[RIEZE] YES, UNDERSTOOD...
LET ME SEE WHAT I CAN FIND OUT HERE.
I'LL CALL BACK SHORTLY.
[HENRIETTA] PARDON ME, MISS RIEZE..
(GASP)
UH?
[RIEZE] I... I'M SORRY IT'S NOTHING.
I... I JUST KNOW THIS IS A DESPERATE TIME FOR US.
MAYBE, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO HIDE YOUR FEELINGS FROM US.
MPH...
AH...
[HENRIETTA] LOOK, IF YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT IT,
I DON'T MIND BEING HERE FOR YOU, OKAY?
MM. (SNIFFLE)
(STREET CHATTER)
[HENRIETTA] MISA'S SCYTHE WENT OUT OF CONTROL?!
AND WHAT? IT MADE KRUSTY VANISH INTO THIN AIR?
[RIEZE] NONE OF US CAN GET OUT TELEPATHIC CALLS TO GO THROUGH.
AND WE STILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS SERIAL KILLER MENACE.
IF THERE'S ONE THING WE NEED TO KEEP UNDER CONTROL, IT'S THAT
WE DON'T WANT ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THIS TO GET OUT.
YES, YOU MIGHT WANNA KEEP THIS FROM THE ROUND TABLE.
THE TIMING WOULD NOT BE IDEAL.
WE STILL DON'T KNOW WHO MINAMI'S SPIES ARE.
I'M WONDERING IF WE SHOULD
INFORM PRINCESS RAYNESHIA OR NOT.
DEFINITELY.
AND IF I KNOW KRUSTY LIKE YOU DO, RIEZE,
HE'LL WALTZ RIGHT BACK TO US AS IF NOTHING HAPPENED AT ALL.
I SUPPOSE HE WOULD.
(PING) [HENRIETTA] MPH.
[MIKAKAGE, VOICE CHAT] HENRIETTA, THIS IS HORRIBLE!
WHAT'S GOING ON MIKAKAGE?
[MIKAKAGE] THERE'S SOMETHING VERY WRONG
WITH THE FLAVOR TEXTS!
MPH....
[RIEZE] THINGS ARE LITERALLY BECOMING THEIR DESCRIPTIONS?
[MIKAKAGE] YEAH. EVEN THOUGH IT'S ALWAYS BEEN THERE
JUST TO ADD AMBIANCE AND INTRIGUE.
BUT NOW, ANYTHING WRITTEN IN THE FLAVOR TEXT
IS BECOMING TRUE TO LIFE.
WELL, I GUESS THAT MEANS WE'LL NEED TO PAY MUCH CLOSER
ATTENTION TO ALL THE ITEM DESCRIPTIONS FROM NOW ON.
IT COULD START CAUSING ALL KINDS OF TROUBLE FOR US IF WE DON'T.
[RIEZE, THINKING] THE FLAVOR TEXT, WORDS GIVING
THEIR OBJECTS UNFORESEEN POWER.
MAYBE THAT'S THE REASON MISA'S WEAPON ATTACKED HER AND KRUSTY.
TO COMPLICATE MATTERS...
[RIEZE] THE KILLER IS IN POSSESSION OF BYAKUMARU.
WHO KNOWS WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF THE FLAVOR TEXT OF THAT
SWORD WERE TO COME TO LIFE! [BOTH] HUH?
THAT SWORD CAN DO AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE ON IT'S OWN.
NOW IT'S IN THE HANDS OF SOMEONE IN ROYAL GUARD ARMOR.
IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY,
YOU GET BYAKUMARU AS AN ITEM DROP IN A QUEST.
THAT'S RIGHT, IT'S ONE OF THE RAIDS
THEY RELEASED IN EXPANSION‐PACK TEN.
YOU HAD TO BEAT THE DEAD WARRIOR LUGRIUS TO GET IT.
[RIEZE] IT WAS HIS SWORD, AND IT WAS ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE.
DEAD WARRIOR LUGRIUS?
[HENRIETTA] SO WHAT DOES THE FLAVOR TEXT
ON LUGRIUS HAVE TO SAY?
[RIEZE] IT TALKS ABOUT THE LEGEND
OF LUGRIUS AND HOW HE TURNED INTO A DEMON.
LUGRIUS ORIGINALLY FOUGHT AS THE HERO OF THE ICY WALLS
ALONG SIDE THE IZUMO KNIGHTS FOR A HUNDRED YEARS.
IT'S SAID THAT HE FOUGHT
LONG AND HARD TO DEFEND THE HEALTH AND HAPPINESS
OF THE SUSUKINO PEOPLE ALWAYS KEEPING THE EVIL GIANTS AT BAY.
HE WAS TRULY THE EZZO EMPIRE'S CHAMPION.
HOWEVER...
HOWEVER, THE MAID OF ELM, SUTUYNAW,
SERVED LUGRIUS A DEADLY POISON
IN AN UNFORESEEN ACT OF BETRAYAL.
SHORTLY AFTER, HE BECAME A MONSTER
FILLED WITH BITTERNESS AND HATRED FOR EVERYONE.
WELL THAT CERTAINLY DOESN'T PAINT A BRIGHT LIGHT ON THINGS.
DO YOU THINK THE EVIL SPIRIT IS REAL?
AND THAT HE'S OUT THERE HELPING THE KILLER IN THE ARMOR?
[RIEZE] DON'T BE RIDICULOUS!
[MIKAKAGE] HUH? (HENRIETTA GASPS)
[RIEZE] I'M TERRIBLY SORRY ABOUT THAT... I ...
I GUESS MAYBE IT COULD BE,
AND THAT COULD POSSIBLY HELP US DEVISE A PLAN TO DEFEAT LUGRIS.
[BOTH] OHHH?
(EXHALE)
(GROANING)
[NERURESU, VOICE STRAINING] GET OUT OF MY HEAD!
DAMN YOU... I WON'T BE YOUR PUPPET!
I'M A MEMBER OF THE ROYAL GUAAAARD!
[LUGRIUS, TAKING OVER NERURESU'S VOICE] RELEASE YOURSELF,
YOU'RE NOT THIS TOWN'S FILTHY GUARD DOG.
WITH POWER GREATER THAN THE ADVENTURERS,
YOU SHOULD BE THEIR HERO.
JOIN ME IN MY VENGEANCE AGAINST THE MAID OF ELM.
AGAINST ALL THE PUTRID HUMAN REFUSE SWIMMING AROUND YOU!
[AKATSUKI, THINKING] FLAVOR TEXT IS COMING TO LIFE.
I WONDER, WHAT WOULD'VE HAPPENED
IF I'D BEEN ABLE TO GET BYAKUMARU BEFORE THE KILLER DID?
I WAS SO JEALOUS OF MINORI
WHO KNOWS WHAT I WOULD'VE DONE WITH ALL THAT HATE IN ME?
(INHALE, SIGH)
MPH.
(MUNCH)
[NAZNA] ARE YOU SURE ABOUT THIS?
UH‐HUH?
I THINK IT'D BE BEST IF I STAYED OUT OF IT FOR NOW.
BESIDES, I'M SURE MASTER SHIROE'S GUILDMATE
WILL FIND A SOLUTION SOON ENOUGH.
SO IT REALLY DOES BOIL DOWN TO ORAL ARTS?
HM...
THANK YOU.
THE ORAL ARTS ARE QUITE SIMPLE.
(SIPS)
AND AS FOR ME, I HAVE THE POWER OF MY GIRLS BY MY SIDE.
(EXHALE)
[NAZNA] ALL RIGHT, WE ALL KNOW THE GOAL
FOR OUR NEW TRAINING SESSIONS.
FIND AND DESTROY THE SERIAL KILLER TERRORIZING OUR CITY.
IN KEEPING WITH RIEZE'S STRATEGY,
THE TRAINING SESSIONS WILL HELP EVERYONE GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER
AS WELL AS INCREASE YOUR ABILITIES IN BATTLE.
AND THIS ONE HERE, SHE SAYS SHE WANTS TO LEARN THE ORAL ARTS.
[AKATSUKI] UH...? [NAZNA] SO I NEED YOU TO SHOW
HER EVERYTHING YOU'VE PICKED UP SO FAR.
UH... I'M NOT ALL THAT SKILLED, BUT YOU HAVE MY FULL DEVOTION!
(LAUGHING) YOU MIGHT WANNA SAVE THAT
FOR THE GUY YOU END UP MARRYING!
(LAUGHTER) [MIKAKAGE] HENRIETTA WOULD HAVE LOST HER MIND IF
SHE HEARD YOU SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
(GIGGLING)
[CHIKA] YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO WANTS TO TOUGHEN UP.
UH...
[SANDY] MPH...
[KYOKO] LET'S GET STARTED THEN,
AND TAKE 'EM OUT!
(HAPPY MURMURS/CLAPPING) [AKATSUKI] OH...
AREN'T YOU GLAD YOU DECIDED TO COME OUT AND JOIN US?
[AKATSUKI] MM‐HM.
[NAZNA] YOU KNOW THE DRILL, PEOPLE!
[NAZNA] FIRST IS TO ACCURATELY JUDGE DISTANCES!
[NAZNA] FIND YOUR RANGE! [SANDY] GET OUTTA THE WAY!
[KOZARU] I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHAT ELSE I CAN SAY ABOUT IT.
ANYTHING YOU CAN, EVERYTHING HELPS!
[YUTA] HMMM... YOU CAN'T JUST GO
AND LEARN AN ORAL ART BY CLEARING A RAID,
AND IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S AND ITEM DROP
FROM KILLING AN ENEMY OR ANYTHING.
HE'S RIGHT YOU KNOW,
I MEAN THEY'RE REALLY NOT ALL THAT SPECIAL
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT 'EM.
[KOZARU] EVEN IF I TOLD YOU HOW I GOT ONE,
YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO THE SAME THING.
AH, EH... FOR EXAMPLE,
OUR GUILD MASTER LEARNED HOW TO USE "HYPERION EYE."
WE CAN ALL LEARN WHAT IT DOES,
BUT NOT NECESSARILY MASTER IT. [AKATSUKI] MM‐HM.
EVEN IF HE DOESN'T HAVE A GOOD LOOK AT HIS TARGET,
HE STILL HAS THE ABILITY TO DETERMINED WHAT
IT'S HIT POINTS AND STATUS ARE.
SO IF YOU WERE ABLE TO MASTER SOMETHING LIKE THAT,
YOU CAN FIGURE OUT HOW MANY HIT POINTS THE GUYS
BEHIND YOU HAVE AND FIGURE OUT IF THEY'RE A THREAT.
IT'S ACTUALLY PRETTY SWEET!
THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.
[KOZARU] BUT UNFORTUNATELY,
HE'S THE ONLY PERSON WE KNOW WHO CAN USE IT.
[AKATSUKI] UH...?
THERE IS NO GUARANTEE YOU CAN MASTER IT.
EVEN IF YOU LEARN THE FIRST LEVEL.
(EXHALES)
I'LL TAKE WHAT I CAN GET! PLEASE HELP ME!
(FIGHTING NOISES) [BOTH] HYAH!
[AKATSUKI] UH!
UH?!
(GROAN)
[YUTA] MM. [KOZARU] HWAH.
(STRUGGLING)
[AKATSUKI] LET'S TRY IT AGAIN!
UH?
MMM... (SIGH)
(LUNCH CHATTER)
[AKATSUKI, THINKING] ORAL ARTS.
PLEASE SHOW ME SOME SORT OF CLUE.
[MIKAKAGE] HEY, AKATSUKI!
HUH?
I MADE SOMETHING FOR YOU... IT'S SPECIAL.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT'S SPECIAL?
(BOTH GIGGLE)
[AKATSUKI] HUH?
OH‐UH, UH... (PLEASANT SIGH)
[HENRIETTA] OUR KILLER IS A MEMBER OF THE ROYAL GUARD.
HE IS A PERSON OF THE LAND IN POSSESSION OF MOVABLE ARMOR...
AND HE IS ARMED WITH THE SWORD OF THE COLD, BYAKUMARU.
IT'S USUAL ATTACK IS BLIZZARD AND FREEZE AND IT CAN INFLICT
ITS DAMAGE AT GREAT RANGE ON ITS TARGET.
I REMEMBER HIM. WASN'T LUGRIUS A RAID BOSS?
YES. AND KNOWING THAT SHOULD HELP US DEFEAT HIM.
ASSUMING THE FLAVOR TEXT HOLDS TRUE FOR BOTH,
IT SHOULD ENLIGHTEN US IN THREE WAYS.
FIRST, THE SWORD WILL USE BLIZZARD
TO INFLICT THE FREEZE STATUS EFFECT.
SECOND, IT WILL INCREASE ALL OF THE STATS OF THE PERSON
WITH THE SWORD, MULTIPLIED BY HIS OPPOSITION.
EVERY OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE STATISTIC FOR BYAKUMARU'S MASTER
WILL GO UP FOR EVERY PLAYER THAT OPPOSES HIM WITHIN FIFTY METERS.
AHHH... (SIGH)
MEANING THAT OVERWHELMING HIM WITH NUMBERS ISN'T GONNA WORK.
THAT'S WHERE OUR STRATEGY COMES IN. IT'S STILL POSSIBLE TO USE
A RAID PARTY IN THIS SITUATION, BUT WITH A DIFFERENT TACTIC.
WE STILL USE OUR TWENTY‐FOUR, WITH THE USUAL SIX SPLIT IN TWO
OR THREE, BUT SCATTERED ACROSS THE CITY LIKE A NET.
YOU WANT TO HOLD A FULL RAID INSIDE THE CITY.
[RAYNESHIA, THINKING] PRETTY AMAZING, RIEZE.
YOU CAN TELL SHE'S IN CHARGE OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING
SQUADRON IN KRUSTY'S GUILD.
SHE'S SHOWING NO SIGNS OF WILTING OR BACKING DOWN
IN THE FACE OF ALL THE GRAND WARRIORS.
IT SEEMS TO ME THAT YOU'RE SPREADING YOUR TEAM OUT TOO FAR.
HOW DO YOU PLAN TO LEAD THEM?
WE'LL USE THE TELEPATHIC NETWORK
TO KEEP OUR CHAT UP AND RUNNING DURING THE BATTLE.
ONCE ONE OF THE GROUPS MAKES CONTACT, WE'LL HAVE THEM
DEPLOYED IN SUCH A WAY THAT THE OTHERS CAN GET TO THEM QUICKLY.
[WOODSTOCK] SO I'M GUESSING BYAKUMARU'S THIRD AFFECT ISN'T
HARD TO GUESS, AM I RIGHT? [SOJIRO] HUH?
RIGHT, LIKE A LOT OF MAGIC SWORDS WE ALREADY KNOW ABOUT.
THERE SHOULD BE A BASIC BOOST TO HIS HIT‐POINTS...
OF COURSE WE STILL NEED TO DEAL WITH HIS OPPOSITION INCREASE.
[WOODSTOCK] I SWEAR, I DON'T KNOW WHO CAME UP WITH THAT,
BUT I'VE ALWAYS HATED IT.
HOW DO YOU PLAN TO DEAL WITH IT?
WE NEED PERMISSION FOR A CURFEW.
AND WE NEED IT FROM RIGHT NOW UNTIL MIDNIGHT NEW YEAR'S DAY.
IT SHOULD COME FROM THE ROUND TABLE TO ASK ALL THE PEOPLE OF
THE LAND TO STAY IN THEIR HOMES FOR THEIR OWN SAFETY.
WELL THAT'S CERTAINLY A START I GUESS...
DO YOU REALLY THINK WE SHOULD FACE SOMETHING SO POWERFUL?
WOODSTOCK HAS A POINT.
IF THE KILLER HAS A GUARDSMAN'S MOVEABLE ARMOR,
THEN HE CAN TELEPORT ANYWHERE WITHIN THE CITY AT ANY TIME!
IT WILL ALL BE A WASTE IF HE GETS AWAY!
WE HAVE A SOLUTION. BUT WE NEED THE PRINCESS TO MAKE IT WORK!
HUH?
(GASP)
[RAYNESHIA] SO YOU'RE TELLING ME, YOU WANT ME TO CUT THE POWER
TO AKIHABARA'S MAGIC CIRCLE, RIGHT?
(UNCERTAIN BREATH)
[KINJO] WE CAN DEPRIVE THE ARMOR OF ITS POWER
BY SHUTTING OFF THE MAGIC TO THE CITY'S CIRCLE.
OF COURSE, THIS WOULD ALSO
NEUTRALIZE THE CITY'S OTHER MAGICAL DEFENSES.
THERE WOULD BE NOTHING STOPPING MONSTERS FROM COMING IN.
WELL, IF YOU WERE TO TRY THIS? COULDN'T YOU JUST RESTORE
THE CIRCLE RIGHT AFTER HE'S ELIMINATED?
I'M AFRAID IT'S NOT THAT SIMPLE, YOUR GRACE.
IT WOULD TAKE DECADES TO RESTORE.
(EXHALE)
[RIEZE] I'M ALREADY AWARE THIS PLAN HAS ITS RISKS.
LISTEN TO ME, RAYNESHIA. I KNOW THIS CANNOT BE AN EASY DECISION.
BUT WITH YOUR BLESSING WE DO HAVE A CHANCE.
NO! I KNOW IT WILL WORK!
SO ARE YOU ASKING ME THIS AS A TASK OF MY OFFICIAL POSITION?
AS AN EMISSARY OF MY PEOPLE?
[HENRIETTA] FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS,
WE CAN'T DO IT ANY OTHER WAY.
(EXHALE)
I RESPECT YOUR DECISION,
NO MATTER WHICH CHOICE YOU END UP MAKING.
YEAH, ABSOLUTELY!
NOTHING'LL CHANGE BETWEEN ANY OF US NO MATTER WHAT.
WHATEVER YOU DECIDE DON'T BE AFRAID OF THAT.
(EXHALE)
(SIGH)
[RAYNESHIA, THINKING] IN THE END, I COULDN'T BRING MYSELF TO
MAKE A DECISION RIGHT THERE ON THE SPOT.
(GROANING)
I WANTED TO BE A FRIEND AND
GIVE THEM EVERYTHING THEY ASKED OF ME.
BUT AS MY GRANDFATHER'S AMBASSADOR...
WHAT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO?
[AKATSUKI, THINKING] OKAY, TIME IS RUNNING SHORT,
SO WHAT DO I DO NOW?
[NYANTA] HOW'S THE TRAINING GOING, MYAH?
OH...
SO WHEN'S THE BIG RAID PARTY IN THE CITY, BABY?
NEW YEAR'S EVE.
HOW DO YOU LIKE THAT?
TAKING CARE OF YOUR RESOLUTION BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR?
THAT'S COOL.
NOT SURE IF I'LL EVEN MASTER AN ORAL ART,
IT'S LIKE I'M CONSTANTLY GRASPING AT AIR.
I KNOW IT'S LATE, BUT IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN DO
TO MAYBE HELP YOU OUT A LITTLE BIT?
[AKATSUKI] THANKS FOR ASKING, CHIEF, BUT I'M ALL RIGHT.
YOU SURE ABOUT THAT?
I'M GETTING THE FEELING THAT YOU'RE PUSHING YOURSELF
A LITTLE TOO HARD FOR YOUR OWN GOOD, Y'KNOW.
[AKATSUKI] OH...?
MY LORD, WHY DON'T YOU TRY TAKING A BREAK FOR A WHILE?
I'M FINE, I NEED TO SQUEEZE IN AS MUCH WORK AS I POSSIBLY CAN.
MAYBE, BUT DON'T OVERDO IT OKAY?
DON'T YOU WORRY ABOUT ME,
I'M WORKING HARD BECAUSE I WANT TO.
I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHY MY LORD PUSHES HIMSELF AS MUCH
AS HE DOES ALL THE TIME...
I MEAN I GUESS, HE'S TRYING TO GET THE BEST OUT OF HIMSELF.
SO I WILL DO WITH SAME THING FOR ME.
IF I WANT TO TAKE DOWN AN ENEMY LIKE THIS,
I NEED TO TEST MY LIMITS.
IT'S ... IT'S JUST... I'M NOT STRONG ENOUGH.
[NAZNA] COME ON YOU GUYS! KEEP YOUR DISTANCE.
NOW! SLIP IN BEHIND YOUR ENEMY!
YOU NEED TO BE IN A CONSTANT STATE
OF EVALUATING YOUR OPPONENT.
KNOW WHAT YOU CAN DO AND BE AWARE OF WHAT YOU CANNOT DO,
SO IT DOESN'T TAKE YOU BY SURPRISE IN THE FIGHT.
MM.
[AKATSUKI, THINKING] I KNOW THAT I'M WEAK...
BUT THERE ARE SOME THINGS I CAN ONLY LEARN
BY KNOWING WHAT MY WEAKNESSES ARE.
(SCREAM)
[AKATSUKI, THINKING] I'VE LEARNED FROM DEFEAT,
AND FOUND A PURPOSE IN MY LACK OF TALENT.
(STRUGGLING)
[AKATSUKI, THINKING] BUT STILL,
I CAN'T DO EVERYTHING MY OWN...
WOULD YOU LIKE TO TRY USING THIS, AKATSUKI?!
IT REALLY HELPS YOU BUILD UP YOUR DEFENSES
HUH?! THANKS A LOT, YOU GUYS.
I BET YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE A FEW STRAWBERRIES, WOULDN'T YA?
[AKATSUKI] UH... [DOLCHE] WE GOT A BUTT‐LOAD FOR
OUR CHRISTMAS CAKE AND HAD A FEW LEFT OVER. MM‐MMM!
[AKATSUKI] UH... THANK YOU! [KAWARA] EHEE!
[AKATSUKI, THINKING] I CAN LEARN TEAMWORK
AND GET STRONG AT THE SAME TIME!
[NAZNA] Y'KNOW, YOU SURE ARE TINY.
LEARN TO USE IT TO YOUR ADVANTAGE.
[AKATSUKI] HUH?
THINK ABOUT HOW BIG HE IS.
IT'LL DRIVE HIM NUTS IF YOU KEEP MOVING AROUND
AND HE CAN'T HIT YOU.
HE SHOULD HAVE A TON OF BLIND SPOTS.
COME ON, THEN. GIVE IT A TRY.
(GROWL)
(GRUNT)
[RICHO] HUH? (GRUNTS)
[AKATSUKI, THINKING] UNTIL NOW, I THOUGHT BEING SMALL
WAS ALWAYS WORKING AGAINST ME.
[RICHO] HWAH! [AKATSUKI, THINKING] BUT I CAN
ALSO USE IT TO MY ADVANTAGE.
(SCREAM) [AKATSUKI, THINKING] I STILL NEED TO BE MINDFUL
OF WHAT I CAN AND CANNOT DO, THOUGH
(RUNNING, SEINE STRUGGLING BEHIND)
[BYAKKOU] THIS IS IT! THIS IS THE PLACE! [ALL] HUH?
[BYAKKOU] IS THIS THE GUILD TRAINING FOR THE MISSION
TO TAKE OUT THE SERIAL KILLER?
MICHITAKA TOLD US ABOUT YOU GUYS.
WE THOUGHT WE'D COME BY AND OFFER OUR HELP!
YOU'RE STILL LOOKING FOR MORE RECRUITS RIGHT?
WE MOST DEFINITELY ARE, SO UH.
WOULD YOUR FRIEND LIKE TO JOIN US?
[SEINE] UH... YES, MA'AM.
[SEINE] HWAH! [ALL] OHHHHH
[SEINE] AH NO... IT'S REALLY NOTHING YOU GUYS.
LOOKS LIKE WE GOT ALL THE POSITIONS
IN THE RAID PARTY FILLED.
NOW THAT WE'RE ALL SET...
CAN YOU TEND TO THAT OTHER MATTER
AS MEMBER NUMBER TWENTY‐FIVE?
YOU BET, I'M ON IT.
(GRUNTING)
(GRUNT)
(FIGHTING NOISES) (GROWL)
[MIKAKAGE] PRINCESS RAYNESHIA, I'M GLAD YOU CAME OUT!
IT'S SO GOOD TO SEE YOU! [RAYNESHIA] MM‐HM.
[AOMORI] MIKAKAGE, ARE THE RICE BALLS READY YET?
[MIKAKAGE] OH, YEAH! IT'S ALREADY NOON, ISN'T IT?
[AOMORI] YOU NEED TO BE A LITTLE MORE AWARE, OKAY?!
THEY'RE NEVER GONNA BE READY IN TIME UNLESS YOU HIT THE KITCHEN!
[MIKAKAGE] AW, SORRY!
[RAYNESHIA] UH, EXCUSE ME! DO YOU THINK I COULD HELP YOU GUYS?
HUH? YOU WANNA HELP?
DO YOU HAVE THE COOKING SKILL, YOUR HIGHNESS?
HUH? UH... I COULDN'T SAY.
YOU'RE WELCOME TO GIVE IT A SHOT!
[KYOKO] I'M SO HUNGRY I COULD EAT MY FOOT!
[DOLCHE] LET'S DIG IN GUYS!
[ALL] THANKS FOR THE RICE BALLS! (GIGGLE)
[DOLCHE] I'M GONNA STUFF MY FACE WITH THESE BIG OL' YUMMY BALLS.
(EXHALES)
(MUNCH, CHEWS, EXHALES)
[RAYNESHIA] IS ANYONE SITTING HERE?
OH...?
GO AHEAD.
YOU KNOW, I ACTUALLY MADE THAT ONE.
HUH? (MUNCH)
IT'S LOPSIDED, BUT GOOD. VERY TASTY.
WELL I'M GLAD YOU LIKE IT. HEH.
[RAYNESHIA] I NEED TO APOLOGIZE.
I LOOKED AT YOU AS AN EASY WAY OUT OF MY SITUATION.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?
THE OTHER DAY, WHEN YOU WENT OUT ON YOUR OWN
AND ATTEMPTED TO TAKE OUT THE SERIAL KILLER FOR ME.
I WAS THINKING FOR A MOMENT THAT IF YOU THAT IF YOU...
THAT IF YOU COULD HAVE DEFEATED HIM THAT NIGHT THEN...
I MIGHT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO AVOID ANY CONFLICT
BETWEEN MY PEOPLE AND YOURS.
I JUST WANTED TO CRY TO MY GRANDFATHER
OR GET MASTER KRUSTY TO HANDLE IT.
BUT YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GOING TO BE THAT PERSON ANY MORE.
I'M NOT GOING TO AVOID RESPONSIBILITY LIKE THE KUNIE
TRIBE, WHO LAID THE WHOLE THING AT MY FEET A COUPLE DAYS AGO.
THAT SAID. I'M STILL NERVOUS ABOUT IT.
AND I CAN'T DECIDE YET.
[AKATSUKI] IT MADE ME HAPPY WHEN YOU SAID I WAS YOUR FRIEND.
YOU DON'T NEED TO BE NERVOUS.
YOU HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF FRIENDS HERE, WHO'VE GOT YOUR BACK.
PLUS ME, YOU KNOW... WE'RE STILL FRIENDS! AND WE ALWAYS WILL BE!
THANKS AKATSUKI...
[NAZNA] LET'S GET THIS SHOW ON THE ROAD, PEOPLE!
COMING!
WE'RE FRIENDS...
(COLLAPSE)
SO WHAT DO YOU THINK...? HAVE YOU FIGURED ANYTHING OUT YET?
[AKATSUKI] NN‐NMM
[NAZNA] TO DISCOVER AN ORAL ART,
YOU MUST REALIZE YOU DON'T ACTUALLY NEED IT.
[AKATSUKI] HWUUAAH? WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?!
UH...
IF I HAD KNOWN...
I NEVER WOULD HAVE SOLD IT TO HIM.
[RIEZE] THERE'S NO WAY YOU COULD KNOW. IT'S FINE.
[RAYNESHIA, THINKING] I WILL NOT RUN FROM THIS RESPONSIBILITY...
IF I DO THINGS THE WAY I USED TO,
LETTING OTHER PEOPLE FIGHT MY BATTLES FOR ME,
I'LL BE SHOWING EVERYONE THAT
I CAN NEVER BE TRUSTED WITH THE WORK THAT BEFITS MY TITLE.
AND I COULD NEVER BE WORTHY OF THEIR FRIENDSHIP!
(KNOCKING)
(DOOR OPENING) [HENRIETTA] UH...
PRINCESS RAYNESHIA!
I NEED TO HAVE A PART IN THIS QUEST!
PERHAPS AS THE TWENTY SIXTH MEMBER OF THE SUIFUU MAIDENS,
WILL THAT DO?
[AKATSUKI, THINKING] IN THE END,
I HAVE FAILED TO MASTER A SINGLE ORAL ART.
BUT THAT'S OKAY...
I NOW HAVE A TEAM I TRUST!
TAKE CARE OF YOURSELVES OUT THAT.
NOW GIVE IT ALL YOU GOT!
[ALL] YEAH! [DOLCHE] YOU GO GIRL!
NEW YEAR'S EVE IS HERE.
MM.
TIME TO GIVE HIM THE END HE DESERVES.
(SURPRISED GASP)
[NERURESU] YOU'RE KIDDING ME...
(INHALE)
YOU'RE NOT TAKING ME VERY SERIOUSLY... JUST TWO OF YOU?
WELL, TIME TO DIE... (GASP)
YOU'LL BE BOWING ON YOUR HANDS AND KNEES
LIKE ALL THE OTHER COMMONERS... BEFORE I TAKE THEIR LIVES.
JUST LIKE THE MAID OF ELM, YOU WILL PAY FOR YOUR BETRAYAL!
YOU DON'T DESERVE TO LIVE!
LET'S GO!
HMPH!
[AKATSUKI, VOICEOVER] THE RAID IS UNDERWAY!
THE MURDERER'S SWORD SHINES WITH THE POWER OF A BLIZZARD.
THE CONVICTION OF TWENTY‐SIX COMRADES DRIVES THE FIGHT.
BUT FATE CAN BE A FLICKERING FLAME.
JUST AS THE CITY SINKS INTO DESPAIR,
A TWENTY‐SEVENTH MAIDEN APPEARS WITH A MIGHTY WEAPON!
AND A PROFOUND SECRET IS FINALLY DISCOVERED.
[SHIROE] STAND UP, ONE MORE TIME!