NL-8 The Last Kheshig

Our champion, having appeared out of nowhere, has put a stop to the battle with a thunderous momentum!

Last night's match was cut short when Nightmare Knight's Arts were ruled a violation, and the one who stopped things from getting even further out of hand was the hero, the Blood Knight!

The match between the Radiant Knight and Nightmare Knight ended in a tie, and Nightmare will be facing the Blood Knight, whose opponent has dropped out, in his next round—

A tie...? Nightmare broke the rules. Shouldn't they have promoted the Radiant Knight to the next round?

They don't want to let an Infected to just move up the ranks like that, of course.

Where's Szewczyk?

He's with his family. Give him some time.

To be honest... I didn't really care much about him to begin with.

We can tell.

True enough. Were you trying to hide it?

......

He's still alive, real flesh and blood, right?

The city makes us forget it a lot... but we're all alive.

We should have our own choices, our own lives... instead of drifting about in the endlessly beating waves, never to find out who we really are.

The battle of a lifetime between the Blood Knight and Nightmare Knight will begin tomorrow evening!

Be sure to tune into the Night of Knights channel tomorrow at 8 o'clock for the best competition experience!

(Loud beeping noises)

Oh... Justice! You're okay!

Iwona! You can't get up yet.

Come, I'll help you.

Heh... Thanks, Ashley.

I thought I had exclusive rights to the nickname Ashley?

Haha, let me borrow it for a while.

You're gonna have to pay for using my trademark.

Iwona, that day...

Yeah, I saw the Blood Knight's silhouette.

There were traces of blood Arts...

It's... a really awful kind of Arts. As things are, just casting normal Arts is enough to make me ache. I can't imagine how much pain the Blood Knight has to bear, controlling Arts like that.

The Blood Knight... He's strong.

Everybody knows.

It's thanks to the Blood Knight that the Infected won the right to fight in the Major.

We became the K.G.C.C.'s playthings... We lost our dignity and freedom... but we're still alive.

It's only by staying alive that we have the chance to run.

Between the Radiant Knight and the Blood Knight, who do you support, girls?

The Blood Knight. No doubt about it. He's the one who opened up the future for us Infected.

But what we need is an unflagging fight instead of the status quo... so I choose the Radiant Knight.

And you?

I pick Sona.

You can do that?!

You called...?

......

The Board has made their decision... Area 0 will be wiped clean.

Our current strategy with the Infected is a mistake.

A mistake, huh...?

Moreover, Rhodes Island's leader has been digging too deep into the Area 0 affair. This is a lapse on the Armorless Union's part.

......

Several executive directors are strongly demanding the Armorless Union eradicate this threat. Do not let Rhodes Island's medical team leave Kazimierz alive.

Any issues?

......

None... but this is only an order from 'several executive directors' and not the whole Board. Right?

That is not for you to question. We have authority over your command.

Point of order, it's Mr. Malkiewicz over there who has authority over me.

Malkiewicz... You know what to do.

......

Are you hurt?

Yeah... Probably when I blocked his strike.

I couldn't feel a thing at the time... but it might have bruised a bone or two.

Hold still. Let me see...

You need a doctor. This will affect your performance.

Maybe put some ice on it.

Alright.

Can't we heal this with Arts?

That will alleviate the pain and help the wound heal, but if she's got any broken bones, she could end up worse in the future if we don't take proper care of them.

What do we do? You're up against the Wind Knight the next match... That's a strong opponent. If you have to fight this hurt...

Don't worry so much.

How am I supposed to not worry?!

It's just a minor injury. I'm more than used to this.

You call this... minor...?

Margaret... You've worked so hard, and you've gotten so strong... What is it all for?

To become a champion?

'You cannot surmount the rulesetters within their own rules.' Isn't that what Uncle said?

Mhm...

But that's just because Młynar—

No, I get it.

He's right.

But it's not the rulesetters that we need to defeat.

We need to break free of the rules. We need to teach those who have been tamed to rise up, help those who have fallen to regain the light.

Uncle Młynar... He doesn't believe that there are still those who would follow a lighthouse's beam and charge into the storm.

But I don't agree with him.

If we can dispel this darkness, the people will push forward.

You need to listen to the doctor and rest up for a few days.

Your next match is against the Wind Knight, right? If you don't recover by then, it won't go well for you.

Don't end up like me...

I knew my arm was no good, but I pushed myself even further. This is what I got.

Right. You needn't worry about me.

Margaret... Look! Ta-dah!

The new gauntlet?

Already...? That's amazing. I thought it'd take you until tomorrow.

It probably would've taken me another two or three days if I was working by myself.

We didn't adjust your gauntlet around your new weapon last time, not that we'd know where to start.

But that taught us a lesson, and it really got Maria working.

Maria... I know some excellent craftsmen. Perhaps I should introduce them to you.

Really?! Where are they from?

All over. Ursus, Leithanien, Higashi, Laterano... you name it.

Whoa... That's like a whole guild of master craftsmen... Hm? Why would a pharma company need so many craftsmen, though?

You'll just have to find out for yourself.

This reminds me... there was this one year when Uncle Młynar bought you a small drone for your birthday.

You had the thing torn apart that afternoon.

I... I put it back together after that, though.

I was shocked, you know. It might not have flown again after she put it back together, but I never expected the kid to have such amazing talent—

—I half expected Maria to become a knight back then, though. Otherwise, I'd have entrusted her with my workshop.

You better get on that, Kowal. Who knows when you'll kick the bucket?

Huh? Cursing me now, are you?!

Do you want to pursue your interests, Maria?

Erm... I don't know yet.

Hah, Maria's still young.

I just know that... it's been a very long time since we talked like this...

Oh! I forgot to bring the restoration gel!

We still have to try out the new gauntlet... The match is coming up soon, isn't it? I'll head back to the workshop now!

(Margaret... Those are some serious injuries...)

(But...)

Hm? What's that noise?

......

—Aaah?!

Ngh...

You... You are not her... Right, you are her sister.

Where is she?

—! You want Margaret! Why?

Our battle has not yet ended.

But the match's over!

The match...?

My Khaganquest's purpose is not a mere match in a competition.

The Radiant Knight is an essential part of this path... Our holy battle should not have been interrupted!

Then you just have to defeat the Blood Knight and fight my sister the next round—

Enough!

Gah!

Competitions... The Major... They are all for show.

You heard the rules, you heard the crowd! Couldn't you feel how laughable and blasphemous it all was?!

—!

Do not take me for a jester entertaining the masses!

I am a descendant of the Kheshig. I must complete my Khaganquest!

Stand aside, I have no interest in frail children! The only business I have is for the Radiant Knight—

No...

I won't let you pass.

You...?

You are nothing but an affinity of the Radiant Knight.

A... An affinity?

Your dream is taken from another. Your conviction is borrowed.

You use your young age as an excuse for your confusion... but what point is there?

The world can laugh at the Radiant Knight's stubbornness, but no one may refute the strength in her actions.

Yet you... you are not even a knight.

......

Now stand aside, lest my blade slice your throat open.

No.

I won't let you see my sister.

Is she hiding? No... With her brilliant light, the Radiant Knight is above that...

Then... is she injured?

—!

You mean to tell me I injured her in our fight, and I must wait until she recovers before our next match?

Shameless!

Nngh––!

(So heavy—That's heavier than Tytus's lance strikes!)

......

Haahh... haaahh...

Why am I...

Look at you... already drowned in fear...

You cannot wield your weapon in front of me. If we had met on the battlefield, you would already be dead.

No...!

This... has nothing to do with knights.

I just want... to protect... my sister—

The Radiant Knight is not for you to protect, you ignorant pegasus...

Guh!

This arrow... A far cry from that blue archer.

Step away from the child, Nightzmora.

Batbayar...

Will you stand in my way too?

Maria! Quick, stand up! Come over here!

R-Right!

Are you nuts?!

This is not the first time you asked me this question.

I thought... at least you would...

You have nowhere to go, kid.

Tell me, where is your Khagan?

Where is the Kheshig's banner? Where are their tents?

It's been a thousand years... Why live in that past? Why chase that tradition?

What can all that bring you, kid?

......

......

Batbayar, I made up my mind when my mother died to the fangs of a wild beast.

It was this nightmare of mine... that made me a Nightzmora.

What kind of nonsense are you on about—

I have struggled for years... in this country of knights.

Yet, in the end, I was guided to this path to fulfill my last ideals.

Hold on... hold on.

You can't seriously mean... your journey was all for—

Speak no more.

You are old and frail, but it does not change the fact you once stood on the battlefields. If you insist on standing in my way...

Then I shall trample upon you and destroy one of my last remaining blood kin with my own hands.

Come. I shall charge you.

What—

Master Vogelweide—Get out of there!

Maria, are you okay?!

I-I'm fine.

We can't let this lunatic find Margaret... Or else—!

You would stand in my way... So you will kill me?

Do knights of Kazimierz truly know what it means to fight to the death?

No, you cannot possibly. Batbayar, you are old. And you, naive pegasus, you know nothing of the cruelty of the world.

You would interfere in my fight with her. You are sullying both our names and honor.

No!

Honor doesn't matter at all!

—Then what does your sister fight for?!

You dare spout such blasphemy?! You dare claim the Radiant Knight vies for the Major's title not to regain her glory?!

*Whimpers*...

You heretic! Raise your weapon! You will pay the price!

I... still won't let you pass!

Ever!

Ahh!

Kid!

That's enough. Don't push yourself—

No... Master Vogelweide... Look at your hand...

This isn't the first time. I'm used to it.

It's over. Your strength is beyond my expectations. It was just enough to tide my anger...

You too are a descendant. I shall not take your life, but you will get out of my way.

So you've got your heart set on dueling Margaret, huh?

Wrong. I am merely continuing a fight that was cut short.

What do you want?

You're stubborn and... mad. What are you looking for anyway? What is it that you actually want?

You do not understand...

Like hell I would. For that so-called tradition of yours, you gave up your whole life and everything ahead of you! It's all pointless!

Did I need you to give my life meaning?

I just don't want to see you stay on this path of insanity forever. The 'Khaganquest' is a coming-of-age tradition followed by a handful of tribes. Doesn't that make you still a child?!

Gah! I am done with you. Out of the way.

Over my dead body!

—You will regret this, old man!

—!

Maria, what are you doing?! You're hurt—

This is my first time to see you so worked up, Nightzmora...

......

The shield of a knight is meant to protect people. That's what my sister told me.

You said my conviction was borrowed. I've got nothing to say about that.

But if I'm going to be scared to walk even well-lit roads, then there's really no point in the knighthood anymore!

How dare you spout that nonsense about knights—

—Sorry, but I'm not a knight anymore. I just want to protect my sister—

I can't let a psycho like you get in her way!

Arts...? It's... Hm?

Is it the light of the Arts turning it gold?

A pegasus whose name is bound to go down in history... yet so frail... Is it a mere coincidence?

Master Vogelweide, go back without me... I'll hold him here.

Drop the act, kid. He'll kill you—!

Don't worry.

I'll stop him!

......

Huh...? Why are you turning around...?

...Pegasus.

You cannot grow stronger on the conviction of others. Not unless you truly believe in it.

And you do not.

......

Dedication and sacrifice.

These virtues border on self-destruction... and you possess them at birth. You taught me a lesson, pegasus, descendant.

Perhaps...

...No, never mind.

Tell the Radiant Knight that my bout with her has not yet ended. I am merely putting it on hold.

......

The Radiant Knight, the Blood Knight... The Major has really heated up in the blink of an eye.

If we go by points and nothing else, the finals should long have been in reach of the Radiant Knight.

Doesn't that make you happy?

You're right...

But even if the General Chamber is scheming something, I'm sure you and the Adeptus will help Nearl overcome.

That said, is the K.G.C.C. really the problem...? They're definitely not ones to do any work themselves. Instead, they prefer to sow the seeds... and wait for them to sprout.

Many will voice their gripes...

Hehe... but that also happened when the Blood Knight first came along.

But who still remembers any of that after the Blood Knight took his trophy and the money came raining down?

They have short memories, Doctor. No matter who ends up winning, as long as they speak on the Infected's behalf, it'll all work out fine.

Kazimierz loves its champions.

You mean... the Blood Knight? No, you wouldn't say something so skin-deep...

Whatever's the case, I believe you and Nearl will overcome.

They're giving the Infected knights checkups and treatment, just as always.

Rhodes Island is plenty efficient. I can see why the Grand Knight trusts you so much.

That said... I'm here right with you, and you haven't shown even a little bit of care for me.

That makes me kind of sad.

What are you thanking me for, specifically?

I'm just doing my job. I was given my orders, and I would go through fire and water to fulfill them.

I've only told you what the Grand Knight permitted me to say.

I'd love to accept your thanks, but it was her who truly helped Rhodes Island.

Oh... so our conversations are just a way to pass the time to you?

Hehe, but in that case, I'll keep talking to you all you want.

So, how will you thank me, Doctor?

Hehe... That sounds wonderful. I've always wanted to be a model, just once.

I may wear all this armor all the time, but I'm still a girl. I got tired of this outfit a long time ago.

That said... I didn't really have the right to think about something like this, in the past.

What I'm into...?

I've never thought about it before... What do normal Kazimierzian girls like? Food? Makeup? Oh... Let's not talk about knight stuff.

Well... as for outfits... All this armor does dampen my spirits every now and then.

Though a campaign knight like me doesn't really get much chance to wear regular clothes, either.

Doctor... do you know what you're saying? 'Anything you want' is pretty much the last thing you'd want to say when you're being interrogated.

Most of us hand our decision-making power away, probably because we find obnoxious to have to make decisions... but sometimes... the one we give that power may have some unexpected ideas.

Well, then, Doctor... Would you lean back, please?

Close your eyes, okay? I wouldn't want anything to happen to them...

And then...

Doctor, don't open your eyes.

If you see an Armorless assassin's face, I'm afraid you won't be leaving Kazimierz alive.

......

You're not just a regular campaign knight, are you?

The Armorless Union doesn't hold the patent on assassination, you know?

Don't move, or I'll cut your throat open.

Now that won't do. I can't let you put the Doctor's life in danger, even if it costs me my own.

It's just some foreign company... Is this one really worth giving your life for, knight—Hm?

The barcode on your arm... You're a purchased slave. Why so loyal to an outsider?

Unfortunately, my desire to protect the Doctor comes from the bottom of my heart.

I see... The Adeptus Sprawiedliwi arranged for a lackey like you to follow Rhodes Island around. They planned to use Rhodes Island to investigate Area 0 right from the start.

Don't make our relationship sound so exploitative.

So you are Rhodes Island's 'Doctor.' There's supposed to be a Cautus girl around too...

I'm not into hurting kids. Bumping you off should do the trick, right?

Doctor, go on without me. I'll hold her here. Take Miss Amiya and leave this place. Look for someone from the Adeptus—

I'm not here alone.

The Armorless Union already has you surrounded... You're not walking out of here.

It's okay, Doctor... As long as I'm here, I—

—Doctor?

Shielding your own bodyguard? What's the idea? You'll give your life for someone else?

Aww, so cute... I've got a job to do though.

What...?

I don't know what you're talking about.

So?

Do you really understand what you're doing...?

Even with this campaign knight in the way, I can—

......

......!

A call...?

......

Centaurea...?

......!

No need to be so shocked, Platinum.

I'm very glad you haven't killed Rhodes Island's leader yet.

Call it off. Your orders were mistaken. Those morons, jumping the gun. It is not up to them to give the Union orders without consulting the Board.

And stop the madness that Area 0 is pulling on its so-called useless Infected. Rhodes Island has opened our eyes. Their lives still have meaning... They can yet create value.

That's all.

......

You... You planned this?

How did you do it?

So what will we do with Area 0...?

We'll be working with too many uncertain factors if we let the two Infected knights make a big splash after all the uprisings the Infected have instigated.

And if the public catches wind of the way Area 0 takes care of its Infected right now...

I suppose there are both upsides and downsides.

We don't permit 'both upsides and downsides.' Whether it's good or bad, what we want is control over the matter.

I have other ways to handle this...

Just to be safe, I've already instructed the Armorless Union to take care of it.

Should I let you go, just like that?

You're an outsider who knows about the Armorless Union...

Don't be such a sore loser, Platinum. You're embarrassing yourself, you know?

......

Doctor! I've got something to ask you about transporting today's supplies—

Hm? Do you have a guest? I-I'm sorry...

It's okay... Come in.

An Armorless and a campaign knight are having tea together because of you, Doctor. You're really full of surprises.

Um... Doctor, may I have a second? I need you to sign this...

(So that's Rhodes Island's leader... If I take her down now...)

Hm...? Miss? Is something the matter?

Never mind. Please excuse me.

I'll send someone to fix the glass I broke. Time to go.

The Doctor...Doctor of Rhodes Island.

I'll be back.

Doctor, Gravel... Did something happen?

No.

We had a cup of tea together. That's all.

Platinum, ma'am... Here's what you wanted.

I'm surprised you found it.

Right. We searched through the communications between Rhodes Island and the Adeptus, and we narrowed it down to this message with the clues we had.

These are the true medical examination records of Operator Nearl... the Radiant Knight.

......

What...?

The Radiant Knight... isn't Infected?!

Welcome to the Kazimierz Major! It's your old buddy, Greatmouth Mob!

Thanks to Nightmare Knight's mistake, we're treated to today's matchup, the Blood Knight versus Nightmare Knight!

With their terrifying auras, and might unmatched by any other, imagine the fight our mighty Blood Knight and the legendary Nightzmora have in store for us today!

The Blood Knight and Nightmare had a fiery first encounter the other day! And now! They face each other in a formal match!

There will be blood! There will be slaughter! Only the victor will get to bask in fame and glory. Let us welcome—our knights—for today's match—!

......

......

No knightclub, no sponsors. Good lord, why are you people leaving that huge pie on the table?!

Somebody, make him a knightclub! You'll be rolling in all the dough!

On the other side, we have the king of blood, Kazimierz's Blood-Red Chalice, the heartless victory machine, and deservedly, the very pinnacle!

THE—BLOOOOOD KNIIIIGHT, DIKAAAAIIIOPOLIIIIIS!

We meet again... Nightzmora.

Are you still searching for the shadows of the past?