, sorry. That'll be up to your own performance, Szewczyk. There's always a way to live on, is there not? ...You're not wrong. You could've just sent out any old envoy to tell me this. Why'd you need to meet me personally? Are all spokespeople this bored for something to do? Ah... don't misunderstand me. I didn't come out here specifically for you. I was only here to make sure of some event arrangements. It seems we've been a little lax in parts. Our divisions have each encountered very minor bumps in the road, which some offenders are seeing fit to take advantage of. ...Are you threatening me? Threatening 'Plastic' Knight Szewczyk to take on your dirty work? Nothing of the sort. Then what are you trying to do here? Right now, I have two particular knights who are currently working to enter the arena... but, unfortunately, they clearly do not have the points to do so. Pfah... If you want a knight to make it in, you have your ways... Don't put it like that. There are times one must respect the rules, and keep some conduct undisclosed—Making use of the law versus violating it is a night and day affair, after all. The fundamental difference lies in whether the parties involved possess the capacity to do so.Yes, "good people" don't break laws, they just abuse their authority to do whatever they want anyway. This is how it's been defined, after all. This whole game has been pretty cynical, but I feel like this event is particularly so, and I'm here for it. Just give it one nod of assent, and we'll add an event for the transfer of points, along with all its formalities. Of course, in much the same manner, I can settle of some of your... complications with the Roar Knightclub. How would you feel about that?---- Cheering.   —OUT! The Strider Knight's sole-mount accelerator devices are non-functional! That sudden brake knocks him off right before the finish—! ACROSS THE LINE—! The winner, from Gloryfall Knightclub, is the Wisteria Knight! And right behind, Maria Nearl—hounding that medal! With his accelerators out, the Strider Knight has fallen all the way from second place to seventh—! It's not a good day to be the Strider! It just goes to show how crucial a knight's equipment is! And Ellen Select Technologies, who provide intimate maintenance, repair and upgrades to your equipment with their comprehensive member plans, have provided a no-expense-spared package for our knights!Wow, he is good with those ads. Gotta admit, that takes talent. ----  Phew... runner-up, huh? (This way... I'm another step closer to the Major... Auntie Zofia...)---- Oh, there's an unexpected customer. Please, sit wherever you'd like. Marcin... it's really you? That tremendous knight of days gone by runs this little bar now?This is hardly the first time they've done this, but it's always funny when they turn a generic-seeming faceless portrait into a real character. Szewczyk's face-covering mask doesn't do him any favors, but he's actually a real character! What a magic trick! They stripped old Marcin of his knighthood long ago. Now all he does is eat up his savings. How'd 'Plastic' Szewczyk find his way to this little place? Tell you the truth, this bar doesn't see all that many active knights in it. If you're the tremendous past, Maria's the tremendous present. They carried a story about your bar on the entertainment news last night. Hmph... tremendous all around. I'll have a 'Red Edelweiss.' This one's on me. My pleasure. Roar Guards' training camp's a long way away. I won't let you waste the trip. So, you've come to enemy headquarters to spy on us, then? Right that old newspaper-worthy wrong for the Majors? ...I'm not going to be in the Majors. Huh... Roar Guards' decision? Thought you and your sponsors were on pretty good personal terms? Ha. Personal terms. Managing a relationship with a corp is like dating a Catastrophe. As always, the decision came from the next floor up...Another good line. Knights Association? Worse than that... try the General Chamber of Commerce. Hum. I know what you want to say, Marcin. Up there, you're thinking, 'how's a tiny little Plastic Knight get into such a big mess?' I still know my limits, and nobody goes this overkill on a knight who knows how to follow plans, so their problem is elsewhere. A rumor's spreading door-to-door. People saying the Radiant Knight was never even Infected, that her exile from Kazimierz was more complicated than that... Like hell I know. Put your guard down... I'm not probing you here, Marcin. I just want Czarny to learn there's a price to pay for pissing about with nobles... and I'm assuming he's got one eye on Maria Nearl too, doesn't he? ...Knights joining hands and protesting the Association? This sort of thing won't ever end well. I'm just trying not to be ridden roughshod.Considering this guy was introduced as a bully-ish antagonist for Maria's first battle, it's interesting how much solidarity he seems to feel with her. Thanks for the drink... Marcin, one last word... when I was young, it was watching your matches that made me finally decide to become a knight. Went the wrong way back then, looks like. No. I'm ready to go my own way now, aren't I? See you next time, old Marcin. Szewczyk, my own last word... stay safe. ...Hmph. No knight ever needed to bow to the peddlers. Roar Knightclub'll see things my way.----   Hey, you've been tailing us for ages now. Time you showed your face, right? Oh, the overbearing type... No, I do NOT like fans like you... 'Wait—that bow—are you—?!' —Thought I'd say that and keel over, Armorless Union assassin? Hmm... so this is how you're molded. Way you dodge about everywhere, no-one's actually seen your looks before. Real gloomy line of work you're in... Don't get the chance everyday—  ...Hey.She gets the name 'Ashlock Knight' now, nicknamed Ashley. —to have a real scrap, you and us.They are being attacked by assassins who are mysteriously just offscreen, possibly to hide the fact that it's Platinum even though we all totally know it's Platinum. ----  ...... ......The door opens. Ah—auntie—  ...... Oh... uncle... I look away from you for a second, and you somehow dig yourself even deeper. ...... And when are you planning to stop? The leadership has been asking me time and time again about you. Every day I work in the Publicity Department is spent sorting out the trouble you cause... Half of my hours at work are lost to waiting for direction from the leadership. Go to the Knights Association this moment and exit the tournament. You don't have the faintest idea what you're doing. Is that what you wanted to say...? You will not kill yourself over this, Maria. You are a child of the Nearl family. You ought to know restraint. These annoyances all lie low in the face of the Major, so this is up to you to do, but you've already earned yourself plenty of attention. Abandon the idea that you can force your way into the Major. Abandon, also, any idea that you've yet faced the strongest competition knights. But I don't want to just sit and watch while the Nearl family's nobility gets stripped—Sorry if it feels like I'm hammering this in, but I just want to reiterate that Maria's stated motives are pretty inconsistent: she can easily deal with the nobility problem without fighting any more, but that's not really why she's doing this. She's fighting for something more... intangible, that she's unable to articulate, even to herself. —Vainglory.Well, that's one way to put it. *Sigh*... I've made it clear before that the Nearls do not need the approval of the Knights Association, obscene as it now is. Have you somehow come to believe that without their recognition, our ancestors' deeds would cease to exist? Nonsense! For all these years, the Nearl family stood alone to defend our name! What one cannot do, one must abandon. When one does not know how to give up... that blind alley is their end. Uncle... Margaret has influenced you too much, Maria. She could never recognize her own ignorance, and you are not to blindly follow her example. ......! Don't give me that look. Have I said anything wrong? And surmounting the rulesetters within their own rules? Lunatic ravings.Młynar is positioned as an antagonist to Maria's story, and kind of a hypocrite besides, but he does have a point here. What does she possibly hope to accomplish by fighting within the rules set by her enemies? Of course, Zofia also had a point, and Flametail, etc etc. This is a story about everyone telling Maria why she's dumb, and of her taking the path of most resistance. You know Margaret's temper. What she ultimately despised was the commercialization of the competition knights. I thought she had some backbone... And what happened? Back against the wall, she still chose the path of competition, to flaunt her 'convictions'. Yes, indeed. 'Convictions'. And could she change anything? Uncle... don't talk about Margaret like this... She could not. The one thing she changed was how the corporations treated the Nearl family! The one thing she accomplished was forcing my father, bedridden as he was, to clean up her mess! 'The Radiant Knight' is a title she should've never been conferred! She has no power to shoulder any glory of the sort! Uncle! ...... So what about you...? Aren't you... working for the corporations, even now? You forbid me from competing while you go play servant boy to the corporations and watch the Nearl family's knighthood slip away? You can stomach that?! ...Hm. You're still young. For that, I won't blame your ignorance... but you should show respect to your elders. This again... The skyscrapers... that the people of Kazimierz built, generation upon generation, cast the shadows that hide you in your hometown, shielded by your elders. What could you see from this safety? Did you truly believe you had something? As nothing more than a young, fledgling knight? When the sun dawned over the frontier fortresses, the Ursus skyscrapers drew their line in the clouds on the horizon. The tower attendants recreated the motions of battle in the arena to please their nobles. The young steam knights donned the armor of old to temper and hone their skills.Steam knights are Victorian (as mentioned in Patriot's chapter 7 speech about the armies he'd defeated), and the Tower is a big thing in Leithenien, so basically he's talking about the country being pressured from all sides by foreign powers. Bounty hunters and robbers razed one destitute village after another, while the great cities were absorbed in hopes of building ever more arenas. One could call the harvest of a village comical compared to the tax it pays. But all of that paled to the last sigh my father uttered on his deathbed. Not for Margaret, not for your parents—it was his lament given to all of Kazimierz. How could you not disappoint me? ...... You're right, Maria, you're right. I am good for nothing, nothing more than a corporate, captive burdenbeast. So. What about you?His phone buzzes.  ...Director? No, just a quick personal matter to tend to... No, of course work takes priority over personal... The project meeting? Today? No, I didn't forget... Apologies, my greatest apologies, I'm very sorry, you're right... I'll be back there momentarily... What? No, he doesn't understand the scope of the project... Yes, I'm sorry... Then if... If he could present in my stead... Yes, my apologies... The manager's responsibility? I... Yes, this will be the last time. No, there won't be a next time. You may terminate me if this happens again. Yes, of course, I promise. I am truly deeply sorry, Director.He hangs up.  ...I do not have much time to waste, Maria. Give me an answer, now. You won't change my mind, Uncle. ...... ...... You're just like Margaret... you disgust me. Your parents would find no pride in you. Take some time to calm down. Start thinking hard about who you really are. ...Please, just stop talking! Ignorant of the world and its untold ways... Pray for blessings. That is all you have left.----  Central Journal quote:General Chamber of Commerce approves bill from Adeptus Sprawieldliwi Kazimierz raising contribution ratio For what it's worth, Kazimierz is right next to Ursus, on the other side from Yan, so it's probably rational of them to fear an invasion. 
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Jun 14, 2022 01:39
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There's not a lot of trust to go around in Terra, but I think "opposes the corpos creating their own private army" is a point in the Kazimierz government's favor. Młynar is an interesting character. Everything he says is basically correct but I can't imagine Maria swallowing any of it coming from him.
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Jun 14, 2022 02:23
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Welcome back. Last time, Maria had kind of a falling out with her aunt because of her stubborn insistence on getting herself killed for no reason. Er, I mean, going forward with the Kazimierz Major prelims. Blue Ear Wine Cellar quote:Featuring imported barley from Columbia, Blue Ear Beer goes perfectly with the nightly matches! Now with three brand new flavors: salted vegetables, bacon, and gemstones! ---- Music.  ...... You tell them to drink, but what about you? How many pints have you downed? Pipe down, old bones. I just gotta fire up the engine in me— —What's wrong, girl? Not looking too good there. You and Zofia haven't patched things up yet? I'm fine... Has Auntie been here again? She was pacing around right by the door, but then she left just a minute ago. She's worried about you. I say you go find her. ...They've already decided my next opponent. If I can win, do you think my auntie... do you think everyone will understand me then?Not even slightly the issue here, honestly. There, girl... ...Things aren't that simple, Maria. Hey! Watch it, old boy, what're you blabbering? The reason Zofia doesn't want you in the Major's not just because she reckons you'll lose or get hurt... The competition isn't fair. See, the moment you set foot up higher, you're up against more than just your opponents... Think corps. Corps playing other corps. Families fighting other families. Not even them Adeptus watchdogs'll stick their hands in. Between the Knights Association, Grand Knight and all the directors, they make a three-way power tussle messier than you might ever imagine. ...... Course, I wouldn't tell you to give up, Maria. 'Think it through, look at all the difficulties you'll face, and only then should you press on.' When you figure that one out, go knock 'em all the hell down for us old-timers to see. ...Mm!Door opens and footsteps. We've got a new face— —— —You're not welcome here. Kindly leave.Music.  Don't be so cold, my old friend, dear Tremoriron Knight. Your sacrifice brought a chronic heat to us all. I'm greatly respectful of your disposition within the arena. Who the hell're you? ...The level-2 knight, Vogelweide... the former second-order knight. Or ought I be calling you Batbayar? I'm not sure if I'm pronouncing it correctly... Hey— Ooh, no, no, let's not bring the daggers out. I'm certainly no knight, merely an assiduous civil servant... Cool it! Vogelweide! ...If I had my bow on hand, you wouldn't dare talk to me like that. I appear to have made a transgression. If I offended you, I deeply, profoundly apologize. Leave that little two-faced act by the door. What are you doing here? ...I'm a mere working stiff. As is natural, I'm here to relay to Miss Maria Nearl some arrangements the Knights Association have made. Miss Maria? Ah... um, here... Your next opponent has been duly decided. No reason to come in person for this. True, but I do prefer to handle things personally. It is the only way I ensure I have an exact grasp on all manner of matters that may arise in the workflow... Of course, there's a selfish element as well. I can hardly contain my curiosity regarding the sister of the Radiant Knight Margaret Nearl. The young knight who's all the rage. There are many seeded players, hopefuls for the Major, who have hardly the popularity to match up to you, Miss Maria. It is a strength you bear as a competition knight, an advantage. I hope to see you make appropriate use of this advantage. Of course, I also possess many... high-grade business contracts. When compared to any of those sponsors who sought you out in private, I can guarantee that these are all corporate and Knightclub affiliations beyond your imagination...This guy talks a lot. We're long sick of your sales pitch. Maria here takes things her own way. Hear, hear! You've taken all the glory out of knighthood. It's profane! Glory? Ah... right, glory. The campaign knights garrisoned the frontier fortresses at dawn, and competitors of every standing brought value regardless to Kazimierz—Glory, where is glory? Has it vanished? No. No one can excise glory from Kazimierz. Not even if the hundreds of thousands of Kazimierz companies, big and small, were to join forces as one. So have knights been reduced to tools of war, eyes blinded by profit? Have knights abandoned glory themselves, forgotten their pasts? No and no. To say that is to look down on the knights. No director would dare entertain the lie that knights have become marionettes. For what reason would the flourishing of the competition knights bring us sorrow? *Spit*! Who are you to talk about glory? Kazimierz can't even remember what the past— —Past glory, the spirit of knighthood, ah—the great transcendental soul! The sun that beamed in history's hollows! Do I have that right? But neither spectator nor tourist need spirit, and it's hardly necessary for us to make a show of it for them. Slippery little... I could tear your face off right now. Ah, let's not be so hasty. Glory, yes, what a wonderful thing, what an impeccable thing, and still it exists upon every knight family's crest— But, most unfortunately, the Kazimierz people no longer need it. It has not been abandoned, nor drowned beneath. It has always been here. The simple fact is people nowadays... do not need it. I can hardly even say 'abandoned' is fair, my friend. When you buy an all-new intercity net-connected digital television, and you stow away your old radio into the cupboard, do you call that 'abandoned'? Rather, it's forgotten. Not the kind that carries a spiteful meaning. It is the pure kind of forgetting, the one that results from the progress that scientific advancement and new modes of life bring. How can you denounce progress itself? My friend?To be honest, I love this kind of sophistry. Seems fun to write. Don't call me 'friend' this or 'friend' that. There's not a single friend of yours here. Finish up fast and trot on home. Maria isn't on display here. No, my friend, you are wrong once again. Of course I do not stand in front of a knight simply to demean her status. No, but every knight has the obligation to recognize her own responsibility to Kazimierz. Knights are no exhibits, but the most noble and lavish of the showcases, for all the world to gaze upon the beauty of Kazimierz! I dearly hope you can all understand this.----  Ashley... you think we went overboard this time? Hey, Ashley, come on. Did you pass out?Oh yeah, they got attacked by assassins last time. Presumably for being Infected knights who are organizing, as mentioned in the newspaper article. Also, her nameplate just calls her Sona now, no title. Incidentally, also the perfect moment to cut to as Czarny talks about how much he respects knights. Ggh, it's so loud... poo poo hurts... Haha, yeah, I get you... but we have to keep up the pace. Want me to carry you? ...In hell! They haven't caught up with us yet... What street are we on, even? There's... their breath, from the front! Turn left! Okay—hold on tight—!Running footsteps. ----  ...When's the next match? Oh, my apologies, I'd almost forgotten what I was here for. It's three days from now, and your opponent will be the Left-hand Knight... 'Left-hand' Tytus Topola. ...... As a sidenote, Miss Maria, if you accept any of the Knightclub proposals I've put forward to you, then even supposing you have no luck in the Major—I can still guarantee the legitimacy of your noble knighthood will remain secure. I'm sure Miss 'Whislash' Zofia, and the Radiant Knight, far away wherever she is, will both be reassured. ...I appreciate your kindness. I'll make Kazimierz recognize the Nearl family. I won't let all my ancestors' efforts go to waste. I WILL prove that the Nearl family deserves its knighthood! Well, well, you'll prove... in the competition... Tell me, will you prove? Is cooperation with a corporation not the greatest proof a knight could have of her status? When you face your most ardent fans, tourists from all corners of Terra, the loyal clientele of Kazimierz, what is it that you so desperately want to tell them— What will you prove?Guess it's his turn to tell her she's being stupid. ...I will prove... —Pardon? ...... I...A phone buzzes.  I'm sorry, please wait a moment. Hello? Speaking. What? No, I'm currently... Right, I understand. Please, don't worry. Regretfully, Miss Maria, it seems I cannot wait for your answer. And to you, gentlemen, pardon the offense I've caused, and I hope you have a pleasant evening. Keh. Get outta here. ...... Well, then. Let me bid you farewell. If you ever change your mind, contact me at any time.He leaves.  ...... Makes me want to hurl seeing that corp slime face. Say, V... How'd he know your... ...I'd like to know myself. Since my grandpappy passed on, been the better half of a century since I heard a soul call my old name. And his pronunciation was a pile of poo poo.Just means he did his homework, I guess. Things are getting risky. Knights Association and the corps are looking into us now. Looking into all of us. Someone might've already started making moves. ...... Don't look like that, Maria. You're not alone here. We owe a hell of a lot to your old Grandpa Nearl. We're all—I guess that's why she's always hanging out with them: they're her grandfather's old war buddies. They're not bad people, but it's kind of lonely if you think of it like that. She's just a kid. The door bursts open.  Anyone here—!? Sorry, we got a casualty— ...The Flametail Knight?Music. Nearl...? Uh, let's make this quick—could you help us out here a bit? Ugh... well, this sucks... I was looking forward to our arena matchup. Now I get to remember you as my nurse first, huh? B-Both of your injuries...! Come on, just come with me, quickly—Presumably everyone in the bar gets up. Wait, what are you all— Maria, you look after the wounded. Don't need to worry about anything else. Kowal! Here's your bow, you old bones! Looks like they brought company. ...... ...... ...... ...They didn't come with.Honestly unsure what this line means. Maybe confirming that the assassins chasing them aren't "with" Sona and Ashley and it's not a trap? Pfah. Who're we dealing with? Who sics themselves on competition knights in broad daylight? That kid's an Infected. Let's go see what's what. Might need more than just Maria for this. —Marcin? ...On my way.----  Battle Video. Battle Music.  Our map. I guess this time we are technically fighting assassins, and not in the arena, but the way they represent that is by borrowing the turret gimmick from chapter 5. This probably represents actual archers from offscreen though, similar to how the turrets used to represent Faust's sniper squad.  Here are all the turret lines drawn out. As you can see, there are plenty of safe spots on the left hand side of the map, but it's not exactly a useful position to hold. What's more promising is the island in the center.  However, I will completely ignore these safe spots in favor of using Peacake to block arrows for Beanstalk. The ultimate trick. The first enemies are a bunch of slugs spawning in the center, that will make a full lap around around the center before heading... I don't know, really. They always die first.  Peacake also happens to block the next wave of enemies, which head from the top left to the bottom left.  Shortly afterward, we get a Sponsor Drone crossing the map. It's just an ASPD buff, but I don't like letting them through because it makes that horrible alert sound like you messed up.  So I deploy some cheap ranged units to take care of it. In our current squad, that means Supporters. We have a lot of Supporters. Conveniently, they are also on the path of the next wave of enemies: high DEF gloompincers heading up the righthand side.  Of course, Pramanix also needs healing to not die from arrows, so Perfumer's over there too now. We also see a Bloodboil Knightclub Trainee spawn in the bottom right and start building up buff stacks by watching his friends die.  I deploy Whislash not because she will do anything to high DEF enemies like Bloodboil Knights, but because I don't think I've used her at all so far? At least she has range so she can poke them a bit as they approach.  Some more Sponsor Drones fly past, this time carrying Mr. Boom brand stun grenades. Which I suppose you could use on the Bloodboil Knights?  Either way, between Suzuran and Pramanix nothing will ever get that far. At the same time though, a few enemies start heading from the top left straight to the top right, which is rude. I decide to block them with Scene.  Eventually, another Bloodboil Knight spawns in the top left, and while I COULD stun it into oblivion with the grenades while Scene kills it, I could also just drop Nearl on his head and save some time.  ---- Music.  The previous Platinum harbored a secret love for his target, and so for the sake of protecting the object of his affections, he died at the Armorless Union's hands. As a result, the girl of today was pushed hastily into the position, our 'youngest Platinum.' ...She is a gifted mark, make no joke, and I must say her strong potential makes her unignorably suited for the role... but in all other respects, she is far and away one of the least mature to ever assume the position. I-I see... Why are you telling me this? The Armorless Union's existence should be classified... so aren't you...Yeah, like, cool story but this is definitely a villain monologue before you kill someone. Oh, do lay your concerns aside. It's simply been on my mind quite a bit as of late. Had I not made the effort to get to where I am today, I would hardly enjoy the privilege to ponder it. Did you know? Our present Platinum was elected to the position by the very Platinum before her, doomed to die as he was. A great deal of food for thought... Not to mention why the Armorless Union would listen to a traitor, to say nothing of how electing this girl would have absolutely no impact on his own death sentence. For what reason did he do this? Before the arrow of his own colleague shot through his chest, did he think to cry out? To whom? Of what? To what end? Would it have been that easy?I hadn't really noticed this the first time I read it, but Platinum gets a weird amount of focus for a character who barely shows up in this story. I think they're trying to set her up as a foil for Maria—since they're both people trying to live up to the name they inherited from a more celebrated predecessor—but it's a little awkward. ...... If I remember correctly, you a Słoma employee, correct? Y-Yeah... so far in the event, I've been responsible for liaising between the major companies and the Knights Association... Errand work takes quite the toll. It's no problem. If I can contribute to the business, that's what I'm here for— No no no, your work is what they pay your salary for. You needn't use such humble language.To be perfectly honest, my respect for this clearly villainous scumbag shot through the roof when I heard him say this. You don't need to 'respect' your employer. That's not in your contract, it's not part of the transaction you agreed on. Take the money and talk poo poo to your boss if they deserve it; live the dream! Also, hi boss, if you're reading this. You're great. You apparently had your own business before. What made you abandon it? Ah... I didn't have what it took... What distinguishes failure and success may be more than ability. Perhaps you have chosen the wrong path to walk, or perhaps you walk as I do now. P-People like me only... In Kazimierz, anything is possible.----  ...... Zofia... feels like an age since I saw you. Oh, Marcin... Have you seen Maria? Something cropped up. Had her head back home. I see— I smell blood. Hold on. What are these bandages? Has Maria been hurt? Who was she fighting? What happened?! I told her not to be rash! Why doesn't this silly girl— Steady, now. It's some other kid who got hurt. ...What happened? Someone went for the Ashlock and Flametail Knights out of nowhere... Ashlock got injured, and by a mighty stroke of something, they ended up in here. This morning, they said they didn't want to cause Nearl any more trouble and left. ...Do things like that just happen? They're in a hell of a tight spot, but our hands are tied. Seen the news this morning? ...What's Maria doing now? Competing. Competing in what? Against who? Unguarded one-on-one, just like with Ingra. Head to head. Against 'Left-hand' Tytus Topola. Hold on—who? Blade Helmet Knightclub commander. Noble knight, big commercial name, been as far as the Final 16. Tytus Topola. But... But there should be no way Maria gets matched against him at her point level, and his social standing is... Someone came looking for Maria. It wasn't good. She's just like Margaret used to be. Obsessed with charging forward, no idea how to deal with the corporates. You think... she's like Margaret? Margaret KNEW what she was doing. Maria only got like this after falling for her own wishful thinking about her own ideals. She's not even clear what's in front of her, and she doesn't know what to do about it. She can't keep pushing upwards like this! Maria was so much more carefree before this... She doesn't need to be the kind of knight you and I were, does she? You might be right, but you need to remember she's got her own mind for things. You can't decide it all for her. She's still real young, and uneasy at that. Maybe her being carefree was all just so she wouldn't worry you. ...... Maria might not come off mature a lot of the time, but what kind of kid without a fighting spirit could overcome the Plastic Knight, come to a draw with Brassrust, hold third place in a melee? Maybe she ought to lose a match. It'd sober her up. If you're telling me that's what you really think. ...Which arena is it?---- Music.  Ladiiiiiiies—aaaand gentlemeeeenn! Welcommme, to the Fireblade Arena, and welcome to a very special event today! An event already drawing the greatest media attention since the start of the preliminaries! Right at this verrry moment, all twelve imprints of the Rose Paper Union are zeroed in on one arena! And not just that—whoa, put your hands together now for the Fireblade Arena, the third largest in Kazimierz! Because today! Every single seat has been filled! Are our opponents today just that popular?! Or is this going to be one seriously major show?! It's my job to tell you the answer is—booooth! And I gotta say—what a privilege! In today's special event! Our first competitor, hailing from the Nearl family, the mania for her's off the charts! The marvelous maiden knight who's got all her fans talking—Maria Nearl!And facing her—! The concealed blade, the height of status, named for the old knight of legend, it's the headliner of the Blade Helmet Knightclub, it's 'Left-hand' Tytus Topola! Ooooh, man! Might be a first, today—the knights haven't even come in yet, but the prize pool is running insane numbers! Looks like I oughta stop running my mouth already—I bet y'all wanted me to stop, right? I got you! No time to lose! Would our two knights please enter the arena! ......Cheering. First on the battlefield is Maria Nearl! Just like always, pure white armor! Just like always, a delicate stance! After defeating 'Plastic' Szewczyk, she's been marching victorious! Big or small, no matter the event, Maria Nearl brings her A-game! Standing here now, she declared way back she had to get a place in the Major! Can she use this match as a stepping stone, and rise to the apex of the Kazimierz knights? We're all waiting to see! (I never did that...) And in the other corner—please—  Shut up, motormouthed clown.Even louder cheering. Your sort don't deserve to stand in my arena. Get off the stage. Get out. —No mistake! That's Tytus Topola! I've been saying forever, we oughta give all our contestants microphones and let the audience immerse themselves in the heat of battle! This event is joint sponsored by Mieszko Group, Rose Paper Union, Słoma Food Company and the Roar Guards! The entire audience will get product coupons for goods from the aforementioned companies at any time! And once again, I'm gonna personally recommend a must-have for all you watching the game—Blue Ear Beer! ...Nearl. Ugly sight. Struggling to hold onto your family's knighthood. Like a gloompincer out of water.Gloompincers are aquatic?! I've literally never seen one in water. With no strength to bear a knight's name, what service will shamelessly lashing out do? ...Your words mean nothing to me. So they shall. May the last Nearl knight be ruined by my own hand today. Fear not. I'm a different breed from Ingra's dross... You will know today that not all who bear weapons can be called knights.Cheering.  I smell gunpowder! Primed and ready to blow—! I'm done holding you back, so may I have the honor to declare! Let the match—beginnnn!Slash slash, running sounds.   —— Hmph.Smack.  —Wh-What just happened?! It was instant! The instant it started! Maria's sword got sent flying! And one swift follow-up kick—! This is a HUGE power imbalance, alright—!Cheering. Pick up your sword. (It-It hurts...! How does he...!) Faster. ...... (The ułan... extended attack range, and agile, and powerful... and leaves no gaps.)I had to google this (Big Data!), but apparently an ułan is some kind of Polish lancer. ...Again. Good.Slash.  You won't have it your way—!Slash. Frail. Nnfh—! Cleaving... the light? ...Is that so hard? I was thinking I'd rend your sword straight in two, hmph... the Nearl family sword. You hold shakily to your faith, but you know nothing true of faith. You are naive—weak—feeble-minded— Unworthy to stand before me.Cheering. And again! The Left-hand Knight makes it look easy! He waits for Maria to pick up her weapon, and then deals the next blow! This is the power of Kazimierz's first-class Knightclub! This is the power of a true Major knight! Pals in the audience here for the first time, don't close your eyes, don't miss a thing! 'Cause this brutal battle'll end in a flash!Slash. Ungh—!Music stops.  The light—crumbled, ruined, desecrated. In the shadow of 'Left-hand' Tytus, Maria raises her sword once more. ----  Kawalerielki Sports quote:Rebellion and ignorance of the new generation — Seven rising stars reject all invitations from Knightclubs On another note, it's kind of interesting going back to these things from a future perspective, because they mention some organizations and characters who will not become important until future events.
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Jun 18, 2022 01:20
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I remember that FF12 Zodiac had the Uhlan class that was their lancer/dragoon equivalent, and I'd always wondered where the term came from.
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Jun 18, 2022 02:10
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Clarste posted:I hadn't really noticed this the first time I read it, but Platinum gets a weird amount of focus for a character who barely shows up in this story. I think they're trying to set her up as a foil for Maria—since they're both people trying to live up to the name they inherited from a more celebrated predecessor—but it's a little awkward. I think it might be more that the team had at least some thought as to how to continue the story, and knew they wanted Platinum as the face for another part of the current situation in Kazimierz. So she had to get a decent amount of characterization in the first part - even if it is somewhat disconnected from the overall thrust of this part of the story - in order to have her being more involved in the later parts flow better. I'm also not necessarily sure she was really set up as a foil to Maria either, since it's not like anything she's done so far has either directly or indirectly challenged Maria's ideals (which is what I generally view a foil as in this sense - so in other words the minibosses), but rather it feels more like just a somewhat superficially similar part of their characters that doesn't actually mean much.
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Jun 18, 2022 05:06
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Personally I would say Platinum's situation is extremely relevant to what Maria is going through, but we (the LP) don't actually know that yet because we still don't really know anything about her. Platinum is basically the opposite of Maria in that she believes in nothing and has taken the path of least resistance every moment of her life (even if she doesn't like where that's taken her). As opposed to Maria who is willing to defy her enemies, and her friends, and even society itself to stand up for something she can't even articulate.
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Jun 18, 2022 05:49
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Fair, though as you mention none of the has been brought up yet, and mostly won't be until the later events entirely - which aren't particularly focused on Maria. So while directly comparing them certainly works, and that comparison is a good one, the story itself never seems to be interested in doing so.
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Jun 18, 2022 15:18
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Platinum was on the Fractured Light banner that Blemishine had her debut on, on top of being a day one character in an important archetype. I took her appearances here as about one part setting up for the sequel to two parts adding context to her operator profile and voice lines. Mansfield Break also comes to mind as another story that's notable for assuming more preexisting investment in characters than Arknights usually does.
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Jun 18, 2022 16:18
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Welcome back. Last time Maria completely misunderstood why everyone's worrying about her and got matched up against some left-handed dude. Mieszko Group quote:The city rises within one's hand. Mieszko Group, engineering contractors of Kazimierz, will spread the seed of civilization across the land. Music.  ...The match started already. I've got to... mm? Wait, why is my sword here?Servant: Ah, Miss Maria brought it over earlier. She said she already gave it some adjustments, too. She guarantees it should be like new. ......Slash. Servant: Byah—!  Mm... light and limber. I've missed this feeling.Servant: P-Please be careful! Oh, my, you've broken the balustrade again! We just had the stonesmith repair that in the Victorian style last year... Oh, you may as well just have someone renovate the whole place. In fact, you're in charge of that.Servant: Really, another one of your whims? As long as someone can live in it... ......Servant: Miss? ...Ah, no, I just... feel like I miss something, suddenly. This sword... Maria's grandfather gave it to me.Servant: Miss Maria calls you an aunt, doesn't she? Family hierarchy is one unending wordy mess. I still remember how Margaret put it—'This is your... your... you know what, she's your auntie.' I'm only about as old as them, aren't I? Really—auntie?Servant: You're very young. So young, and managing such a family enterprise. We take great pride in you, Miss Zofia. I snapped up all this land in one breath. Oh, back then, was I thinking I'd prove myself as well? Prove myself worthy of the 'Nearl' name, maybe? Worthy of the Radiant Knight... No... now's no time to pine for the past.Servant: The car is all ready for you. Or do you think running there yourself might be faster? I think that's obvious—Obviously she runs faster than a car, I mean, duh. ---- Music.  Just like a hunter toying with his prey, the Left-hand Knight keeps letting his foe gather herself and try again, and each time, he strikes Maria Nearl back down! ......Quick footsteps.  Marcin! We're back! How's it going?! Why's Maria up against someone at that goddamned level? Has the Association gone mad?! That'll be a long story... Are those kids safe? For the moment, can say that much. But they already got legal knighthood stripped right off them. Pfeh. Never thought I'd see things get so goddarned out of hand...Goddarned is a funny word. Ashlock, Flametail, two other Infected knights without titles, and all the Infected they bought back from the arenas using everything they had... Fighters! And the people toying with those Infected for fun—for god's sakes, they're all children! Their oldest was only twenty! Youngest was barely—! ...... Even if they hid themselves in the pipelines, just one full day in city bounds and their safety'd be out the window. Not to mention the crowd we have now. I got some old friends to look after them, but the Infected are Infected, still. Wish things'd be simple as that. ...We're not just picking a fight with the companies, now. Scared? Scared?! Wasn't even scared when the Ursus were holding spears to my mouth! I'm a goddamned Ursus myself! Fiddlesticks! When'd the Craftsmen ever get off those city walls? Huh?! Instead of running up there, you think we should've just sat in the smithy and let the catapult smash all of us flat too?Just old war stories. ...Maria can't win this. Aye. The Maria we know facing a foe like that, just ain't no way she'll win. No, not that there's no way. I mean she just can't. Knights Association have played their hand too hard now. Add in that rotten Czarny popping up, and there's no way it can go ahead that simple.As in, it's not a matter of winning the battle. It's more like she's not allowed to win? Even if she wins, she loses. ---- Music.  Nnh...! (My... my arm's about to dislocate... his spear—I can't get close at all—No, even if I did, there's still no way I'd win... what do I do...?) ...Up. Continue. (Grit my teeth, and get up.) Nngh... On the verge of toppling? You really are the image of your 'family knighthood', struggling for breath. Up. Continue. The best way to stamp out a knight is to stamp out her dignity. He taunts! He taunts, over and over! A look of disdain and victory in one, aimed square at his opponent! 'Left-hand' Tytus will make your blood run cold! Now the prize pool's leaning completely one way, and the odds and figures are both out of control! Don't blink, but the money right now's gotta be on par with every other arena in Kazimierz combined!Cheering. Male Tourist: Hey! Give it all you've got, Nearl! If you pull it outta the bag somehow, I'll win enough to buy a whole castle! Female Tourist: Are you nuts? How much money did you put on her? Male Tourist: —I put down even more on Left-hand! But I'm making nothing the way this is going, so I'm just hedging my bets a little! Slash. Smack smack smack.  Hgghh... hah... hah... ...A visionary without a vision... wants to be a knight too. I won't kill you. Forfeit. The times of old will not fade for having done so. Abandon this, and you abandon only yourself.Ah, his turn.  Are you... sympathizing with me? —Correct. As you do not deserve for me to treat you as a knight. ......Slash. I've seen footage of your fights. From Szewczyk, through the race, the melee... I went out of my way to observe 'the Nearl family's new knight,' and every lucky victory of yours was a personal affront to me—look at you. You had the gall to waste my time like this?Slash. Ughh—! Stand firm, Maria Nearl. I will teach you the worlds that separate you from the Radiant Knight. Her shining light could drown her opponent's will. Her sheer passion made me tremble. Her sheer talent made others envy her. And you—victory against you is trivial. I will extinguish your resolve, to a pile of ash.Slash slash.  Airtime! Tytus has once against sent Maria's weapon flying! Oh, man, this loop of devastation is too much bear, but no problem! The arena isn't just to let flesh and blood fly—it lets knights go on a rampage of pure strength! Taunting! Pressuring! Destroying! This is 'Left-hand' Tytus, mercilessly disposing of the weak!Slash. (So forceful...! And my shield split apart?! This is the one Margaret left! Traces of Arts on the edge of his blade—his Arts—) Ugh! The Radiant Knight had not the Black Knight's strength, nor the Blood Knight's menace. She went against the lowest tier of the Major, and became champion by no more than a fluke— Even if I console myself so, I still know deeply the chasm that separated us. Against her, I have only pity for you, seeing your weakness.Arts noise. I might not... compare to my sister... But I am still—a Nearl family knight!Slash. ...Eyesore. (With a flick of his hand—?!) Enough! Insult me no longer with the Arts you used on Ingra! Ungh... ugh... Do not rise again. No matter your armor's resilience, your pain must be excruciating. ...... You silently raise your arm again. Your tenacity at least deserves recognition. Sorry, sorry—make way, make way! I can finally see her... Maria.Slash slash.  ......! What now? You have not even the energy to speak? ...... Your breaths come wild, your stance is empty... what path to victory could you even speak of? What—mnph.The noble knight, the commercial leviathan, the veteran of the Major, Tytus Topola, once more narrows his eyes—to the light that pierces them. ----  Battle Video. Battle Music.  Our map. A big triple lane on the left, and a weird little backdoor on the right. Also some mushrooms, which are a gimmick from an event we skipped but I'll cover when they become relevant.  Naturally, the pressure starts from the left, so I set up some quick blockers as well as as much ranged coverage as we can get. Which honestly isn't much: neither Supporters nor Provence can hit more than two tiles ahead of them, so they can't hit completely across the lanes and the edges will be lacking coverage. That said, we have a lot of arts damage which is... nice? Probably?  There are, of course, also some Sponsor Drones. I will be honest here: we will NOT be killing most of these drones. With no Anti-Air Snipers, none of my people will be prioritizing them, and honestly they shouldn't anyway.  But I do manage to shoot down the first one, which drops a "Temporary Rhodes Island Employee". Basically he is a crocodile lumberjack, and you can use him to chop down mushrooms, which opens up a ranged tile in their place.  Incidentally, if you choose NOT to chop down the mushrooms, they provide a passive DEF buff to any adjacent ally. This is theoretically good, but apparently not so good that I have ever noticed or relied on its effect in my entire life.  And the mushrooms are actually totally pointless for us as ranged tiles too, since we will block the right lane with only Shaw and one of Scene's drones. I'll just place them there and ignore it forever. On the left, however, we encounter our first big problem. A new enemy type.  Bladehelm Knightclub members are, of course, Left-hand's understudies. As implied by Maria's description of him in the narrative segments, they use spears with Arts applied to them, ie: they are melee arts enemies. Your DEF won't help you here. More than that though, they are also technically ranged, in that they can hit operators one tile away with their spears, including ranged operators. That makes them pretty dangerous. And of course they not only have high DEF, but also high RES. They're pretty tough to kill. To add insult to injury, they have also mastered Left-hand's trash talk, and will use finely-crafted insults to apply a debuff to the highest ATK operator on the map, cutting their ATK in half. That's... really annoying, actually. It lasts a very long time. Here, my highest ATK operator is Suzuran, which is kind of sad if you think about it. You can just barely see the red debuff icon over her head if you squint. Screw these guys, honestly. Everything else in this enemy set has been "meh" so far, but these guts singlehandedly make everything so much worse.  Anyway, my counter to them here is Roberta. They don't attack particularly fast, so negating 2 hits every so often with Roberta's shield drones gives me time to heal people up and makes them a lot less threatening.  Shamare's dolls that reduce ATK also help a lot. Meanwhile on the right:  She did the thing! Everyone applause! Er, all the enemies on the right ignore blocking, but you can just push them back and let the drone melee them to death. This isn't a unique enemy for this event, just the generic "ignores block" dudes they like to throw in arbitrarily every so often. Back to the right though:  Hey look, the most annoying enemy in the set also revives! Like a boss! What fun!  Honestly it doesn't change much, it just means they have twice as much HP as it looks. Well, I suppose the 5 seconds of downtime before they get up can also let skill timers run down while they're invincible.  The next one goes down the upper lane, which is the biggest problem for my squad since I only have one healer and she's on the bottom. So, uh, good luck. Suzuran barely survives before he changes targets to Chiave.  And Chiave just dies despite Roberta's best efforts, so it's Peacake time!  Oh yeah, there's a boss.  'Left-hand' Tytus Topola is a bigger version of the same guys. He's got twice as much HP and somewhat more ATK, but he's also in the middle lane where everyone can gang up on him so he'll probably die faster than the other one.  Just for the record, the cooldown for his ATK debuff is slightly shorter than its duration, and he won't target anyone who's already debuffed, so he sort of cycles through your top ATK operators. In this case, Suzuran was targeted by the previous one before he died, and Tytus hit both Roberta and Whislash on the way up.  And then it shifts to Perfumer, because she used her skill and temporarily became higher ATK than everyone else. Theoretically you could bait it out like this, but it's pretty annoying to time and honestly I haven't had much success with it. I'm sure some people are experts on that by now though. Also, reducing ATK on your healers is arguably even worse since it affects their healing.  Anyway, RIP Tytus.  ---- Music. 4:12 PM / Cloudy, Kazimierz Fireblade Arena Independent knight Maria Nearl vs. 'Left-hand' Tytus Topola, one hour and twenty minutes in  Cheering. Right now, this arena... is host to a once-in-a-lifetime event! She gets knocked down, and she gets up, again and again! That spark of light still hasn't left the eyes of the audience! It's as if it's taken root in the smeared blood and soil of the arena! That one spark of light—! Just like a candle lit in the night! Under the ever more oppressive onslaught of Tytus, a man who lives to crush the will of his opponents—It's still alive!Cheering.  Haahh... haaahh... You... stand once again. You... I see. The most miniscule Arts to heal your wounds, never running out, all the while looking for weaknesses—Does it feel good? Enduring your flesh on the verge of collapse for so long? Hah... hah... no, I'm fine... Stubborn.Arts noise. Nothing more than a parlor trick.Slash. She—she blocks! It's the first time she's done it! Maria has blocked Tytus's attack! What...? Did my blade glance...? No, it was dead on... but you're hitting—a lot less hard. You... you have to get tired too, Tytus... I do? Certainly... I have wasted far too much time on you. Let me end this.Slash slash smack.  Tourist: He hit again—! The flow's completely changed... Who knows what'll happen now... Gugh... Hmph. I know all your little tricks now. No reason to cede you a single chance more. (Too fast—)Smack smack slash. He! Gives! No! Quarter! A relentless rush! Not letting Nascent Nearl catch her breath! Will this finally put out that last spark of light?!Cheering. Tourist A: Can that girl... even hold on anymore? This match's boring now, I'm done... Tourist B: ...That one's Maria Nearl, right...? Margaret's little sister? Tourist A: Really? I've been coming to the Majors for two years now, and she's nowhere on the same level. Tourist B: But when they flip the script, that's what's worth seeing, isn't it? Tourist A: I mean...  Maria! Maria! Stand up straight! ......Vision's blurry. Don't blink, Maria. Blink, and they'll never open again. Music.  Maria, you are gifted with a pair of pegasian eyes. Stand. Come, come forth.  Grandpa...Cry not, my child. What is the motto of the Nearl family? 'Fear neither hardship nor darkness...'I do not regret the past. It brings me so much joy that Margaret chose to walk a different path.  Margaret...?In confronting all hardship, all darkness, generation after generation, each of our us have made our own choices. Margaret chose the path least realistic. Has she... has your sister ever spoken to you of her vision of a knight? 'To be a knight is to be the noble light that illuminates the land...'Heh, heh. At such a young age... Wishing only to be light. Wishing only to dispel the hardship and darkness. Music stops.  ——!Cheering. ...One second later, and you may have been freed from this meaningless battle. Why stand up? ...... Uncle Młynar... was wrong. What? It wasn't at all... It was only a sigh...Sharper arts noise. Music. Deep breaths. Deep breaths, Maria. Keep exerting yourself and you won't win. Use his arrogance. Use his overconfidence. What would Margaret do?  Just one opening... just one opening. A more bursty arts noise.  Mph— And suddenly, a burst of light! What in the world just happened?! Are we gonna have to give out free sunglasses next time—?! This is the first time the Left-hand Knight Tytus has backed off! There's Arts! No doubt about it, this is Maria Nearl's own Arts! Is she using Arts to turn the tables at the last minute?!"Those sure are Arts!" —Greatmouth Mob, Professional Sports Commentator Ooooh! There's been a small tremor in Maria's figures! But even still, the odds are just astounding! The numbers are rivalling corporate donations, now! Would you look at this prize pool?!Cheering. ...The Radiant Knight... ...No, only a pale shadow of an imitation. You... you will pay dearly for this act of contempt.Slash.  Maria—!Tourist: You can do it! Go, Nearl! Hey! Maria Nearl! You can do it! Maria! Stay focused—! Beat him into the ground!Cheering. The cheers! Everyone out there is cheering for Maria, now! But even then—! Tytus still has free rein to walk the arena!Cheering.  You... (Blocked it!)Slash slash. And the tale keeps twisting! They're both spent, but she's actually made a massive comeback! Ladies! And! Gentlemen! Keep your eyes right on the prize, whether it's the marvelous match or the extravagant prize pool! It's all shaped up to be the most worthwhile event of the season yet! Let's see more coin and more screams! Gotta let your knights know just how hyped you are! You—you have the nerve to block my attacks! Leaning on your puny smattering of Arts?!----  Arrogant. I hate the arrogant. I loathe them. It is readily apparent that Tytus could have won this. His vision tunneled on trampling the Nearls' dignity. This middling, neglectful means of combat always tends to offer the other side an advantage. I-I see... After all, she is the Radiant Knight's sister, and a certain 'Nearl's' granddaughter. Hah. My past self could've only pictured that fear-inspiring old lout upon hearing the name 'Nearl'. Such is the decline of the knightly family, it would make one weep. Compared to the corporate, a knightly family's dreary class conflicts truly are so fragile. The Association controls the entire noble class, now... And so we control the Knights Association.I hadn't really thought about it so directly before, but it IS kind of funny that a sports organization can bestow and revoke titles of nobility. ...We just... received word from a lot of our sponsors... They want the Left-hand Knight to end the battle ASAP... They're worried that Tytus will lose. But there is no harm in him losing. The sticking point is how hot that topic is, and on that, I am very much satisfied. You, um, think so? Mm... he is the commander of the Blade Helmet Knightclub. Arrogant, believes the universe revolves around himself. But he is undeniably strong, and sublime in the art of torturing his enemy's will to fight. In all previous competitions, he relished his opponents kneeling in surrender. And so... He is sure to lose. Huh?Smugness will never die. Smug is eternal. ----  Slash slash shwoom. Haahh... haaahh... (No, need to be steady... can't stand upright... just, stay like this... and breathe...) Enough! Maria—! (Maria... should've long since reached her limit... Even in her duel with Ingra, she never got hit this bad...) —You've shed your blood for this! Grit your teeth, Maria! Win!It's a little cliche, but it's kind of cute how she went from begging her to forfeit to rooting for her to win. Humiliating... I've wasted my time humoring nothing but trash... Will you beg for my mercy only once I have crippled you? You're just like 'Whislash' was—prepare yourself! Now—!I'm still trying to learn from Margaret. The way she used Arts. That turn of her wrists. But— Crunchy arts noise.  You... block me again?! You utter— ——Slash slash. ......?! N-Now that's no coincidence! Maria's once again blocked the Left-hand Knight's onslaught! What's going on?! Could Tytus be toying with the already cornered Nearl!? ...... ...Good. Very good. I don't know what you're thinking... but no matter. I will crush every speck of your light to dust. Come. Look closely, y'all! This is the first time the Left-hand Knight's ever taken that stance! The first time he's ever let his opponent pull one over on him! Even against Nascent Nearl, don'tcha think this is a little extreme?! No! Anyone who knows Tytus knows it's not! All his fans here in the arena know the score! But he's really hit his head against it today! Maria's resolve hasn't wavered one bit! I've gotta admit, folks, the way she's hanging in there, even I'm shedding a couple tears! Listen up! Everyone who supports Maria Nearl gets an entry in a post-match lottery! Your chance to win is a lofty 0.2%! Who wants to be the lucky one?!Never change, Mob, never change. ...... ...... —Something isn't right. Fatigued, timid, the fear of humiliation overcoming her, pushed to the edge as she is— In her heart lies only victory. She wills to win. She's conjured countless ways to grasp this one last chance firm. But in this instant, she can only question that victory she's been pursuing all this time. Slash slash. Slash. Music stops. ...Maria Nearl, for what reason did you join the Major? Glory? Wealth? Or was it your family? For... myself.SHWING. ...... Nothing more... Mr. Tytus.Well, there's your answer. Also, I feel like I'm dumb for not realizing this until typing this up just now, but she's turning around his taunt from earlier in the battle: "Abandon this, and you abandon only yourself." ...Hmph. An instant's feint. Arts focused on your shield. You really do... have the blood of a pegasus... tch. You fought a radiant fight, Nearl...He collapses. Cheering. Music. We've just had—the lengthiest duel of this entire season—! And the one who fell was none other than 'Left-hand' Tytus Topola! Who could've seen this coming—! I ask you! Who could've seen this coming?! Completely unreal odds and titanic prize money—hey, show us those numbers, now—this is enough to start your own little business! A miracle—! No doubt about it, this is a miracle! Maria Nearl! The Nearl family has brought us a miracle once again!Cheering. The audience all wait. They wait for Maria to raise the scratch-ridden sword in her grip, and declare victory. An upset to talk about. Astronomical wagers. A soul-stirring, heartrending comeback.  (What now?) Is this the Major? What is it you won? What did you get from all this? Glory, wealth, your family's honor, but what is it you're missing...? Hm, what is it you're missing?  Louder cheering. And without much time to think about it, as if in pure response to the cheering all around her, Maria holds her sword up high. Only the pain, sharp, radiating from her hand, overcomes the applause. I really like this line. Even with all that, the big sports movie comeback with the snappy one-liner and everything, in the end all she's really achieved are her wounds.  Hfff... (I can't... I can't stand—) Maria! A... Auntie? Maria... Maria... A-Auntie Zofia... let go, let go, it hurts... Oh, sorry... did you break a bone?? Mm-hm... but it's no big deal... Maria... I'm sorry... I might've been too harsh on you before. You're just like your sister. You're a knight, and you should be able to choose your own path— ...No... Maria...? I might... really be nothing like my sister.---- Music.  ...Maria won. That match'll have been broadcast on every terminal in the four cities. ...... But... it's not that simple. You gotta help her, Młynar. Truly a miracle. If you're so worried for Maria, why ask me to help her, and not her to give up on her idiotic path to knighthood? Młynar! That's enough... If the spokesmen and the Knights Association are to directly intervene, I won't have a single hand to lend... This is precisely why I was opposed to Maria becoming a competition knight in the first place. Maria decided to do this for her family, y'know. Nobody ever asked her to... Don't give me those self-righteous excuses. There are times when responsibility creates a burden. For the sake of a life lived clearer, we should all be a little smarter. Młynar, you... —If this is all you came to tell me, you can go now. I have other things to deal with. I'm still not done yet with some files the Director wanted... ...I thought you were down in a slump, Młynar. Don't be presumptuous, Marcin. Yeah. Maybe you're right. You've really disappointed us all, Młynar.I guess since Młynar is Grandpa Nearl's son, all the old folks at the bar probably felt similarly protective of him in the past. And the same for all of you. If you can't even bring yourself to care for Maria's safety... then we'll look after old Nearl's granddaughter for him. You're leading her to ruin and you know it clear as day. Wasted my breath... go on, pretend I never came, then.He leaves. ...Any trouble those two sisters make should be theirs to sort out.----  ...How long do we have to keep hiding, Sona? Don't rush it, jeez... We can't stop… we don't want any of our Infected here to starve. And we already lost one we could've saved. Heading back to the arena's too risky, though. Dunno how the National Council feels about us, either... National schmational... I don't there's any justice in Kazimierz anymore. Not even in the law. But we can't let ourselves forget we're all in the right. It's not our fault if they say right's wrong. The problem is if the National Council comes in to say we're guilty, then we lose. Just like the Radiant Knight. But, hey... haha, their minds must be blown. Honestly, I did NOT expect it either... What do you think they'll do next? Think they'll be watching all the Infected now? The ones we bought and freed... ...It's all been one game. Die to the arena, or die to some assassin's arrow. No difference. Hahaha. You got that right. But let's just hold out a biiiit longer. No reason to get Nearlie and all her people wrapped up in our stupid underground fight. ...Alright. I'm gonna trust that you have a plan. Who the hell knows? We've been doing this dumbass tightrope act since the beginning. Aren't you scared, Ashley? Sona! We're not the sort of people to run into some resistance and think twice about it. Remember all we did just to get some titles... and the blood we spilled for them.Sometimes it feels like maybe these two should be the main characters here... ...You're right, you're right. I'm thinking too hard. Yeah, you are... long as we're together, long as we've got a pair of fists to fight back with, we're golden. Man, you're getting better and better at talking all the time. Where'd that 'Ashen Curse' go again? ...... Oop. You mad now?----  Central Journal quote:Midday Special News: 'Plastic' Szewczyk admitted to the Grand Knight's Territory's Third Hospital Also he's a 4* hur hur hur.
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Jun 21, 2022 02:00
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Something I saw pointed out once*: basically all operators, when they lose all their HP, kneel and close their eyes before vanishing. (Swirly eyes are also common, like Suzuran gets.) This is especially noticeable when they're stunned, because that basically just has them sit in the pre-vanish part of the death animation for a while. The biggest variation I'm aware of is Pallas's animation, where she stays on her feet but drops her whip and puts her hand to her head like she's got a headache. (Or a hangover.) Maria's death/stun animation is different, though: she kneels, but she actually raises her shield and sword, and she keeps looking straight ahead. Say what you will about her combat ability relative to the badasses of the setting, but that girl does not give up. (*Source. Other parts of that blog are NSFW due to art reposting. If you want to see the animation for yourself, Aceship has the animations for most of the operators if you press "Show SD." Operator spoilers for the CN server in the full list, obviously.)
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Jun 21, 2022 06:25
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W has a very unique death animation where she gives a sarcastic wave and fades out. In her costume she does the "shh" gesture and backs away.
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Jun 21, 2022 06:36
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Oh, right, that's true! I just haven't seen it in ages because you need to really mess up before W actually dies. (I checked, and sadly, her stun animation is a standard kneel; she does not stay stuck in place saluting for 3-5 seconds.)
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Jun 21, 2022 06:41
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What's the line from Symphogear? "A thousand wounds are proof you didn't run from a thousand fights"? A different weak Maria taught me that. She had trouble dealing with her sister's legacy too, come to think of it.
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Jun 21, 2022 10:08
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the def buff from the mushrooms is actually pretty significant, like 200 iirc, which is a noticable buff even for defenders and just massive for high-ground ops.. except the game overwhelmingly favors offense over defense, most of the time. I try to pay attention to it when it would make a difference
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Jun 21, 2022 17:13
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The best defense is a dead enemy.
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Jun 22, 2022 00:08
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I like Maria well enough and doing a straightforward shounen tournament arc in the context of this super cynical setting is a fun change of pace for the game, but I'm not gonna lie Flametail and her gf kinda steal the show. I want to see more of their story
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Jun 22, 2022 05:24
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Welcome back. Last time, Maria won, yay! But at what cost? Or rather, what exactly did she gain? Wineglass quote:The lifespan of a glass cup far supasses that of a hero.  Mr. Czarny, there're too many calls coming from the various departments, we can't handle them all! Just think of something. Try to make those still sane understand that 'victory' and 'value' are not equal. O-okay! *Sigh*... ...Sir 'Left-hand', do you really not require further medical examination? No. Being able to knock me unconscious right when I was casting my Arts is already the limit of her ability. She's still far from being able to seriously injure me. Pardon my bluntness, but the results of this match were a shock to many. Hmph... Even without an insignificant victory in this match, I will still bring the entirety of the Blade Helmet Knightclub into the Major with me. Worry not, spokesman. You're very confident, good. If you had gone all out, Maria Nearl would have stood no chance of victory. I hope that you will be able to deal with the fallout of this unexpected loss... I will not make excuses for myself. You may end up losing opportunities from some major sponsors. Perhaps your Knightclub can—— ——If those people are only able to see the most superficial wins and losses and cannot understand how to manage their interests, then they are not fit to work with me. You're right. Hype is the basis of profit. The customers have only ever cared about what they can see. In other words, they are only trying to get some sensory stimulation... without being aware of it themselves. However, I never expected that Sir Tytus Topola himself would place such a clear price on his own 'failure'... Spokesman, do not attempt to provoke me. Yes, yes, my apologies......We will leave as soon as we are done handling all those troublesome matters. Let us meet again at the Major, Sir 'Left-hand'.----  So that's it... Sona and them were doing such things... The Infected fighters' arena. I'd heard of this competition format... No, it can't even be considered a 'format'. Whether or not they come from a knight family, anyone can become a competition knight, earn the recognition of the Knights Association through their grit and become a noble... But the Infected... They'll let the Infected join the competitions, but there's no country that would let an Infected become a pillar of society. That's why they're segregated in another competition format. The Infected can earn money and live on, but they'll forever be simple gladiators trying to entertain the masses... Tch. There ain't any meaning to such a sideshow... Oh, I don't mean anything by that. You old geezer, can't you be more tactful with your words? Who in hell am I supposed to be tactful for, huh? They're almost onto us! The Infected matter is worrying, but... now is not the time to be worrying about them. ...Yeah. They changed their fate as Infected through their own tenacity... But they've saved many people. If we want to change anything, we will have to continue moving forward. ...Little Maria has become a respectable knight capable of such words... If only Margaret could see this, surely she would be gratified... Don't speak of the Radiant Knight like she's dead, you idiot! You're the one twisting my words, Kowal! ...... Maria? What's wrong? N-Nothing!----  The Champion's Wall... What a lousy place for conversation. ...Pictures of all the old champions, huh. This Black Knight alone has three spots. Even though she dominated the Major for so many years, she doesn't seem to have aged a day... Eh, why do I feel like she looks younger than me...? You must be kidding, Miss. Is that just good genes? How nice. How enviable. The Black Knight surely left an impressive mark on the history of knight sports. No one could have ever guessed that a Leithanien completely incapable of using Arts would ever become the 'Black Knight' we know today. Her era is long gone, however... She herself has left Kazimierz. I wouldn't expect you to let go of a cash cow like that. ...A dominating champion would indeed invite many worshippers, but it is very much a detriment to the development of the industry as a whole, in the long run... In short, it's exciting to see new challengers attempting to defeat the Black Knight, but after she managed to hold her own for three entire seasons... It started to get boring. The Black Knight's prospects near the end of her career weren't very good. The number of people who wanted to get rid of her one way or another could fill an entire arena. Her luck was pretty good, though. Just as she was being cornered, she met a VIP from Kjerag. She got a reasonable price... that satisfied everyone. Being able to support a good turnover is also a sign of a well-developed industry. ...And then there's this, an empty space. The Radiant Knight? Yes. I don't think I need to elaborate. I know this one. From last season, the Blood Knight. The Blood Knight's terror and might are unprecedented in the arena. Thankfully, he's rather astute and hasn't caused much trouble for us. You should tell him to take it easy on the drugs from time to time. Knights are the most important assets, right?Somehow this line is even funnier now that I actually know the Blood Knight as a character. I will take that to heart, Miss.She takes a few steps and stops. ...Well? I don't suppose the spokesman of the General Chamber of Commerce invited me here for a history lesson? Sorry to trouble you. The Champion's Wall will be open to the public during the Major, so I have to do a check beforehand. Of course, this is also one of the few places where I can speak without interruption. Hm... Alright. It's about another job, isn't it? I can't get away anyway, so I might as well listen. It's not just about a job... I wonder if you know what the two Lazurites are doing today? You're not cleared to know. And neither am I. I've heard some interesting rumors on the grapevine... What sort of major incident could've happened, that would need both Lazurites moving out in force? ——Ahh la la, I didn't hear anything. Nothing at all. Miss. ...... I've checked all the requests from the other directors. There isn't a single 'major incident' that would require a Lazurite, let alone both of them. You don't have worry about that. Just know it's an order from the General Chamber of Commerce. Is that so...? I can rest assured then. ...You really don't trust me, huh. Why do you say so, Miss? You know very well that asking me stuff about my bosses is a waste of time. Are you trying to give a warning to this 'immature Platinum'? Alright, alright, message received. You're very smart. However, my suspicions are also very valid. Even if the upper echelons are hiding things from me, I must perform my duties to perfection. Yes. If you can, please instruct a subordinate of yours to help keep track of someone. Who?Czarny glances at the empty spot on the wall next to him. Młynar Nearl. Even though I think that he'll remain a useless piece of trash till the end, we must ensure that he does not affect our future plans. As for you, Miss, you must personally ensure that this carries on smoothly——---- Music.  Ouch——! P-please be more gentle... Bear with it! This ointment is really expensive! It's my fault for not teaching you this. Being able to properly manage your injuries during a competition is also important. Lift up your hair.Maria is offscreen here so they don't have to draw another portrait. Actually, I didn't expect that it would——Ah, ouch! Going up against Ingra and then Topola, you should count your lucky stars that all four limbs are intact and you haven't suffered any major injuries... Alright, put your clothes on. Don't move for a few days and just stay still. Ending up with a stubborn old wound is one of the worst dangers of being a knight. Don't be like me. Thank you, Auntie... err Zofia. ...Maria, that combat style... How did you come up with it? Rather than a combat style... Err, I was forced into it, actually... At the time, my only thoughts were 'Just hold on. There must be something I can do'——Smack.  Ouch! Don't put yourself through hell for such a stupid reason! The accumulated fatigue will just make your next battles harder! Sorry! *Sigh*... Luckily you were able to take advantage of 'Left-hand''s carelessness. If that sadistic pervert didn't underestimate you... then you'd be in trouble. Eh, have you fought him before? His first match after officially joining the Blade Helmet Knightclub was against me. O-Oh... What happened? That's why he refuses to talk to anyone about his debut battle. It's all in the past, though... There is always a winner and loser in knight sports... He doesn't care about me. ...Mr. Tytus seemed to know Margaret. Yep. The three members of Blade Helmet Knightclub, including him, tried to encircle Margaret during the melee, but ended up getting annihilated instead. Who would accept such an outrageous thing? I-Is Margaret so merciless? Margaret was very young back then. ...What was she thinking? What do you mean? I remember that she hated knight sports more than anything, right? There was a time when I even thought that she was just like Uncle Młynar... But in the end, she still went and became a competition knight, and even became the Radiant Knight...Oh, that's interesting. ...I don't know what she was thinking either. But she should be more aware than most what the knight sports represent. Even so, she still went, and climbed to the peak. At the very least, there were quite a few people who fervently admired Margaret and were inspired by her to become knights, including me. Ehehe...To be honest, that was part of the reason for me too... Who knows, maybe the reason she became the champion was to get a few more Zofias and Marias. Is that it? I don't know either. I wonder if she's living well, at that Rhodes Island place... Ahh—! Wh-What? Don't surprise me like that... Th-There's a notch on my blade... Ugh... You haven't been able to properly maintain your weapons, so it's not surprising that it ended up like this. Can you deal with it yourself? *Sigh* Maybe, if I could borrow Master Kowal's workshop...---- Music.  ...... What's up, V? Focus on driving. Don't make me get out and call a taxi. I'm just thinking about those two squirrels... If you get out now I swear I'll run you over. ...Those Infected, huh.Sona and Ashley are squirrels, in case that wasn't clear. They would definitely have qualified for team fluffy tails if we'd had them. That day we almost got into a fight. Those people outside... could they have been? Most likely. Have they set their sights on Maria as well? Why? ...You're overthinking it. ...... ...... Is it gonna rain the day after tomorrow? Cloudy.----  The Red Wine quote:Fartooth Knight involved in fan violence? Whereabouts of the Fartooth Knight still unknown
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Jun 23, 2022 01:15
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quote:The Black Knight's prospects near the end of her career weren't very good. The number of people who wanted to get rid of her one way or another could fill an entire arena. Her luck was pretty good, though. Just as she was being cornered, she met a VIP from Kjerag. She got a reasonable price... that satisfied everyone. Being able to support a good turnover is also a sign of a well-developed industry. interesting.. i didnt remember this. i wonder if this is someone we will see in a future event remembering spoiler images ive seen in discord I think we do
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Jun 23, 2022 02:05
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It's always a bit amusing seeing this picture and realizing just how short Platinum actually is. Seriously, she's not coming up to his shoulder even with her ears. There's a picture in the next event too which shows the same thing. Indecisive posted:interesting.. i didnt remember this. i wonder if this is someone we will see in a future event When you actually stop and think about it, who she got hired by is incredibly obvious. So if they ever got an event the BK would probably be in it. It's just many people missed the connection since it's such a throwaway line.
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Jun 23, 2022 17:39
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I already mentioned that in an earlier update... But yeah it's really explicit. There's even prerelease art showing her as part of the Kjerag cast group that I can't find at the moment.
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Jun 23, 2022 17:56
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She appears in the Kjerag trailer back when the game released, along with Gnosis https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abw8417s-vI
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Jun 23, 2022 22:58
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Sorry for the delay (which I guess doesn't seem like any more of a delay than usual, but I feel guilty about it anyway), I got a bunch of job stuff at once.
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Jun 25, 2022 12:53
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No worries, real life takes precedence always.
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Jun 25, 2022 16:56
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Welcome back. Last we left off, we were right at the climax where Maria miraculously beat the much more experienced and skilled Left-hand Knight, and the only the pain in her hand outweighed the cheers of the crowd. Oh yeah, and according to the newspapers, Plastic got poisoned at his son's birthday party and Fartooth went missing after a street brawl. General Chamber of Commerce quote:Unshakeable and omnipresent. The future belongs to the Kazimierz General Chamber of Commerce. ---- Music.  Team battle? It's a two on two, a rather uncommon competition format. Normally, to showcase the teamwork within the Knightclubs, it should've been at least three on three or four on four. But no matter the format, you don't have a Knightclub, so we need to find you a partner. Oh... Who am I up against? The competition schedule says it's the Snowyheel Knightclub. ...They have some decent archers, and even one knight that uses meteor hammers. I don't know who you'll end up against. Maria's finally reached the point where we'll know her opponents by name alone, huh. Ahaha...... I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing... Maria, defeating Tytus is definitely something worth celebrating, but it also means that there will be a lot more eyes on you. Draw on the lessons you learned from Flametail and Ashlock. Don't tip your hand. It's important to compromise and work with the corporations when you have to. Times have changed. You can't hold onto your glory with wins alone.In other words, learn from Flametail and try NOT to have them send assassins after you. ...... ...Why didn't you help me convince her last time? I did have a proper conversation with Maria after you slammed the door——By the way, you broke my door that time. Ugh. I'll cover it... Where's V and Kowal? It's 'that day.' They're not back yet. Ah... They're at the gravesite. poo poo, I wanted to ask if he could help repair Maria's equipment... Just use his workshop. He even said so himself, one time last year, drunkenly. If you ever wanted to, Maria, he would gladly pass on his workshop to you. Eh?! Why haven't I heard this before? Either way, he's still sworn to never touch the anvil again. *Sigh*... Even after so many years... It's hard enough for anyone to let go of the past, let alone us oldies who have nothing but the past. Lets forget about them for now. Maria, you'll need to fix up your equipment yourself. And then... Do you have a partner in mind? Me? Umm... ...D-Do I actually not have any knight friends?Flametail, kinda? Except she may or may be a fugitive at the moment. That's why I wanted to introduce you to someone. A known quantity is always safer than getting a random stranger assigned by the Association. Err, who is it? The Fartooth Knight. She's an expert archer. Just like you, she fought her way up as an independent knight, refusing to accept sponsorships from the corporations. I've heard she's even planning to form a completely self-sufficient knightclub.Yay, Justyna! But wait, has she not read the papers...? I think you'll be able to get along, and cover each other's weaknesses in battle. You'll come to understand that team battles are completely different from melees or one-on-ones. If only we had more time, you could get to know each other better on the training field. Unfortunately, you'll have to improvise. ...O-okay. This is the disadvantage of being an independent knight... Temporary allies fighting against a battle-hardened team will always be at a disadvantage. I wonder what she's like... I'm a little nervous...----  This is our third time passing this street today. Ah, yes, Mr. Czarny... You're very accustomed to such work. Running between the various arenas and joining in countless teleconferences. Ah, no... There's nothing to be said for someone like me... Your appearance is somewhat sloppy. One's appearance is also an important bargaining chip, is it not? A-Apologies... To be honest, I was unemployed not too long ago... So... Oh... What has that got to do with this? I don't dislike employees like you. Only those who have fallen to rock bottom are able to understand the cruelty we face. It is only when you have acknowledged it, that you will be able to make satisfactory decisions.It's a little interesting how the smug villain guy always seems like he's trying to mentor this random dude who we don't even have a name for. Like, he seems to seriously care when he has no particular reason to? Or maybe it's just a form of arrogance. ...... Remember each and every word I have said, each and every action I have taken. Eh? Ah, the meeting minutes for the Snowyheel Knightclub? Don't worry, I've prepared—— No no no, their sponsor is an old friend of mine. They won't trouble us much. It's just for a particularly insignificant...working habit of mine.----  ...Maria. Hm? You know I never approved of you becoming a competition knight, not since the beginning. Eh, huh? Where did that come from? I knew that already... But you've proven yourself. Though it was always by the skin of my teeth... Rather than your motivations, platitudes, promises or whatnot... Winning in the arena is the only proof of your determination. Even though you're still very naive. Ahaha...... Maybe...it's your desire to win back the glory of the Nearl family that makes you so strong. —Though it was just a fluke, being able to take a point off Tytus means your upcoming opponents should be manageable. You've developed your own Arts techniques, but it doesn't seem to work against particularly strong opponents, unfortunately. For example, if the Left-hand Knight had fought seriously from the start, you would've probably lost even if there were four of you. I can teach you swordsmanship and tactics, and you can ask V about archery techniques. He may not look it, but back in the day V was an expert your granddad respected. —But when it comes to Arts, you are the only one who can grasp your light. Got it? Mm-hm!----  Yes... Even though there were unexpected incidents, our plans are progressing on schedule.He speaks like he's on the phone. What? No, you're overestimating our clients. There will definitely not be any condemnation from the audience. They're not a particularly moral bunch. Yes, you're right. I am very thankful for the two... helpers you've provided me. I will ensure that they all receive an excellent report. ...... Bless you, sir. ...And now, everything is ready. Let us await the beginning of this remarkable competition.---- Music.  Oh... you're back. Didn't they promise no rain? Why'd it still end up raining...? Hmph... You really can't believe all that crap they put on TV, whether it's news, sports or weather forecasts. What about Maria?! Ain't the competition today? I've got food and wine for the both of you. How was it? ...Whaddya mean how was it? It's been so long... There's a few less this year too. Always less of us to visit the captain's grave. *Sigh*... She said she'd challenge me to a drinking contest, but she left before the booze was even poured. ...Forget it, it's all in the past. Yeah... Who'd have expected that the two of you really stayed single your entire lives for her sake. Stop twisting the knife. Out with the wine! That's right! Enough talk about who's still alive and who's not. We're here to enjoy Maria's performance! Cheers, Kowal! Cheers! V! ...Here's a great bargain for today, self-service for all drinks. Help me watch the joint. Oh? Is it free? In your dreams. Where're you going? The arena. Huh? You got ahold of a ticket? ...I got someone to get me one. Tickets nowadays are so overpriced. That's called business.Knock knock. Newsboy: Good day, sir. Here's the midday sports news. Thanks, kid. Have some milk.Newsboy: Nice! Thank you, sir! The midday sports news, huh——Wait, what's this?This is why you read the news! ---- Cheering. Music.  Welcome! Welcommme, one and allllll, to the Fireblade Arena! The previous match just ended, and the blood of the 'Softwind' Knight still stains the ground. But that's just seasoning for the next battle! No doubt, everybody's here today to witness the splendor of Nearl——! This lassie here may yet be young, but she's already done miracles before our very eyes! We'll have an extra short break. In just ten minutes the temporary duo of Maria Nearl and the Fartooth Knight will go against this year's rookies——The alliance of vengeance formed by elites of past years who've failed to enter the Major——The Snowyheel Knightclub! A brand new legend versus the blade of vengeance, in an all-new two-on-two point match. What an unbelievably thrilling sight! The match shall begin soooon!---- Music.  Maria, your wounds? Right! They're much better now! It's all thanks to you taking care of me! Alright, I believe you. ...Mm! Hmm, she's late... Fartooth has always been bad with time. It doesn't matter, as long as she makes it here before the match——Arena Worker: Miss Maria! Miss Maria Nearl! Please head over to the waiting room and get ready! We're about to begin! Ah. It's about to begin... I'd better get going, Zofia. ...Yes.The sound of someone running up.  ...Zofia? Where's Maria? Marcin? Why're you here? Oh... I get it. You're still waiting for the Fartooth Knight. She's not coming. ——What?Music. Here, the sports page. Hmm... The Fartooth Knight... seriously injured?! She got dragged into a fight between knight fans and is now MIA. At least, that's what the paper says.Honestly, while I generally like the way the newspapers are integrated into the plot, this one feels a little off to me since they basically restate it in its entirety for the benefit of the audience, so why even have it available separately for the readers at all? Wait...she got dragged into a fight? This must be fake. What kind of fan violence can cause a battle-hardened knight to 'disappear'? Wait... could it be... Right now, the question is what do we do for the match? Something is wrong, Zofia. Just think about it. Maria has to forfeit! We're out of time, follow me——----  No rest for the wicked, eh——What? You still think we're letting them rest too much? Come on, we've got to at least act like we're clearing up the battlefield, alright? How many of you are here for Nearl?! How many of you want to see the lovely Nearl?! Speaking for myself here, as someone who's followed every step this super rookie has taken, I've personally watched this prize pool grow to the king's ransom it is today! Let's look at the numbers! Right here, right now, in every city, every village in the country, the crowd watching this fight is in the hundreds of thousands! Who do we have to thank for this?! I'm sure we all know! But! I have some tragic news. The Fartooth Knight suffered heavy injuries in the incident last night and remains missing! Even so! Maria did not choose to forfeit! She steps into a two on one fight completely undeterred! Let me see how much her bravery means to each and every one of you! Presenting——The hottest rookie of this season! Nearl's little knight, Maria Nearl!Cheering.  Oh no, is she not here yet? What should I do...?Can she not hear the announcer? Well, considering that they specifically told the audience a lie, I suppose it's not unreasonable that they'd have ways to prevent her from hearing. You could probably make an argument that letting them hear the announcer midfight is actually unfair or something. ...No, I can't give up easily. To give up before I've even begun is to disrespect knighthood! Knighthood...yes, knighthood.Cheering. And on the other side! Two veterans of the Snowyheel Knightclub! Back in their old Knightclubs, they failed to make it into the Major two seasons in a row. Looking for a way out, they finally ended up together in this Knightclub of vengeance! The two members of the Snowyheel Knightclub here today are also well-known knights! They are——Rumble. A sudden deafening sound interrupts the announcer. Male Tourist: Wait, what's this? Am I seeing things? Female Tourist: N-no, there's a weird smell, it's really gross—— Male Tourist: What's happening?! Heavy footsteps resound within the twenty thousand seat arena. As people regain their senses, the entire place remains silent. ...Ugh.The music fades out. A rare occurance in the world of knight sports. In a place that should be packed with vivacious enjoyment, tens of thousands of tourists and spectators hold their breaths, as if listening for the source of the footsteps. The first to grasp it are VIPs on the grandstand, themselves knights.  ...Is that fog on the field? Originium Arts? Or some special equipment? Is there anyone like that in the Snowyheel Knightclub... hmm...? ...No. Not them. It can't be them. That's—— They're identical except they each have a different broken horn. Male Tourist: ...... Female Tourist: ...Those are, ugh, knights? ---- Music.  ——Kowal! I know! I know! Let's go! Those things... They're trying to kill Maria!----  ......Shadow in the Darkness: Miss, all teams are in position. Don't be so nervous. We're here to stop anyone from coming into the arena.Shadow in the Darkness: ...Yes. But if we have to stop—— If that Młynar dares try anything... I'll deal with him. Even though it'll be a huge pain... *Sigh*.---- Music stops.  ...... Ugh, so these are the Snowyheel Knightclub's... (Hey! What's going on? The deal for the day was——what? Huh? I can't figure out which of them is——) ...The Snowyheel Knightclub's——The 'Corrupted' and 'Withered' Knights!The expected cheering does not materialize, as silence envelops the audience. Naturally, the first thought in their minds is that of terror. However, they soon come to realize that this terror is not for themselves, seated in the audience, but for the young girl who has not yet understood her situation. This cruelty brings about a striking round of applause. Cheering. So, uh, they realize it's essentially a public execution, but applaud anyway. ...Checks out, I guess. Tourist: This... Isn't this too scary? Tourist: ...Nearl is going to fight these two all by herself? Tourist: Hey... Isn't this going to be an amazing show? Alright, then let's start the ma——Arts noise. Music.  What——  Target hit. ——Guh! Why so... ugh?! Guh... Shield, very durable. Not easy. No matter... Kill her, not difficult.Cheering. T-They're already exchanging lightning-fast blows before the match has even started! Is this a problem? Of course not! In fact, the match started the moment the knights stepped onto the field! Can Nearl turn this around?! Or will she choose to forfeit early—— (What? Not allowed to forfeit...? This... urgh, fine.) ——Within each of your hands lies the only way to turn the tide! Invest your money in the pitiful Maria! Maybe those simple little toys will be her key to victory! Ugh... This fog... What is it? My Arts are being suppressed...? My wounds, I can't heal them...? Agh... ouch... Target... Losing ability to resist. Kill her, quickly, like an accident.Arts noise. Understood... (No, don't even think of giving up, think of a way to—These two Sarkaz...are twins? Their Arts are almost the exact same——!) Then... let's try again!Boom. (Eh?) ————! T-This is unbelievable! What just happened?! There was a sudden explosion on Maria's body, and the Corrupted Knight followed up with a hit that sent her flying! (Was that Withered? Corrupted? Does it matter anymore?) Nnng——! *Cough* *cough*... *cough*. Blood...? Why... why aren't my Arts working? She is vomiting blood... the Arts have taken effect. ...Fester, wither, decay... I can smell her death. She cannot escape. Maria! Forfeit the match! Quickly!She tries to squeeze forward. Tsk—Let me go! Marcin! Do you want to die with her?! Mph—Dying together is better than Maria dying alone! Zofia!----  Hurry up, Kowal! D-Don't run so fast. I'm not a Kuranta—— Sorry, you're not allowed back here. You—— Former level-2 campaign knight, Vogelweide. Or should I say, Batbayar. Your bloodline had you fighting all over the world. You got to run and howl across the prairies of no-man's-land. And you, senior craftsman of the Craftsman's Guild, Kowal. Your master was a great blacksmith, respected by the Silverlance Pegasus, and your apprentices are still out there on the front lines even today—You're both fine, upstanding Kazimierz citizens. Could you just, like, leave? ...The way you talk ain't nothing like that lil' girl I once met, Platinum. Hm. You know? Yes, we know. Of course we know. We have a personal grudge with some of your bosses. ...Ah, so that's how it is. I heard that the last Platinum's first job was to assassinate a campaign knight. A really pretty lady, named—— ——Shut up. ...Funny. Another leader dying for a woman, in the end.Referring to the former Platinum being killed for falling in love with his target. Maybe working this job too long really does screw with your head. *Sigh* I gotta take a vacation, go traveling... Stop wasting time with this crap! Are you the ones messing around with Maria?! ...Keep watching the perimeter. I'll deal with this.Voice in the darkness: ...Yes. So you have helpers after all. Why not call them out? I really don't want to fight you. Can we not just take a step backwards? Hah! That's funny. An assassin of the Armorless Union has a soft heart? Don't worry, I won't go all out against a young lass like you. When you've given up, we'll be off to rescue Maria——Thwip thwip. —— V——! I... I'm fine. Just a scratch. I just didn't expect her to draw her bow that quickly and accurately... Yeah, she's done talking. She might be young and immature——But she's still above the dregs of the Armorless Union, as the Platinum in that 'one-two-three inverted triangle' of theirs. Umm... I'll take that as a compliment? Get ready, Kowal. Let's see if you've still got it. Hah! I've long suspected that you're half-blind now, V. Alright, alright. To you two feisty olds—Don't sprain your backs. Are you leaving now? Yes, time is tight. Then... Please be careful. Please, please be very careful. Don't worry so much... She's still with you, right? ...Yes. Don't worry, it's fine. I swear——knight's honor. Y-You don't need to do that. Go on, I believe in you. Good. Have a safe journey. Yes, thank you, Liz. Mysterious voices! Although if you've met every operator (we haven't) you might already know who Liz is. ----  *Cough* *cough*... *cough*. (My wounds are rotting, I can't heal them...! Losing blood... It's cold...) Faster than Mr. Szewczyk... Bigger than Mr. Ingra... These two—— ——Should I forfeit? No, just hold on, I can still——Boom.  ...Hit. She should have fainted. You, go. Guh... Boring fight... Just smash her head in. Go, quickly! ......Music stops. ...The Sarkaz raises his weapon up high. The sun shines brightly on the girl trying to regain her balance. Ugh, *cough*...The blood on the ground, the metallic taste in her mouth, ears buzzing, head spinning, the fragrance of dirt after rain. She tries to support her body with her hands, but gives in to the intense pain. (Old wounds... Hands...!) Guh... It's over. Nnng...Maria lies on the ground, unmoving. This sorrowful scene is reflected in the Sarkaz knight's emotionless eyes. Suddenly, her vision brightens. Perhaps the clouds blocking out the sun have dissipated, or perhaps the angle of the sunlight just happened to pass through the building's shade. The next moment——He hears a thunderous sound. All the cells in his body are warning him, telling him that he must act immediately, that he must strike this defenseless little knight—— His vision brightens even more. Boom. At the same time, the warhammer in his hand flies off, knocked away by someone. ----  Boss Video. Boss Music.  Our map. Very symmetrical. There are two very short lanes in the middle, and two medium length lanes going around each side from the top the bottom corners. There's also an alternate route on the side lanes that leads into a stairway taking them into the middle. More importantly for the moment, the map also starts with eight Sponsor Drones pre-deployed, four in each of the top corners.  As such, our first goal is to block the center lane with Chiave as we as start killing the drones ASAP. Here, we use Beanstalk to start poking at them.  While on the other side we use Pramanix and Scene as cheap ranged damage. To be honest, this really feels designed for you to use one of the billion AA archers in the game, but we'll work with what we have. Even with three operators devoted to it, we can only manage to kill 6/8 of them. Barely.  Luckily, Scene also does double duty by tanking the other center lane with her cheap drones.  When the drones on the right are dead, we retreat Pramanix and Scene and replace Scene's blocking drone with Roberta (since summons are all retreated when you retreat the summoner). I also added Shamare to deal some arts damage to the tanky gloompincers. The center will never get any more dangerous than that, so we can ignore it after this.  The top right lane sends a couple of shield archers, so I block them with  Not that they'll be anything resembling a threat with the six(?!) Mieszko Coils we got from the drones in the beginning. Wall of death. To be perfectly honest, the game requires almost no more input from me after this point: I will win just by letting things play out.  Which is a little funny because the bosses hadn't even spawned yet.  The Corrupted and Withered Knights are a pair of twin bosses. Basically, one is melee with high DEF and lower RES, while the other is ranged with high RES and low DEF. Both have AOE attacks: the melee one also hits everything adjacent to his targets (including ranged tiles) while the ranged one hits up to three targets in range with every attack. They also each have a special move on a cooldown, but most importantly they each get super-buffed when the other dies. Specifically, +80% ATK, +100% ASPD, and +50% Movement Speed. That's bad.  Regardless, the melee one on the left has to walk through the Death Wall, and by sheer coincidence Provence and Nearl deal about the same dps to the ranged one when they're not using skills. Which is why I don't really need to do anything. Not that there aren't dangers:  The ranged boss's special move marks up to three targets with purple glowing bits that explode after a few seconds, dealing 800 arts damage. The explosions also hit adjacent allies, so basically you need to spread out in a checkerboard or else you take double, or even triple, damage and more or less immediately die. So you could say that I already did the prep work by spreading everyone out. It's also nice having an AOE healer to deal with all the AOE damage. And, well, if the boss gets enraged and deals +80% damage twice as fast, then my right side would immediately explode in like 3 seconds, tops.  But that doesn't happen, because they both die at the exact same time by pure coincidence. I just got super lucky.  Clean, elegant, the perfect win. But also boring. Let's see what happens when things go bad:  Let's rewind time and see what happens if I use Nearl and Provence's skills to annihilate the ranged boss.  Kapow! Also, Provence dies this time for some reason?! Honestly not sure why.  Meanwhile, the melee boss is still barely scratched, and turns red. That's not really a problem at first since he doesn't get a chance to hit anything, but...  Because of the his increased movement speed, he reaches the end of the Death Wall at half HP. Instead of, well, dead.  His special move is that after a very long wind-up while his eyes glow red, he does a jumping swing dealing massive damage. Which I completely negated using Roberta's shield-bot. Yay, Roberta!  Still, that doesn't make him easy. Even his normal attacks will kill anyone in my squad in at most 2 hits, and my healer is on the other side of the map. Not that she could heal through that anyway.  So I use the tried and true strategy of rotating through all my melee units one at a time, supplemented by Scene drones and Roberta shields whenever possible. RIP Shaw.  Incidentally, the special move deals over 6000 damage when unblocked. The boss's base ATK is 1200, and 2160 when enraged, so I guess it triples his ATK? But basically it one-shots anyone in the game, outside of maybe like Eunectes with her S3 up, or other edge cases.  I choose you, Peacake!  Unfortunately, Peacakes revival animation from Beanstalk using her skill is a little too slow, and the boss manages to barely escape the Death Wall by getting stuck on the other side of the blocker. Which is bad.  At extremely low HP, the boss takes the stairs to end up in the middle lanes, where I prepare to shield Chiave while Shamare and Pramanix pelt him.  For some reason it doesn't work though? So both Chiave and Roberta get utterly annihilated by the splash damage. Incidentally, the boss will basically always use the special attack for the first hit because the cooldown recharges while he's walking. Honestly not sure why Roberta's shield didn't work, though. Maybe I used it too early and it expired before the hit came.  Another Scene-bot to the rescue, but it probably didn't matter at that point anyway.  Moral of the story: do not piss off the bosses. And/or use Suzuran's S3. I really wanted to show off the megahammer hits though. And that's all for this update. Stay tuned for the thrilling conclusion, next time on Maria Nearl Z! ...The Z stands for Zofia.
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Jul 1, 2022 23:46
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Welcome back. Last time Maria faced off against two intimidating assassins alone, but right before the battle there was a mysterious light that disarmed one of the killers. Music.  There is an old man in the audience. This old man has not a speck of interest in competition knights. At the behest of his beloved grandchild, he has grudgingly purchased two tickets to the event so hyped up by the newspapers and media. He frowns, he sighs, for he does not know why the crowd cheers for the public execution of the young Kuranta by the Sarkaz. He does not think anything is wrong, for he too was once a knight, a campaign knight without a noble title. He merely scoffs at the competition, at the Sarkaz.  Yet, the battlefield suddenly flares with a blazing light. The old man remembers that the knight is the young lady of the Nearl family. What a pity, he laments as he stares at the dazzling light. At the same time, a very few Kazimierz present in the audience simultaneously recall an old story. The story takes place in a land beyond rivers, forests and lakes, in a great fortress formed of towers and walls. Every day, as night falls, blazing torches form an unbroken line. The campaign knights' armor gleams beneath the moonlight, the sharp edges of their silver lances point at the restless enemy prowling in the darkness. The invaders are ruthless. The Leithaniens, capable of coloring the sky, black out the moon. The terrible armies of Ursus overwhelm the castle walls. Cities are captured and brought into Ursus in humiliation. The lines fall back once and again, as 'Silverlance' becomes a mocking joke leveled at the knights by the warmongers. They are pushed to the outskirts of the last city, the last line of defense— —Where Kazimierz makes its last stand, a pegasus with golden hair appears. On the dawn of that day, when the Ursus suffer their first defeat of the war, on the faraway horizon of Kazimierz, two suns rise.  Light. The light does not dissipate. Rays of light diffuse into a haze, banishing the terror. At this moment, even the sun itself nods, welcoming the returning knight.  ...Maria. Stand up, Maria.  ...... ......Margaret? Maria. You've grown up. You've really done well. ----  No... That's not Maria's Arts... What happened? Mr. Czarny! We just received a message from—the Armorless Union! A beam of light crashed into the arena from a kilometer away northwest! It was very, very fast! They couldn't even get a glimpse of what it was! ...Terrorist attack? I-It doesn't seem like a weapon. It's a person, a Kuranta, but only the strongest knights are able to handle speed like that— ...No. Impossible... Light... Could it be...---- Crash. Smack smack smack. Music.  Guh... Where's the enemy? Too bright, can't see...! Mission, must be completed. No matter who—kill the target first!Smack. Guh....! Knocked off my feet... barehanded...? Who?  Foul Arts and tortured Sarkaz Infected. Is this what a 'knight' should be? Gaa... Margaret...? Wait... Is it really you? I'm not hallucinating, am I...? It's me. ...R... Really? Yes. ......Margaret? You've done well, Maria. *Sob*... Margaret... What... What took you so long...?Smack. ...Wretch! Kill them both! No, don't even think about it.Slash slash slash. Why... Why can't I hit her...?Slash smack slash. ...Her light is gathering and suppressing our Arts. Retreat. I will deal with her.Cheering.  It's her—She came in that light. It's—that's—that's the Radiant Knight! What's going on?! The exiled Radiant Knight returns at the climax of this fight! (Hey! Go get the spokesman! What the hell is going on?! What—Huh?) Sh-She broke the rules! But that's not important! To save her sister, the Radiant Knight did whatever it took to return to Kazimierz! Exceptional courage! Extraordinary demeanor! Unrelenting in the face of the two knights from hell! Let us cheer—for the Radiant Knight!The show must go on, I suppose. Cheering.  That's... Margaret? That knight with the shield is the Radiant Knight...? W-Why did she come back to Kazimierz...? I don't even recognize her anymore... It's her. What has she been through all these years...? *Sigh*... The Radiant Knight, that spirited Margaret... She's returned?----  Huff...... Just be a dear and let us through. Sorry. No can do. So we gotta put our lives on the line then, eh? I'd really rather you didn't. I'll say it again: there's nothing you can do. I live by a rule, I don't fight with anyone but my target. As long as you stay away from the arena, you get to live—Hm? —It's getting bright? Hey! V, look over there! What... That light... that... Old Man Nearl...? (This is a lot more intense than Maria's Arts. Could it be...? But... The two Lazurites... It can't be...)Radio chirps. Hm. It's me. Time to stop playing, little pegasus. Pack up and skedaddle. ...What? The Radiant Knight herself is in the mix. No point to guarding the door anymore, is there? ...I think I get the gist of it... But you still failed, even with the both of you? Don't be so suspicious of your superiors, little pegasus. The board of directors only asked us to 'watch the Radiant Knight' after all, not fight her... I was thinking that even if we did fight, I would have that dumb-faced idiot with me so it wouldn't be any problem at all.In retrospect, having read through the sequel event, I suddenly realize who is speaking to her. Turns out there was, uh, a tiny issue shall we say. First off, the Radiant Knight seems to have gotten just that little bit stronger... There are also some troublesome horns together with her, it's really annoying.Horns is a fresh and novel slur against Sarkaz, I think. Well... If it's even giving you trouble, you're wasting your time telling me about it. Oh, I almost forgot. I wanted to tell you about it because the target is approaching your location right now—Hmm, might be too late, actually. Well, try to avoid fighting at all costs. Good luck surviving, little Platinum. Sorry? Wait...Radio cuts out. What the hell are they doing... Could it be Młynar? No, can't be... He should still be in his office... Then... Nnh...! (Wh-what? Just now, was that...a blue shadow?) V...! I know! What's happening? I've never felt like this before... ...Don't move. Breathe slowly and look around. (Feels like I've been made... And those two are looking jumpy...) Oh, here. ...... ...... ......A white-horned Sarkaz holding a sword stops in front of them. She breathes softly, raising her eyes at them.   ......Her nameplate says Shining. She's been a playable 6* Medic since launch, so a lot players would recognize her immediately. Just saying it has a kind of impact that may theoretically be lost. ......Ugh, of course they'd be difficult to handle... They're not even knights... ...... Let them pass. Their names aren't on the list anyway. ...Thank you.She calmly walks past. Liz, can you still move?  Yes... It's bright over there.And Nightingale is Liz, the one Margaret was talking to offscreen last update. Also a playable 6* Medic from launch. It's Nearl. Let us go then? Yes.They leave.  ...Really, what's going on today... That Sarkaz just now... Does she know Margaret? What's happening? It's really Margaret! V! Margaret's back! ...Don't yell. Then... What about us? Do we keep going? Don't stare at me like that... You get to live. ...... They cancelled the mission. I don't have a reason to stop you anymore. You get to live. You gonna leave, just like that? Halt! V! Don't bother with them, let's get to the arena! Tch...damned Armorless Union.----  Margaret Nearl... The Radiant Knight! Where's the arena security? S-Security...? That was the Radiant Knight charging at full power, we'd probably have to raise the city's barrier to stop her... ...Radiant Knight... Haha... Radiant Knight... With things as they are now, why did you even return? To look at the knights' epitaph? Mr. Czarny! We've received word from the General Chamber of Commerce... You... ...Mr. Malkiewicz.Mal-kye-vich. Oh yeah, for the record, as I go through this old transcript from when this event first came out, I'm noticing that quite a few names have been changed to be more Polish. Including this one, obviously. It's just something I didn't notice the first time, since I'd had a year to forget exactly what everyone's names were. Yes? No matter what happens next, even if I don't return, you must not leave this room. O-Okay... Yes, I've already prepared everything beforehand... Yes, Czarny, you have already done everything you could, so just wait for the curtain call. How amusing... Pfft, hahaha... Sir...? Ah, excuse me...His phone buzzes. ...... Mr. Czarny? Your phone...? ...I know, I know. Please excuse me... for a moment.---- Boom crash.  ...Knight techniques. But drug overdose and signs of overreliance on Arts. Also... Guh— I will suppress her! Kill the target!The mentally crippled Sarkaz warrior brandishes his weapon, his Arts, and the smell of the grave. But the Radiant Knight does not move. Incidentally, the fact that the narrative emphasizes the enemies' poisonous gas/"smell of the grave" gimmick so much makes me wonder if that was originally going to be part of the boss battle until they decided against it. I mean, there IS a poisonous gas gimmick already in the game, and revisiting gimmicks in the arena has been the event's whole thing. Just some idle speculation.  —Kill her!Crash. Hmm, the explosive energy has been dissipated— —Die!Maria runs forward.  —Slash. Guh....! You...still have strength?! Maria, your wounds— Margaret! You once said a knight raises her shield to protect others... right? But, now, on this battlefield—There is no one that you need to protect! ......! I will become your shield, so— Move aside, I will blast them both to death! —I'll do my best!Smash. Boom. Music stops. Guh... She abandoned her shield! But your Arts! ...This, impossible... That warhammer is her staff, she...Music.  Are you ready, Maria? Yes! To be a knight... Is to be the noble light that illuminates the land!Loud cheering. The Radiant Knight who charged onto the field has abandoned her shield after just a few short exchanges! Hold on! Wait! Remember the two-handed warhammer craze that followed the Radiant Knight?! Watch her swing that hammer, her shield long forgotten! This is the old school Radiant Knight!This is the first time we learn that Margaret's actually stronger without a shield. Which I suppose we as players already knew since we pulled her 6* version. Also, I guess technically it's canon that Margaret showed up in that boss fight just now! She's out there, against all odds! The return of the legend! The National Council could drag her away right after this match. This could be our only chance to witness the glory of the Radiant Knight!----  This... these Arts, this glow...Cheering. Why are you allowed to give off that kind of light so impassively...? You arrogant little—Do you really think yourself the sun?! Radiant Knight!Calm footsteps.  How long has it been since we saw Margaret put her shield down? Her light... It's hot. She will be fine, right? I've never seen her fail, after looking like that. The girl is a lot like Nearl. Yes, that's her sister. Hehe... What a cute little knight. I can see the resemblance.----  ...Arrows... ran out! Gaa—! Your Arts! He's forming arrows using his Arts... I'll block them! Leave the rest to me. Can't penetrate—this damned light!Slash. ----  ...... ...The audience is quiet. Margaret doesn't have an advantage. Those two Sarkaz are strong... and work well together. But I don't feel like Margaret will lose... I don't even think she is disadvantaged... Her techniques are mesmerizing... Her demeanor is so calm, yet her light burns so brightly... It reminds me of Old Nearl, when he was young.Slash slash.  Un-unbelievable! Totally unbelievable! The radiance from every swing of Margaret's warhammer completely dispels her opponent's Arts! Even the cracks the Radiant Knight steps on are filled with light! What amazingly brilliant Arts! Combat techniques of this level! This is definitely befitting of a champion! The true strength of a knight—!Cheering. Haa... My wounds aren't hurting as much anymore... Is this Margaret's Arts too? (Caring about me even during a battle like this—)Smack smack smack smack. Gaa—! My hammer...! No weapon, then, with my hands, I'll tear you apart—! Kill her! ......Margaret has a strange expression on her face. It's...pity? For these two Sarkaz? Because they are called knights? Or is it... because of their circumstances? ...Maria. Ah, I'm here! I'll leave the support to you. —Yes! Do it! Yes! Repent. — —Crash. Music stops. At this moment, the entire arena descends into silence. No one has realized that the match has ended. There aren't any knights boasting about their victory, nor are there the defiant howls of the losers. The corrupted Sarkaz kneel on the ground—They have not fallen over, and the Radiant Knight does not strike. She looks down upon the two Sarkaz, then takes a knee and extends her hand. ......There is no reply from the Sarkaz. Music.  You should not give up on your destiny. No... ......As if unwilling to bow to the two young girls, they remain silent, unable to stand. The Radiant Knight turns. Maria. Eh? What...? We've won.Cheering and applause. Music stops.  This is unbelievable! Can you believe your eyes?! Because I sure can't! The Radiant Knight who suddenly entered the fight! The Knights Association that let it happen! Oh my god, I, this—I've never seen a situation like this in all my years of commentating! Though I don't know how the National Council will react, it doesn't change the fact that they won! I— (Mr. Mob.) (...Oh, you're here!) I am deeply honored to announce to everyone! (Mr. Spokesman, what should I do?) (Acknowledge her.) The winner is! The young and miraculous Maria! Aaaand, she who has returned from her long exile, the pegasus that everyone knows, the Radiant Knight! Margareeeeeeeeet Neaaaaaaaaarl! (That's right, Mr. Mob. I really do appreciate your ability to fan the fervor of the audience. Hold the fort for a while, someone will come to handle this.)He leaves. Cheer for her—!Cheering. — Zofia?! Where are you going? Marcin! Where are they—Ugh, that, that one? Is it really Margaret... Why'd Margaret come back now? N-no matter what, she's an exile. Why didn't she tell us— Alright, both of you calm down. Młynar might have known about this... But for now, we need to leave. The reporters and the crowd are going to swarm this place. We have to find a way—to get the Radiant Knight home.Cheering.  Tourist: Radiant Knight! That's the Radiant Knight from last season! Make way, make way! Let me get a picture! Pretty sure she wasn't from last season. This guy's just a poser, he doesn't follow knight sports at all. Everyone! Everybody! Please remain calm! No matter what happened, we have to make sure that the competition adheres to the proper procedures all the way up to the end! (What should I do next?! You can't contact the spokesman?! Idiot! Go look for him at the VIP seats—!) Hold on! That, that's the Whislash Knight! The Whislash Knight suddenly rushed towards the Radiant Knight from the crowd— Zof—Smack. Eh—A-Aunt Zofia?! You... Why are you back?!Faint cheering. —D-did she just slap the Radiant Knight? Huh? Eh? This looks like it'll be in the papers tomorrow— I'm sorry. But I've returned. ...That slap was for Maria. —?! I'll spare you my own. Thanks for sparing me... But, you used your right hand just now... When did that happen?Because Zofia is left-handed but crippled. Margaret is totally out of the loop. To be fair, exiled. ...Now isn't the time to talk about that. The National Council will definitely not allow an exile to return to Kazimierz. We have to leave before the reporters and the National Council show up. R-right now? But the competition results haven't... It doesn't matter! She's here and that's way more important than the competition! Nearl. Careful, Liz! ...You don't need to worry so much. Alright, hold my hand tight. These two Sarkaz... Don't worry, they're my friends. Shining, can you do me a favor? Yes. ......! I... I fainted... These are healing Arts? Who... you?! Sarkaz, you... you! It can't be, you? Healed me? Your injuries are very serious, but they are not from this match. The scars of drug usage may never be removed. You should take better care of yourselves. Go away—Don't touch me! Guh... I... Wait... You...you are...You may have noticed that Shining dresses extremely similarly to this guy from the old Kazdel events:  That's not a coincidence. She is implied to be somewhat of a Big Deal to Kazdel. —Nearl. Yeah, I know. Those two assassins from the Armorless Union are still watching us... Now is not the time to celebrate.It's still funny to me that she made a fool of Platinum's bosses offscreen.  A-Armorless Union? You— Time to run? Nearl? —No. A victorious knight has no reason to scurry away like a coward. If they wish to stop us, just let them try. Nearl, over there. Ah... It's Mr. Kowal and Mr. Vogelweide. Have they found something? What do you think?! Of course they're preparing a way for you to escape! The three of us will help keep the crowds away from you, but the National Council will definitely be paying you a visit. You'll have to deal with them yourself—Margaret! Yeah? It's really great... that you came back. The usual place, don't be late. Of course.Zofia runs off.  That's... Nearl's family? She's come back home. We can all see her joy, no? So, let's give her some space. She's the Radiant Knight after all. No one in Kazimierz can touch her. Right. We'll regroup with Amiya later.Margaret raises her head. She used to hate this land with every fiber of her being. ...Maria. Ah, yes? ...Let's go home.But this is her home. ---- Music.  ...... ...You're here. What about your little follower? ...He's the next one. Ah... How cruel. Just tell me the answer. Well, aren't you straightforward...? You already know the answer, why ask me? ...... Maybe you can live better. No... Maybe I will die on the way to my exile. Maybe you will be the one to do it. ...Maybe. Don't blame me, if I am. Of course. It won't happen through the National Council. You'll have to leave by tonight. Is there anything you need to take care of? ...Szewczyk has a young son. He was present during the incident. Right. I wish to ask you... To make sure that he never has a chance to speak the truth.The guy's about to get murdered for his failures, just like he's murdered others for the same reason, and his final request before he loses his assassin privileges is to kill an innocent kid? Real upstanding guy, this Czarny. ----  The Red Wine quote:Feature—The Radiant Knight Returns!  Kawalerielki Sports quote:Knights Association and National Council seeking public opinion  Central Journal quote:Live: Several Managing Directors of the General Chamber of Commerce protest against the Adeptus Sprawiedliwi Kazimierz Clarste fucked around with this message at 08:10 on Jul 3, 2022 |
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Jul 3, 2022 01:18
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The descending number of views from the 3 different outlets are as usual amusing to see.
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Jul 3, 2022 13:25
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It's funny rereading this after the sequel, how much info we were given on the Armorless Union's hierarchy that I had completely forgotten about by the time I read the sequel. Nightingale having trouble standing up alone for long is also clearly spelt out here, and that's another bit I had missed or forgotten.
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Jul 3, 2022 13:43
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Nearl the Radiant Knight's module upgrade (not yet in the English version) requires you to clear this stage with her killing the Withered Knight, the one with the bow. So not only is it canon that she participated in the fight, we even know which one she took down. It's a neat touch, especially since most modules require a particular main story stage instead of a side story. (Sadly, Blemishine's future module doesn't require her to defeat the Corrupted Knight; it's a Defender-only gimmick clear of MN-2 instead.)
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Jul 3, 2022 22:19
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Actually by at least this latest patch they've started introducing the idea of making module missions relevant to the characters, with Wildmane's being in this event too. The main limitation before was probably just that there weren't enough permanently available events.
Clarste fucked around with this message at 00:20 on Jul 4, 2022 |
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Jul 3, 2022 23:08
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Welcome back. Last time, Margaret came home. Yay, Margaret! Silent Departure quote:The sounds of the cannon salvo cannot hide the silent anger of self-discipline. This season's Major will not be peaceful. Radio chirps on. Music.  It's me. The spokesman incident is over— ......Platinum. ...Who are you? I'm looking for the director... Doesn't matter. You should have received the authorization code for this terminal. Since you know about this channel, you aren't one of the two Lazurites. So... Just keep your suspicions to yourself and refrain from looking too hard. What I am saying next will be between the 'Armorless Union,' and nothing to do with the 'directors.' ......Alright. A squad of campaign knights crossed into the Twilight Wood in secret. This went unnoticed by the General Chamber of Commerce, so it likely has something to do with the Radiant Knight. Silverlance...?So this is the unauthorized mobilization of the military mentioned in the newspaper. I guess they were escorting her? The Lazurites will take full responsibility for this matter, don't trouble yourself. Haah? Since when are they so responsible? Your mission is to monitor the Radiant Knight in their stead. The Radiant Knight... that's a pain. —So they've got an even bigger pain over there? Still unclear. The ripples from a single stone spread far. The return of the Radiant Knight has brought us a lot of trouble... In fact, we're devoting too much of our attention on her. ...One more thing. No matter what, do not take action against the Sarkaz with the Radiant Knight. Those two Sarkaz... You seem to know a lot about them. The Confessarius and the Radiant Knight also belong to another 'company.' Will this matter be so simple...? I'm not sure.Ah, Shining is specifically singled out as a Confessarius. Whatever that is. Although when in doubt, you can usually assume it's just some country's elite special forces and you'll be right about 80% of the time. ...... Just handle your own tasks properly and don't mess up like before. We'll be busier.---- A phone buzzes.  Ahh... It's the phone again... Are they looking for Mr. Czarny? But Mr. Czarny... has been gone for a while.Just left poor Malkiewicz standing here, lol. ......He picks up the phone. ...Hello?Deep Male Voice: The spokesman? Ah, no. Sorry, Mr. Czarny is currently— Wh-what?Deep Male Voice: I dialed the spokesman's number, and you answered. Therefore, you are the spokesman. Huh? Wh-what? I don't understand—Deep Male Voice: Name. Me......?Deep Male Voice: Name. Err, please call me Malkiewicz. I used to work for Słoma Food Company, until Mr. Czarny invited me to work with him...Deep Male Voice: ...... S-Sir? Is Mr. Czarny—?Bold Female Voice: Good day, Mr. Malekiewicz. Ah, sorry, Miss. I thought that—Bold Female Voice: I am the Director and CEO of Słoma Food Company, you should be familiar with my voice. Mr. Malekiewicz, you are now officially dismissed. Huh?Bold Female Voice: From now on, you no longer belong to the Słoma Food Company, nor the Mieszko Group—Please keep in mind at all times that you are representing the General Chamber of Commerce. When the Major ends, you may choose to stay or leave. You will be generously compensated based on your performance. Welp, you're the spokesman now. The spokesman is dead, long live the spokesman. Bold Female Voice: Right now, there are three tasks waiting for you. You have no right to question them. Firstly, ensure the smooth continuation of the Major. This is of the utmost importance. Secondly, guide the public opinion regarding the Radiant Knight and related matters. We are not asking for 'damage control,' what we want are 'benefits' on top of that.[/b] To be honest this should be super easy. I'm not quite clear why they wanted to kill Maria in the first place, really. Other than a pathological desire for control, of course. She was still selling tickets to matches, wasn't she? The Radiant Knight will definitely be putting butts in seats and selling sunglasses. Bold Female Voice: Thirdly, some contacts from the Armorless Union will be arriving at your location within three minutes. Supervise them as they carry out their duties. If there are any issues, report directly to the General Chamber of Commerce's Board of Directors.  Wait...! I don't want to be...!Bold Female Voice: Is there anything you wish to say? Spokesman Malekiewicz? I-I don't think... ...No, I... I understand...Bold Female Voice: Very good. I wish you the best of luck. The phone cuts out. ...Haa... A dream... This is definitely a dream...After this point, his dialog nameplate changes from 'Corporate Employee' to 'Spokesman Malkeiwicz.' A door opens.  I heard the good news. Czarny's authority has been completely transferred to you, Spokesman... Malekiewicz, right? What do we do next? You might need a minute. I don't mind taking a break. I-I don't understand. Why me...? Wait, wait. Aren't you the same, Platinum? Why did you allow yourself to be pushed into this position? What should I do...?Funny how that works, isn't it? Kill the boss, promote the protege, rinse and repeat. Who knows? Maybe they just wanted to see someone become as nasty as they are. Don't think too much when you're in Kazimierz. But... Just look at me... I can't even afford a decent suit. I... Right, Mr. Czarny must have arranged some tasks for you. You should know what the Armorless Union is doing— No idea. Eh...? I only know what I'm doing. Th-then, what are you doing? Oh... Usually people stop asking when I answer like that. You... Never mind. I screwed something up a while ago and now I have to deal with it. Five Knight-Assassins were made while hunting a target. Then they disappeared. The Armorless Union w-went missing? ...Are you really prepared to know the truth? I... I have no other choice. Really. Pay close attention to the 'Pinus Sylvestris Knightclub' then. They're more than just competition knights. They openly... oppose the Armorless Union.Sona! Sona! Sona! ----  ...The Radiant Knight has returned? Word on the street is she descended from the skies and rescued Maria. Rescued? The Knights Association... No, it probably came from higher up. They arranged that match for Maria. The audience all believed that it was just a thrilling performance, but those with discerning eyes could tell... They were going at it for real. If the Radiant Knight was any later, Maria would be dead. ...Are they giving up the game already? Maybe we gave them more credit than they deserved. These things happen in every season of the Major—They don't care. What they care about doesn't matter. I never expected them to understand, but to think they don't even want to keep up appearances... What's important is that in Kazimierz, no one cares. They're telling people we're out of competition for a while because of a training accident... ...That's ugly. 'That's ugly.' ...Pfft. Hahahaha. Hey, what the hell's up with that? Isn't that totally good for us? If they had gone through the National Council instead of scurrying around in the dark, we'd really be in trouble.Yeah, it's kind of funny that they even bother with assassins instead of just declaring them terrorists and openly hunting them. You... You let yourself go after just relaxing for a bit. Mhmm... Our opponents couldn't wait any longer and acted first, but ended up giving us the win instead. How could I not be happy? When those two finish their jobs, we'll finally get to the main point.We don't know who 'those two' are quite yet, but we DO have them in our roster. ...... What? Didn't you get your fill in the arena? Tch...... The more I cross weapons with that trash, the more I hate those knight nobles. What disgusts me the most is that I used to be one of them. *Sigh* So complicated. They don't have a penny's worth of dignity or faith. The knight nobles are total sellouts now. Don't get yourself worked up. This topic always does that to you. Don't worry, they'll get what's coming to them. Though, before that, we should straighten out the enemy right in front of us. —The Armorless Union. We'll expose them out in the open for all to see, yeah?---- Music stops.  Hey Margaret, how long has it been since you've been home? Your room is still as it used to be! I clean it all the time... Oh, I think we sold the furniture though... B-but, it's fine! At least— Maria, just seeing you all makes me feel like I've returned home. ...Margaret. Maria, your equipment... Oh! I went and borrowed your old stuff... Hehe, how is it? Fits me nicely, right? Yeah, it's a nice fit. You've really grown up. Hehe... I'm as tall as you now. You've worked hard, truly. I wasn't able to talk with you properly in the arena earlier...... I've really missed you, Maria. Ehh... Sis, you're making me embarrassed... You've fought alone until now, but you survived, you've persisted. I was aware what kind of impact my decision back then would have on Uncle and you, but I never thought that you would— Margaret! There's something you absolutely have to do, that you'd never back down from, right? ...Yeah. Then you didn't do anything wrong! Besides... I was never able to become like you, tough inside and out... But I've started to understand. At least, I can think about what Aunt Zofia has always said... I can think about what a knight truly is. Even though I still couldn't become like you... I've been able to get where I am today, with everyone's help! If there were ever any beliefs that I held on to, they came from you! Because I too am a member of the Nearl family! B-But, Margaret, you can't ever leave again, not like how you left six years ago... I'll follow you this time, no matter what happens to us in the end... I, I believe in you. Maria, you... Heh, you've really grown up. ...E-Ehh? Where did all of that come from...? Anyway, just go upstairs and have a look—Music.  ...Margaret. Uncle... this is... Keep quiet. Margaret. What did you come back for? Don't you know what it means for you to appear here? ...... You rescued Maria... But why did you return to Kazimierz? Do you know how much your father and grandfather sacrificed to 'send you out'? Yet you dare to appear here so brazenly... Do you think that the Association and the corporations aren't watching your every step? ...I will join the Major. Impossible. I will retake the glory that belongs to the knights. Glory is meaningless. Meaning is in the eye of the beholder. Kazimierz has changed. They have changed. —Yet I'm still here. We're all still here. ...... Don't be greedy... Margaret. I imagined you would calm down after leaving Kazimierz... But this is your answer? You're wasting my time.I mean she never asked you. SHE's the Knight Primus in this family.  Uncle... Enough. In the time I've spent talking to you, a mountain of documents has piled up waiting for me to handle. Don't interrupt my work... Leave Kazimierz before things turn worse. You've made a life for yourself elsewhere, just don't come back anymore. Uncle! How can you say that?! Maria. Margaret... Uncle Młynar, I understand your decision. I still respect you just as I did back then. I also hope for your support. —Understand? You know nothing of what I've seen, what I've done. Yet you still hold on to your idealistic thoughts... I was once lucky enough to catch a glimpse of hope. I have also experienced the shadow of war. I'm merely choosing to continue believing in my faith, and to fight for it. ...Kazimierz will not change one bit, no matter how much the Radiant Knight sacrifices, no matter how much she wins. Of course. Of that, I'm very clear. Even so... Even so. ...Draw your blade, Margaret. U-Uncle?! If you insist on being so stubborn, I have no choice but to to teach you how to 'give up' the hard way. To fall by my blade is far better than falling into the shadow of the Armorless Union. ...As you wish.----   Those stupid competition knights are just a bunch of trash willing to be manipulated for the sake of money. If the young mistress of the Nearl family were to have an accident as well, don't even bother calling this campaign knight a knight anymore! I'll go flip the National Council's goddamned table myself!It's Gravel! —That's what the old man said. ...Senomy, there's no need to mimic him so convincingly... Ehh, but he specifically instructed me to convey the exact message. You don't need to listen to everything he says. He even said that if the Grand Knight didn't agree, he'd go greet the Radiant Knight himself, even if he had to hobble all the way there.The Grand Knight is basically the leader of the Adeptus. ...... He also said that if you sighed and cupped your forehead, reluctant to answer, he would— Alright, alright... I know how unhappy he is. He hasn't changed at all, still causing a ruckus in the Court Sprawiedliwi Kazimierz every day over what few accomplishments he has... Don't forget he is still an offender. But the National Council, totally corrupted by the General Chamber of Commerce, has no right to convict my old man. They don't representing the citizens or the law at all. They're just representing themselves and the merchants behind them. ...He told you that as well? No, I figured that one out myself. *Sigh*... Is that all? Ah, there's one more thing. ...Yeah. The people from Rhodes Island seem to have arrived.Dun dun dun! Also, the end. Seriously, that's the end of the event. Ends on a cliffhanger. See you in season 2! Oh wait, one last 'newspaper':  Inbox quote:Response from the Grand Knight ---- Review time! Honestly, it's kind of hard to have thoughts on Maria Nearl, the event, because it doesn't really end? Maria wins some battles, and then Margaret shows up right at the very end and no one cares about Maria anymore. This is structured more like the prologue to a bigger, grander story. Which is 100% is. That said, there are still a few things I can safely say about it. A) It desperately wants to be an anime. While it is not the subject of the actual Arknights anime that is on the way, it's structured like an anime with clear 'episodes' and a very action-oriented story which doesn't work so well in pure text. It's also got a relatively small and self-contained cast compared to other storylines in this game. I think it'd make a good OVA anyway.  B) There's a strong recurring theme of people being pushed into roles whether they like it or not. Platinum replacing her mentor, Malkiewicz replacing the spokesman, and to a lesser extent Maria living in the shadow of her sister. In a more general sense, you could also say that people in this city are never given a choice. Whether they were crippled in the arena, targeted by assassins for stepping out of line, or simply stuck in a dead-end job, no one chose to be where they are. Kazimierz is a city without freedom. Its leaders are, of course, obsessed with control, but even the leaders themselves are replaceable, as we saw at the end with Czarny. Kazimierz doesn't care who you are, who you were, or who you want to be: if you pick up the spokeman's phone, you're the spokesman. Everyone simply serves the role they were forced into, and to emphasize that the city even takes away their names. Platinum. The Old Knight and the Old Craftsman. And most notably, the knight titles. Kazimierz has no need of Margaret Nearl or Justyna Valentine, they only want the Radiant Knight or the Fartooth Knight. No one chooses their own titles, the GCC chooses it for them to sell tickets. Not that people literally don't have names, or that no one ever uses them, but thematically and even in the dialog boxes there's a strong theme of people's control over their names being taken away from them as they are square pegs shoved into round roles. That's my biggest takeaway from the story anyway.  C) Maria Nearl, the character. To talk about her, first I'm going to quote her character profile: quote:Maria herself chose to take the codename 'Blemishine.' Unlike Operator Whislash, who took on her title as a competition knight, and Operator Nearl, who adopted her family name, Blemishine discarded the shackles of her family and cast aside the intoxicating, gilded path of knighthood. Before her lies an expansive, but lonely, future. Maria understands her immaturity better than anyone else, so she has taken the name of 'Blemishine' to reflect the incompleteness of her light. Clarste fucked around with this message at 08:21 on Jul 4, 2022 |
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Jul 4, 2022 01:27
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Yeah, not one of my favorite events, but as you say, it's only part 1.
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Jul 4, 2022 01:40
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Clarste posted:Instead, she chooses to fight the ocean, and in return the ocean tries to kill her. 
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Jul 4, 2022 01:43
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It is what's known as a metaphor. Although, to be fair, it's possible that Maria was misinterpreting it and the knight did in fact die fighting the ocean.
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Jul 4, 2022 01:59
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Based on the excerpt, I'd say the knight did die fighting the ocean. "Consumed by the ocean" combined with "abrupt ending" makes it seem the more reasonable option, especially since it seems like the sort of novel that intended to be quite clear about its final message ("this is what knight is, the other stuff was life, complications, and compromise") since people would be inclined to soften and subvert it otherwise. Kazimierz has already done that thanks to the corporations and the competitions that they run, so I wouldn't blame the author for digging their heels in.
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Jul 4, 2022 02:27
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The reason given earlier for the KGCC coming down on people in Maria's situation is that they haven't joined a knightclub. Most of them, Pinus Sylvestris aside, are beholden to a corporate sponsor and therefore the KGCC. The issue isn't Maria herself so much as the fact that her name and story might inspire others to forego knightclub membership, at which point they start losing control of the individual competition knights. Which is still weirdly paranoid, but the system inspiring weird paranoia is at least explained: everyone in Kazimierz's system is replaceable, from the top to bottom. Only the system of power is held unchanging. I feel like the emphasis isn't on people being pushed into the roles so much as that people are pushed into roles that don't suit them. Platinum hates her job, Malkiewicz has the confidence and charisma of a particularly large potato, and Maria has the heart of a knight but not the skill. Mlynar fits the pattern too, I think. And since the system replaces anyone who is no longer valuable to it, this creates a constant churn of enlistment and replacement with all its accompanying humanitarian cost. The weirdest part about the event just kind of ending is that Maria doesn't really get a denouement: the concern is Margaret returning and how that affects things going forward. Without the story more directly implying its perspective on Maria's actions, you're left with the general themes, and her place in the pattern suggests that her fight was more tragic than uplifting. But that doesn't feel quite right, either. Blemishine's operator profile and lines are there to provide a little more, but even then it's left ambiguous, and Near Light doesn't really dwell on it either. I wonder if she'll return for another central role for the next Kazimierz event we get, whenever that is.
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Jul 4, 2022 05:49
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