[REGAN] NOW, THAT'S STRANGE...
[AKATSUKI] THIS IS EVEN MORE AMAZING THAN YOUR STUDY, MY LORD.
SO SORRY ABOUT THIS.
I COULD HAVE SWORN I HAD A COUPLE OF VIALS
FOR US TO DRINK FROM AROUND HERE SOMEWHERE.
[SHIROE] IT'S ALL RIGHT.
[REGAN] HUH? HMM.
[SHIROE] TRY THIS.
(REGAN SLURPS) HMM.
BY THE WAY, ISN'T THAT DAZANEGG'S MAGIC BAG?
I BELIEVE YOU NEED A PURPLE FLAME CRYSTAL
AND THE SKIN OF A WINGED DRAGON TO MAKE ONE.
RIGHT.
I QUESTED FOR THE ITEMS,
AND THEN I HAD SOMEONE MAKE IT FOR ME.
[SHIROE, THINKING] HE KNOWS ALL THE REQUIREMENTS
FOR THE LEVEL 45 QUEST, "GET THE MAGIC BAG."
EVERYONE DOES IT EVENTUALLY.
WHO IS THIS GUY?
[TOYA] TOMORROW, WE'LL GO IN THE AFTERNOON.
[ALL] RIGHT.
[TOYA] AS LONG AS WE GET AT LEAST AN HOUR'S REST,
WE SHOULD COMPLETELY RESTORE OUR POINTS.
[RUDY] YUP.
[SERARA] OK. BUT THEY'RE ONLY GONNA
LET US INTO THE DUNGEON ONCE A DAY ANYWAY.
[NAOTSUGU] THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.
[TOYA] MASTER NAOTSUGU!
AND IF YOU TRY GOING BACK IN, WE'LL SEND YOU BACK TO AKIHABARA.
[RUDY] BUT MASTER!
[NAOTSUGU] ADVENTURERS SHOULD FOLLOW THE RULES
SET DOWN FOR THEM ALL THE TIME.
PART OF YOUR JOB IS ENSURING YOU GET ENOUGH REST.
(TOYA GRUMBLES)
(MINORI WHIMPERS SOFTLY)
[REGAN] I'M SORRY. BACK AT THE PALACE,
I REFERRED TO MYSELF AS A MAGE.
HOWEVER, IT MIGHT BE MORE PRECISE TO SAY
I AM A PRACTITIONER OF MAGICAL SCIENCES.
[SHIROE] HMM.
THE MAGICIAN OF MIRROR LAKE,
AT YOUR SERVICE, SIR.
REGAN.
NOW, WAIT A MINUTE.
ARE YOU SAYING YOU'RE THE MAGE OF MIRROR LAKE?
[AKATSUKI] DO YOU KNOW OF HIM, MY LORD?
WHEN I WAS PLAYING, HIS NAME CAME UP A LOT
IN TOWN RUMORS AND IN THE DESCRIPTIONS OF A FEW OF THE QUESTS.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE MAIN ITEM
FOR THE 9 DUNGEONS OF THE HALOS RAID,
THE KEY OF ETERNAL DARKNESS,
WAS SAID TO HAVE BEEN MADE BY SOMEONE CALLED
THE MAGE OF MIRROR LAKE.
HMM.
[SHIROE] YOU KNOW AS WELL AS I DO THAT GAME DEVELOPERS
WILL CREATE A NAME FOR A PERSON THAT YOU NEVER SEE
TO MAKE A QUEST MORE INTERESTING.
I DIDN'T THINK HE WAS REAL.
I GAINED THE TITLE MYSELF FROM MY OLD MASTER,
BUT I REALLY HADN'T BEEN USING IT MUCH SINCE THEN.
[SHIROE] SO THEN, YOU INHERITED THE NAME
"THE MAGE OF MIRROR LAKE"?
[REGAN] CORRECT.
[SHIROE, THINKING] WOW. I CAN'T BEGIN TO DESCRIBE
HOW IMPORTANT THIS GUY IS.
THIS IS AN AMAZING CHANCE TO LEARN HOW THIS WORLD WORKS.
[REGAN] MAGIC IS A CURIOUS THING, MY FRIEND.
WIDELY VARIED WITH MANY TYPES.
MY OWN SPECIALTY IS A LITTLE SOMETHING
THAT I LIKE TO REFER TO AS "WORLD CLASS" MAGIC AND ENCHANTMENTS.
[SHIROE] "WORLD CLASS"? I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH IT.
[REGAN] LET'S FIRST CLASSIFY MAGIC
BY THE SPELL'S AREA OF EFFECT.
ACTION CLASS, COMBAT CLASS,
OPERATION CLASS, TACTICAL CLASS,
STRATEGY, NATIONAL DEFENSE CLASS, CONTINENT CLASS,
AND FINALLY, THERE'S WORLD CLASS.
[SHIROE] ISN'T MAGIC USUALLY DIVIDED BY TYPE?
[REGAN] TRUE, BUT WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE SCALE OF A SPELL,
YOU START ALLOWING YOURSELF TO UNDERSTAND
HOW IT WORKS FROM A PERSPECTIVE OF NUMBERS OF PERSONS AFFECTED,
OR SPECIFICALLY, THE PHENOMENOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE.
ACTION CLASS MAGIC REFERS TO THOSE SPELLS
THAT REPLICATE OR REPLACE A SINGLE PHYSICAL ACTION
WITH AN ENERGETIC RESPONSE.
FOR EXAMPLE, SWINGING A SWORD AND FIGHTING A MONSTER.
THE ACTION CLASS EQUIVALENT IS A LIGHTNING BOLT.
COMBAT CLASS MAGIC IS CAPABLE OF ALTERING
THE OVERALL OUTCOME OF A SINGLE BATTLE.
ANY SPELL THAT CAN ATTACK OR STRIKE DOWN
LARGE MOBS OR ENTIRE COMBAT TEAMS OF ENEMIES
IS COMBAT CLASS.
AND THEN THERE'S OPERATION CLASS MAGIC,
WHICH CAN ALTER THE COURSE OF TWO OR 3 BATTLES AT A TIME.
TACTICAL GOES ONE STEP FURTHER.
A CASTER OF A TACTICAL CLASS SPELL
COULD CONCEIVABLY CONQUER A STRUCTURE AS LARGE AS A CASTLE.
DOES THAT MEAN HE COULD ALSO DESTROY AN ENTIRE DUNGEON?
[SHIROE, THINKING] THE GAME DOESN'T HAVE SPELLS LIKE THAT.
AND I DON'T, EITHER.
STRATEGIC CLASS WOULD BE A SINGLE SPELL
THAT COULD DECIDE THE OUTCOME OF A WAR.
AND NATIONAL DEFENSE, AN ENTIRE NATION.
AND OF COURSE, CONTINENT CLASS, A CONTINENT.
AND THUS, WORLD CLASS.
[SHIROE] OK. A SPELL CAPABLE OF CONTROLLING THE LAWS,
OR THE FATES, OR THE VERY EXISTENCE OF AN ENTIRE WORLD.
[REGAN] EXACTLY, MY FRIEND.
[AKATSUKI] UHH.
[SHIROE] MM...
[SHIROE] I UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT BEHIND SPELLS THAT POWERFUL,
BUT HAS ANYONE EVER ACTUALLY CAST ONE?
[REGAN] HMM. TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, THERE IS ONE SPELL.
IT'S BEEN CAST 3 TIMES.
IT'S CALLED "THE WORLD FRACTION GLOBAL ENCHANTMENT."
[SHIROE] OH.
THE APOCALYPSE.
[AKATSUKI] UHH.
[REGAN] HMM. I INVITED YOU HERE BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT YOU,
OF ALL THE ADVENTURERS WHO HAVE BEEN STUCK HERE,
MIGHT ACTUALLY HAVE INSIGHT INTO THE MATTER.
[SHIROE] OF COURSE. BUT I HAVE QUESTIONS FOR YOU, TOO.
TO PUT IT MILDLY, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT LED TO US BEING HERE.
AND WE WOULD REALLY LIKE TO FIND OUT.
[REGAN] I'D BE HAPPY TO TELL YOU ANYTHING I KNOW, OF COURSE.
[SHIROE] THEN I'LL START WITH THIS.
THE FRACTION SPELL.
I GUESS THE BEST THING TO KNOW ABOUT IT WOULD BE,
WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE OTHER TWO USES?
THAT IS QUITE A LONG STORY.
IS THAT ALL RIGHT WITH YOU?
[SHIROE] DEFINITELY.
[REGAN] WELL, THEN, AS THEY SAY,
FIRST THINGS FIRST.
[MINORI, THINKING] FORMATION, OPERATOR, FIELD MONITOR, PATROL TEAMS.
OK. I REMEMBER EVERYTHING SHIROE TAUGHT ME ABOUT FIGHTING IN A PARTY.
BUT WHY AM I SO NERVOUS?
I FEEL LIKE I MUST BE MISSING SOMETHING.
[REGAN] APPROXIMATELY 350 YEARS AGO,
THE WORLD IS SAID TO HAVE BEEN A FAR MORE PROSPEROUS PLACE THAN TODAY.
(PLANES SOARING)
IT'S A PALE SHADOW OF THE AGE OF GODS,
WHICH HAS PASSED INTO LEGEND.
BUT DURING THAT TIME, HUMANS, ELVES, DWARVES, AND ALVS...
THESE 4 RACES LIVED TOGETHER.
THE ALVS IN PARTICULAR WERE MAGICAL INVENTORS
AND THE VANGUARD OF A VAST MAGICAL CIVILIZATION.
SADLY, HOWEVER, THAT POWER BECAME THEIR UNDOING.
[AKATSUKI] WHAT DO YOU MEAN?
AS A RACE, THEIR REPRODUCTIVE CAPACITY WAS QUITE SLIM,
AND THEIR NATION WAS SMALL.
THEY WERE DESPISED FOR THEIR MONOPOLY OVER MAGICAL TECHNOLOGY,
SO THE OTHER RACES USED THEIR SUPERIOR NUMBERS TO ERADICATE THEM.
THEN WHAT ABOUT ME?
MY RACE IS TECHNICALLY HALF‐ALV.
[REGAN] IN THE PERIOD THAT FOLLOWED,
THE FEW SURVIVING ALVS WERE KEPT AS SLAVES.
THEIR DESCENDANTS ARE THE HALF‐ALVS.
IN ANY EVENT, THE ALV KINGDOM WAS DESTROYED.
AND THEN THE 6 BENT PRINCESSES, THE LUQUENJE, WERE BORN.
[AKATSUKI] "6 BENT PRINCESSES"?
[SHIROE] "LUQUENJE"?
[REGAN] EACH OF THE 6 WERE UNAWARE OF THE OTHER 5,
SO THEY WERE NOT ACTING TOGETHER AT ALL.
HOWEVER, DRIVEN BY ANGER OVER THE DESTRUCTION OF THEIR RACE AND THEIR CULTURE,
ALL OF THESE ALV WOMEN SOUGHT REVENGE,
UNINTENTIONALLY AT THE SAME TIME.
SOME OF THEM SEDUCED MEN OF GREAT POWER.
SOME LED THE REMAINING ALVS IN IMPROVISED ARMIES.
(EXPLOSION)
AND THE WORLD WAS PLUNGED INTO A BUBBLING CAULDRON OF CHAOS ONCE MORE.
BUT IN THE END, ALL 6 OF THE PRINCESSES
WERE LEFT ON THE VERGE OF DEFEAT,
AND ALL SEEMED LOST.
AND THAT WAS WHEN THEY DECIDED TO CAST
THE FIRST WORLD FRACTION SPELL.
AND SO THE PEOPLE WHO DECIDED TO CAST IT WERE ALVS?
[REGAN] PRECISELY. BUT THE TECHNOLOGIES
AND PRINCIPLES USED REMAIN DEEPLY SHROUDED IN MYSTERY.
AND THE SPELL BROUGHT ABOUT THE GENESIS
OF THE DEMI‐HUMANS.
(SHIROE GASPS)
[REGAN] UNTIL 300 YEARS AGO,
THERE WERE NO DEMI‐HUMANS.
AS TO HOW THEY WERE CREATED,
REPEATED WAR HAD DECREASED THE POPULATION...
LEAVING THE PLANET OVERRUN WITH SOULS.
IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THOSE SURPLUS SOULS
WERE UTILIZED IN THE CREATION OF THE DEMI‐HUMANS.
THE WARS WITH THE DEMI‐HUMANS PUSHED HUMANITY TO THE BRINK,
AND THE WORLD SANK INTO A DARK AGE.
HUMANITY DEFEATED THE LUQUENJE, OF COURSE,
BUT THE PRINCESSES' PLANS FOR REVENGE
HAD ULTIMATELY BEEN PROVEN SUCCESSFUL.
[SHIROE] HMM.
HUMANITY, FACED WITH AN OVERRUN OF DEMI‐HUMAN RACES,
USED ALV MAGICAL SECRETS TO ADD ALLIES TO THEIR NUMBERS.
AND SO THE CAT PEOPLE, WOLF FANGS,
FOX TAILS, AND ROBED ONES
JOINED THE RANKS OF HUMANITY TO FIGHT DEMI‐HUMANS.
THIS ALSO COINCIDED WITH THE CREATION OF THE PRECURSORS.
[SHIROE] THE PRECURSORS ARE AMONG THE MOST
POWERFUL NON‐PLAYER CHARACTERS,
WITH STRENGTH RIVALING THAT OF ADVENTURERS.
AS YOU KNOW FROM THE STORY OF THE GAME,
PRECURSORS ARE CONSIDERED TO BE LEGENDARY HEROES.
[REGAN] WE CAN DISCUSS THE PRECURSORS AT ANOTHER TIME, OF COURSE.
THE ISSUE NOW AT HAND SEEMS TO BE SOULS.
IN MAGICAL SCIENCE TERMS, WE REFER TO THIS AS SPIRITUAL THEORY.
[SHIROE] "SPIRITUAL THEORY"?
[REGAN] AND IN SPITE OF USING THE PROCESS
TO CREATE ALLIES OF THEIR OWN,
HUMANITY COULDN'T STOP THE ONSLAUGHT.
SO, NO MATTER HOW MANY DEMI‐HUMANS ONE DEFEATED,
THEY WERE ALWAYS REINCARNATING.
WHICH MEANS THEY CAN NEVER REALLY BE DEFEATED.
[SHIROE, THINKING] IS HE TALKING ABOUT RESPAWNS?
I THOUGHT THAT WAS PART OF THE GAME.
[SHIROE, VOICE‐OVER] SAY YOU KILL EVERY MONSTER IN A ZONE,
THERE'D BE NOTHING LEFT FOR OTHER PLAYERS WITHOUT RESPAWNS.
NO FIGHTS, NO EXPERIENCE POINTS, NO LEVELING UP.
HOWEVER, A TIMER IN THE GAME ALWAYS MAKES SURE
THE ZONE IS REPOPULATED FOR A FIGHT,
AND THAT'S RESPAWNING.
[REGAN] THE CONSTANT BATTLES WITH THE DEMI‐HUMANS RAGED ON.
BUT 60 YEARS AFTER THE FIRST WORLD FRACTION,
HUMANITY WAS NEARLY ANNIHILATED.
AND THEN, A DIVINE SUMMONING SPELL WAS USED,
AND MESSENGERS OF GOD MADE THEIR WAY TO THIS WORLD.
THIS WAS 240 YEARS AGO.
THE SECOND WORLD FRACTION.
WHICH HERALDED THE APPEARANCE OF THE ADVENTURERS.
[SHIROE] 240 YEARS AGO.
SO TELL ME, WHY DID YOU WANT TO TALK TO ME
ABOUT ALL THIS IN THE FIRST PLACE?
[REGAN] WHAT DO YOU MEAN?
[SHIROE] THERE ARE OTHER ROUND TABLE REPRESENTATIVES.
THERE ARE OTHER REPRESENTATIVES, BUT YOU'RE A MASTER MAGE.
YOU MIGHT HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THIS THAN THEY DO.
UHH! WAIT, AN ARCH‐MAGE?
IS THAT REALLY TRUE, MY LORD?
[SHIROE] I DON'T KNOW.
OUR HISTORY BOOKS STARTED DETAILING
THE DEEDS OF THE MASTER MAGE SHIROE 98 YEARS AGO.
IN FACT, THE TIME YOU'VE BEEN ACTIVE ALONE
IS PROOF THAT YOU'RE A MASTER MAGE IN THIS WORLD.
98 YEARS AGO?
I KNOW YOU CAN'T BE THAT OLD, MY LORD.
[SHIROE] NO, OF COURSE NOT.
[SHIROE, THINKING] WAIT!
I JUST REMEMBERED... 5 MINUTES OF PLAYING TIME
IS EQUAL TO AN HOUR ON THE GAME TIMER.
IN OTHER WORDS, ONE DAY IN THE GAME EQUALS TWO REAL‐WORLD HOURS.
SO 98 OF THEIR YEARS
IS A LITTLE MORE THAN 8 YEARS FOR US.
SO WHAT WAS I DOING 8 YEARS AND 3 MONTHS AGO?
OF COURSE. THAT'S WHEN I STARTED PLAYING ELDER TALES.
(GASP)
ADVENTURERS FIRST APPEARED IN THEIR WORLD 240 YEARS AGO,
OR 20 YEARS AGO FOR US.
THAT MAKES SENSE, TOO.
BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN THEY STARTED THE OPEN BETA TEST FOR THE GAME ONLINE.
(BIRDS CHIRPING)
[TAKAYAMA] HONESTLY, I WAS EXPECTING MORE NOBLES TO ASK US FOR TROOPS.
[KRUSTY] YES. MOST OF THEM WANT TECHNOLOGY SHARING OR TRADE AGREEMENTS.
[MICHITAKA] THEY KNEW ALL ABOUT THE STEAM ENGINE.
[TAKAYAMA] AND WE KNOW THEY HAD SPIES CRAWLING ALL OVER THE PLACE IN AKIHABARA.
[SHIROE] KNOWING ABOUT IT DOESN'T MEAN THEY'D BE ABLE TO MAKE ONE THAT EASILY.
[KRUSTY] SHIROE'S RIGHT.
THERE'S NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT NOW.
[MICHITAKA] WHAT ABOUT A FEW YEARS FROM NOW?
[AKATSUKI] MY LORD.
[SHIROE] HM?
THINKING ABOUT YESTERDAY?
I AM.
[SHIROE] WHAT IS THIS SPIRITUAL THEORY YOU MENTIONED?
THE ENERGY THAT ANIMATES ALL LIVING THINGS IS COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS THE SPIRIT.
AND SPIRIT ITSELF CAN BE DIVIDED INTO TWO COMPONENTS...
THE PSYCHE AND THE ANIMA.
PSYCHE IS THE ENERGY THAT ANIMATES THE MIND,
AND IT AFFECTS THINGS SUCH AS MAGIC AS WELL.
YOU CALL IT MP, OR MAGIC POINTS.
ANIMA IS THE ENERGY THAT ANIMATES THE BODY.
YOU CALL THEM HIT POINTS, OR HEALTH.
IT IS ALSO KNOWN AS KI, OR CHI.
WHEN SOMEONE IS DEFEATED IN BATTLE,
THEY CAN NO LONGER MOVE,
BUT THE MIND STILL REMAINS HEALTHY.
[SMASH] UHH.
[REGAN] HOWEVER, THE ANIMA AND PSYCHE ARE SPLIT,
AND THE PSYCHE BECOMES TRAPPED IN DARKNESS AS THE BODY ITSELF FAILS.
THIS IS BECAUSE THE INFORMATION THAT FLOWS TO THE MIND FROM THE BODY,
WHICH SENSES LIGHT, HAS BEEN CUT OFF.
THEN THE DISPERSAL OF THE BODY, THE ANIMA, BEGINS.
THIS PROCESS IS CALLED ANIMA‐DISPERSAL.
RESURRECTION MAGIC CAN BE USED ON CORPSES IN THIS STATE.
THE PROCESS GATHERS AND RECONSTRUCTS THE ANIMA
THAT HAS OTHERWISE DISPERSED AFTER A PHYSICAL DEATH.
THE INFORMATION REQUIRED FOR THE RECONSTRUCTION IS DERIVED BY
CALCULATING BACKWARDS FROM THE INFORMATION LEFT IN THE CORPSE.
WITH THE CORPSE CONTAINING ITS OWN BLUEPRINT,
THE HEALER SIMPLY PROVIDES THE ENERGY TO EFFECT THE RESURRECTION.
[SHIROE] HOWEVER, PIECES ARE ALWAYS MISSING,
SO ANY RESTORATION IS AN IMPERFECT TASK AT BEST.
AND THAT'S WHY YOU LOSE EXPERIENCE AFTER RESURRECTION.
[REGAN] BECAUSE DECAY STARTS IMMEDIATELY,
YOU'LL ALWAYS LOSE SOMETHING.
NATURALLY, IF THE BODY, THE ANIMA, DISPERSES COMPLETELY,
RESURRECTION BECOMES IMPOSSIBLE.
AND OF COURSE, PEOPLE OF THE LAND PERISH AT THIS POINT.
OK, BUT WHAT ABOUT BEFORE THEN?
[REGAN] RESURRECTION MAGIC WILL WORK ON PEOPLE OF THE LAND.
FOR AN ADVENTURER, THOUGH, ONCE HIS ANIMA IS DISPERSED,
HIS BODY DECOMPOSES INTO PARTICLES AND THE PSYCHE, THE MIND,
USES ITS POWER TO TRANSPORT THE ADVENTURER TO THE CATHEDRAL.
YOU ARE AWARE OF THIS, I'M SURE.
THIS SYSTEM IS QUITE SIMILAR TO THAT OF THE DEMI‐HUMANS AND THEIR RESPAWNS.
OF COURSE, THIS IS NOTHING MORE THAN A HYPOTHESIS
THAT MY MASTER AND I WERE RESEARCHING QUITE A WHILE AGO.
[SHIROE] DID YOU CONSIDER THE POSSIBILITY
THAT DEMI‐HUMANS HAD MEMORIES BEFORE THEY DIED?
[REGAN] ACTUALLY, NO.
AN INDIVIDUAL'S PERSONALITY AND CONSCIOUSNESS
ARE STORED INSIDE THE PSYCHE AS INFORMATION.
MEMORIES, HOWEVER, ARE ALSO STORED WITHIN THE BRAIN.
THE BODY, OF COURSE, BEING ANIMA.
[SHIROE] SO YOU'RE SAYING MEMORIES EXIST
BOTH WITHIN THE ANIMA AND THE PSYCHE.
WOULDN'T THAT MEAN THAT MEMORIES COULD BE LOST EVERY TIME SOMEONE REINCARNATES?
[REGAN] OH. NOW THAT YOU MENTION IT.
I DON'T SEE HOW SOMEONE COULD GO THROUGH
SOMETHING THAT TRAUMATIC AND NOT LOSE A MEMORY OR TWO.
(SHIROE SIGHS)
[REGAN] THE FIRST WORLD FRACTION CURSE
USED EXISTING SOULS TO MAKE UNREASONING FIGHTING MONSTERS OUT OF THEM.
THEIR OLD MEMORIES MAY BE THERE,
BUT THE MONSTERS THEY'VE BECOME WOULD HAVE NO WAY TO RECOGNIZE THEM.
[REGAN] THE MEMORIES OF WHAT THEY ONCE WERE MIGHT BE LIKE A DREAM OR A STORY.
[SHIROE, THINKING] DOES THAT MEAN WE COULD WIND UP LOSING OUR MEMORIES AS WELL?
[AKATSUKI] MY LORD. [SHIROE] UHH.
[AKATSUKI] MM. [SHIROE] UH, HEH, HEH.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T UNDERSTAND ANY OF THIS.
[SHIROE] HUH.
[AKATSUKI] IF WE DIE IN THIS WORLD,
DON'T WE SIMPLY REVIVE AT THE CATHEDRAL?
THE PERSON SITTING AT THE COMPUTER PLAYING THE ELDER TALES GAME IS THE MIND.
IN OTHER WORDS, THE PSYCHE.
THE CHARACTER INSIDE THE SCREEN IS THE BODY, THE ANIMA.
NATURALLY, THE PLAYER IS THE ONE WITH THE MEMORIES OF WHAT HAPPENED DURING THE GAME,
BUT THE PLAYER'S CHARACTER IS THE ONE WITH THE EXPERIENCE, THE ITEMS, THE LEVELS,
AND OTHER TYPES OF POINTS.
UNTIL NOW, IF A CHARACTER DIED,
IT ONLY MEANT LOSING EXPERIENCE IN THE GAME.
[IN‐GAME SHIROE] UHH.
[SHIROE] THE REAL‐WORLD DISCONNECT
MEANT IT DIDN'T HURT US.
HOWEVER, NOW OUR PSYCHE AND ANIMA, THEY'RE IN THE SAME PLACE,
SO WE DON'T GET THAT SAME PROTECTION WE USED TO HAVE.
[AKATSUKI] SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS...
[SHIROE] IT MEANS OUR MEMORIES AND OUR EXPERIENCE POINTS ARE NOW THE SAME,
BUT IRREPLACEABLE.
IF WE DIE, WE'LL LOSE OUR MEMORIES...
LIKE OUR EXPERIENCE.
UHH!
[SHIROE] BUT I HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH WE'D LOSE.
SINCE WE CAME TO THIS WORLD, MANY PEOPLE HAVE DIED,
BUT NONE OF THEM HAVE COMPLAINED,
SO IT MAY BE NOTHING.
IT MAY BE NO MORE THAN JUST A LITTLE FORGETFULNESS.
[AKATSUKI] YEAH, BUT EVEN SO...
[SHIROE] OR MAYBE YOU FORGET AND YOU DON'T REALIZE YOU DID.
JUST THINK IF YOU FORGOT ABOUT THE REAL WORLD.
ANYWAY, IT'S PROBABLY BEST IF WE SIT ON THIS FOR A WHILE.
[SHIROE] OK?
YES.
(ISUZU YAWNS) GOOD MORNING.
MORNING, ISUZU.
YOU'RE UP EARLY.
I KNOW. I REALLY COULDN'T SLEEP LAST NIGHT.
ME, TOO, I GUESS.
I WONDER IF IT'LL GO WELL TODAY...
[MINORI] MM.
[ISUZU] UHH. MMM‐WAH.
I THINK I'LL GET A BATH IN WHILE IT'S EARLY!
[MINORI] OH? OK. SEE YA.
(RUSTLING)
HUH?
(TOYA GRUNTING SOFTLY)
[MINORI] TOYA. GOOD MORNING.
[TOYA] MM‐HMM.
[MINORI] HMM. (THUNDER)
(RUMBLING)
[ISUZU] UH?
(RUDY GRUNTING) AHH‐AHH!
(PANTING)
HUH?
HOLD ON A SECOND.
[ISUZU, THINKING] THOSE ARE DUNGEON CORRIDORS.
(RUDY BREATHING HEAVILY)
[ISUZU, THINKING] HE'S PRACTICING.
HUH?
[ISUZU] OH! UH, SORRY!
WELL, HELLO, MISS ISUZU!
SPLENDID MORNING, MADAME?!
[ISUZU] THAT'S A LITTLE BIT MUCH, DON'T YOU THINK?
[RUDY] AND WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?
I WAS JUST TAKING MY MORNING CONSTITUTIONAL,
INVITED BY THE FOREST NYMPHS THEMSELVES
TO LISTEN TO THE BIRDS AND THEIR SYMPHONY.
HEE HEE. UH...
WELL, IF YOU SAY SO.
I DO.
SO WHAT BRINGS YOU OUT HERE ON THIS FINE DAY?
THOUGHT I'D GET A BATH IN.
HEY, I KNOW! WHY DON'T YOU COME DOWN TO THE STREAM WITH ME?
[RUDY] TO THE‐ TO THE BATH!
I'M NOT INTERESTED IN BEING A PEEPING TOM
WHO STARES AT WOMEN WHO ARE BATHING!
DON'T INSULT ME LIKE THAT.
[ISUZU] I WASN'T TELLING YOU TO COME STARE AT ME, YOU DUMMY!
I MEANT YOU WOULDN'T WANT A LADY TO WALK THROUGH THE FOREST
BY HERSELF AND GET HURT, WOULD YOU?
OH. I SEE...
WELL, IN THAT CASE, I GUESS I COULD‐
YES! I'LL GLADLY ESCORT YOU!
IT WOULD BE MY HONOR, MA'AM.
SO, WHICH WAY IS THIS SPRING OF YOURS?
(ISUZU GIGGLES)
[ISUZU] THAT WAY, RUNDELLHAUS.
[RUDY] MISS ISUZU, PLEASE. MY PARENTS CALL ME RUNDELLHAUS.
JUST CALL ME RUDY.
(RAIN FALLING)
MM! DELICIOSO!
ANOTHER WONDERFUL BREAKFAST TODAY.
DON'T YOU ALL THINK SO?
MY MOUTH IS IN FOOD HEAVEN.
IT'S NYANTA'S SPECIAL RECIPE!
RUDY, YOU OUGHT TO GIVE THIS A TRY!
[MINORI] HMM? WHAT'D YOU CALL HIM?
[RUDY] MM‐MMM! MASHED PUMPKIN SALAD.
THIS IS TRULY AN EXQUISITE TASTE.
SO REFINED, SO YUMMY IN MY TUMMY.
[MINORI] OH.
HEY, YOU GUYS.
G‐G‐G‐G‐I'M SO SORRY!
THERE'S NO MORE SOUP!
I SHOULD'VE THOUGHT ABOUT GETTING MORE FOR US!
I'M SORRY!
I WASN'T TALKING ABOUT THAT. HMM.
[MINORI] UH?
[MINORI, THINKING] TOYA'S GOT THE SAME THING ON HIS MIND I DO.
[TOYA] SO GUYS, I WAS THINKING, YOU KNOW...
[MINORI, THINKING] WAIT...
I DON'T WANT IT TO END UP LIKE LAST TIME.
IF I'M TOO SCARED TO SAY IT, NOTHING WILL CHANGE.
I'VE GOTTA SAY SOMETHING.
[RUDY] ALL RIGHT. LOOKS LIKE WE'RE DONE HERE.
LET'S GET OUR GEAR TOGETHER
AND HEAD OUT TO THE DUNGEON AND PRACTICE, YOU GUYS.
TODAY I'LL FINALLY‐ [MINORI] OH, COME ON!
[ALL BUT MINORI] HUH?
[MINORI] LOOK, YOU GUYS.
WE NEED TO DISCUSS WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO,
OR WE WON'T BE ABLE TO WIN THIS.
[AKATSUKI, VOICE‐OVER] THE REAL ANSWER ISN'T WRITTEN DOWN ANYWHERE.
NOT IN A TEXTBOOK, NOT ON THE INTERNET,
AND NOT IN YOUR NOTEBOOK.
AND NO ONE CAN TEACH IT TO YOU, EITHER.
BUT WHEN YOU FINALLY UNDERSTAND IT ON YOUR OWN,
WHAT WAS ONCE MERELY A PARTY BECOMES A GROUP OF TRUE FRIENDS.
NEXT TIME ON "LOG HORIZON."
[SHIROE] ALWAYS LOOK 30 SECONDS AHEAD.