The Brilliant Fortress City

All right, this is as far as I go.

Huh? You're not coming with us?

I kept too many of my men back at the hideout when we infiltrated Ys. I don't want to repeat that mistake.

If the Resistance had been ready to attack from the outside when it started to sink...

...it would have been a hell of a kerfuffle, but we could still have saved some of the men there if only we'd been able to react accordingly.

This time, the Resistance and I will stand by near the Nightless City.

That way, we can come in and take control of the city after you've taken down the Assassin.

Alternatively, we can storm the place on your signal if something unexpected happens, like in Ys.

Either way, I'm afraid the Resistance needs me to lead them, so I have to stay behind. I'm sorry to make you face all the danger yourself.

？！

Fou!

Heh, well that's reassuring.

That's also one of Senpai's seven best qualities: he trusts his allies completely!

(And yet...something about working with this Rider makes me uncomfortable... Why?)

(We may not know who he is, but he fought valiantly alongside us back in Ys.)

(And there's no question that this is the best way of keeping Master safe.)

(So then, why do I keep wishing he would stay somewhere I can keep an eye on him?)

...I might've said this before, but let me say it again:

If you must accomplish something, never give up, no matter the difficulties. As long as you persevere, a way forward will eventually present itself.

That may not mean much coming from a boring old man like me...but I can't help saying it anyway.

？！

Okay Fujimaru, do you have your smoke bombs?

Good. Then let's get started with our infiltration.

As luck would have it, it's almost sundownnever mind how strange the idea of "sundown" is several kilometers under the surface...

...At any rate, now should be a good time to scale the castle walls.

Gah! This is the brightest deserted alley I've ever seen in my life!

This city is certainly no less of a surprise than Ys, however different...

？！

The Nightless City... A legendary place from Chinese myth, much like Ys was a legend from French myth.

The original name in Chinese can also be translated as "Nightless Castle". However, the word for "Castle" actually means the outer walls of a city in Chinese.

It's described in the Book of Han, but there aren't a lot of details about it. All we know is that the city was known for being very bright, even at nighttime.

But given the image its name invokes, that expression came to be used for other cities that never sleep, like Shinjuku and Shanghai.

What about that Assassin?

Unlike Ys, nobody knew much about who the Nightless City's ruler was, or even if there was one at all.

So I think it's entirely possible that she's a Servant with no relation to the city who just happens to be using it for her base.

Much like how Rider is using the peach garden as his.

Good point. Whoever Rider is, I kinda doubt he has much to do with a Chinese peach garden.

That said, the Assassin who destroyed Ys did seem to have a Chinese air about her...

No, I shouldn't speculate when we still have so little information. Anyway, what's your next move?

I too believe we should learn from our mistakes at Ys. This time, we should take great pains to ensure this covert operation remains covert.

As such, we should start by gathering information with as small a group as possible.

Once we know more about the city itself, the threats we face, and where to find the Assassin, then and only then do we all move in.

Yup! Makes sense! I'd probably get lost in no time anyway!

Incidentally, Astolfo and I will be the ones to go and gather information.

Huh? Why me?

Remember the citizens of this city we saw on the way here?

As we suspected, this city is primarily inhabited by women...

...but unlike the pirates of Ys and the Amazons, these women are quite diverse in dress and race.

The only thing they have in common is that they are all women.

Therefore, as long as we keep our wits about us, the two of us should also be able to pass as citizens.

Of course, if you insist, I am willing to go alone.

True. Working as a team would let us deal with a much wider variety of challenges.

Much as I am used to working solo, this would undoubtedly be safer in case something goes wrong.

What's more, here in this city full of women, you are the only member of this group who would not stand out walking beside me.

Well...I suppose Master may be able to pass with the right outfit, but that is too great a risk.

I'm the only one, huh? Gosh, when you put it like that...

R-really? I AM pretty cute, huh!? It's a liiittle embarrassing for someone to just blurt it out though!

？！

Okay, I'll do it!

I was gonna let d'Eon handle the boring stuff and spend some "quality time" with Master here in this alley...

...but if you're that insistent, I'd be a disgrace to the Twelve Paladins of Charlemagne if I refused!

Let's do this thing!

In that case, I'll have to remain here too. I may not be able to help gather information, but I will at least keep this areaand Mastersecure.

I am young, I know, but I vow to protect Fujimaru with my life.

Well, Chaldea's staff needs to focus on monitoring Master above all else.

So if you two are going to go off on your own, I'm afraid we won't be able offer any help from our end.

Not a problem. That's why we're going together.

But what about the Assassin of the Nightless City? She saw you both back at Ys.

The other citizens here may not recognize you, but what will you do if she does?

A good point. We'll need some sort of disguise. That will not be a problem.

Fortunately, I snuck into an empty house on the way here and borrowed two outfits from its closet.

Naturally, I didn't have the luxury of choice in what I took, but since they were both hanging in the closet of a house belonging to an ordinary citizen...

...they should let us blend in well enough.

Heh, any good espionage agent knows how to procure necessary equipment on-site. Though I can't say I'm especially proud to do so.

J-just to remind you, Master, my title is "Knight," not "Thief"!

？！

So is one of those outfits for me?

Of course. That is why there are two of them.

However, I only had time to base my selection on whether or not they would fit.

So I don't wish to hear any complaints about how your outfit looks. Here, take it.

Aww, come on, isn't it important to look good even in disguise? I mean, we don't wanna get hauled in by the fashion police, do we!?

Oh well, guess I may as well try it on.

Wh-why are you changing here!? Don't you realize Master is watching!?

？！

...

Ugh, at least change in the shadows here! Don't the Twelve Paladins have any sense of decency!?

Hmm, well I can't really say as far as Roland's concerned. But overall, I'd have to say...nope!

That's nothing to be proud of! Ugh, come with me! I need to change as well!

Heeey! Where's the fire? I'm already naked anyway! Eep! My butt's cold exposed like this!

Wha...

Hm?

Oh la vache! What're these outfits!?

Mine's a sailor uniform!

W-wait! I-I don't know what to make of this either, Master!

Please don't look at me like that!

... (Twitch)

I don't know why you're shouting like that, but stop it, Master! You're scaring Fou!

You know, I think these are pretty spiffy!

？！

I-I admit that I didn't look very closely when I took these outfits, so perhaps I shouldn't be surprised that they turned out to be like...this.

Let me ask you this: Exactly what sort of room did you take these from?

Nothing special. Just an ordinary bedroom with an ordinary chest of drawers.

Ohhh, a bedroom, huh? Well then, I bet you can guess what these outfits were doin' there, huh?

...

A-at any rate, I'm afraid I don't have time to go searching for different outfits now...

What's wrong with these? Far as I can tell, the only problem is that we're just too damn cute!

I'm not certain that these outfits will fit in as you explore the city, but I AM certain that the other women here are dressed in all manners of ways...

So, given that...

Yes, that's true... I've seen Western clothing, Japanese clothing, Chinese clothing, and all manner of fashions ranging from medieval to modern times.

In which case, perhaps we won't stand out too much after all...

...

？！

Oh, uh, it's not a very big deal, but...

Well, there's one thing I'd like to make sure of.

(Whisper, whisper) Master, you're not sure of d'Eon's gender either, are you?

？！

Right. So...given that, as much as I hate to ask you to do this... Could you maybe take a look?

？！

Me too. But of course, that doesn't prove anything definitely. That's what's making d'Eon so mysterious.

Perhaps Heroic Spirits can use skills to alter their physical appearance, or perhaps... Well, that's the only option I can think of myself.

I don't see a way to resolve this matter with any certainty. We could always ask, but I believe d'Eon would just smile and change the subject.

？！

Yes...I guess you're right. I'll do my best not to pay it any mind then.

Very well. Astolfo, we shall have to undertake the mission dressed as we are. And please, keep your wits about you and do not draw undue attention.

'Kaaay. ...Hmm, I wonder if I'd look cuter with my skirt hiked up more.

There we go.

That is exactly what I was just talking about! Do not adjust your skirt as you walk! Do you WANT the world to see what's under your skirt!?

Well, things certainly are a lot quieter without those two around, aren't they.

Still, their task will require not a small amount of stealth and skill. I think it would be best if we just waited patiently for them to return.

A city populated entirely by women... To be honest, I'm finding this place a little disconcerting too.

Though of course, I'll make sure to do everything in my power to keep Fujimaru safe if necessary.

Still feeling out of place? The other you we know would almost certainly be thrilled to be here.

If anything, he'd hate the idea of waiting around doing nothing in a back alley when there's a whole city full of women right in front of him.

Either that, or he'd be on the edge of his seat waiting for something exciting to happen.

And I don't mean an enemy attack. Although now that I think about it, I suppose a Celtic warrior would find that exciting too, for very different reasons.

I see... So, what sort of exciting things would the Fergus you know be waiting for, if not an enemy attack?

？！

Exactly that sort of thing, Fujimaru.

Even now, I can almost hear the other Fergus saying, "Well isn't this my lucky day!? Hers, too!"

That's awful. Do I really end up becoming a vulgar man obsessed with women as no more than sexual objects?

No, that can't be right. I'm sure I turn out to be a proper warrior. She mentioned I would enjoy an enemy attack as well as...that other thing.

Still, I can't help but worry... I'd better get back to training. That'll get my mind off this stuff.

I think I'll start with some Celtic squats while keeping an eye on our perimeter. Pardon me.

Now you two have gone and made poor Fergus uneasy with all your teasing.

Don't worry, Fergus. You'll always be you, no matter what else happens.

Please don't dwell on it. It's okay to just be yourself.

Thank you, Mash.

But I like to train whenever (squat) I have a spare moment, (squat) so this IS me being myself (squat).

I-I see... You really do enjoy training, don't you.

？！

I...don't think I'd say it's appealing. It's more...routine.

I think it's really sort of separate from the things you do for fun, or because you like them.

For me, training is something I do because I have to. I don't know if there's anything more to it than that.

That said, I don't do nearly enough, which is why I'm still just a fledgling.

But I can say that I know my stuff when it comes to more knowledge-oriented things.

The druids who teach me are actually afraid of me now, since I learn everything they teach me so quickly that they keep running out of material.

They say that if they let me, I'd end up making them talk all day every day, from morning to night.

？！

I guess everyone really does have their own backstory.

...That goes for other Servants too, of course. This has been a good reminder of that.

Every one of them lived a full life and achieved something great as a hero.

Their pasts must be very precious to them.

Fergus, Astolfo, d'Eon... Galahad, who entrusted me with his power...

They all had their own lives before they became heroes. I'd love to hear more about them someday.

Yeah. If you really give it some thought, it makes sense. Of course the Heroic Spirits written about in legends and myths would have led tumultuous lives.

And since, by definition, their stories were exciting enough to pass on to future generations, there's not a boring one to be found in the bunch.

Right. So, Fergus, please don't feel as if you have to force yourself to do anything.

No matter what else may happen, as long as you remain yourself...

...you'll become who you're meant to be.

D-does that mean I'm doomed to become a man obsessed with his desire for women!? That's terrible!

Uh, n-no, sorry, I didn't mean it like that. I just meant that you will become a strong, charming warrior.

I do take issue with some of your future self's more overtly harassing comments...

...but you still grow up to be a great man, almost like everyone's dependable uncleHuh?

Sorry, I'm afraid I mistook this sound for your breathing, Fergus!

There's some heavy breathing approaching you now at what appears to be running speed!

Heavy breathing!? C-could it be a half-naked woman after all...!? (Gulp)

(Pant, pant, pant)

It's a dog.

Thank goodness... Yes, I'm genuinely glad that's what it turned out to be! Though that's not to say that I'm in favor of letting dogs run around without a leash!

Be careful. It appears to be hungry!

Phew... Glad that's over with.

Well those things seemed to be dogs. Technically, anyway.

Perhaps those were some of the dogs Rider was talking about?

？！

By the way, is everything okay there?

Everything happened so suddenly that I have trouble imagining you could've kept quiet.

To say nothing of how noisy combat usually is. Even in a deserted back alley like this, there's a chance that someone may have

There! I can hear breathing and footsteps again! And they don't belong to an animal this time!

C-could it be...!?

Crap, I forgot to feed them! Where could they have gone!?

Oh man, this is bad. Really bad! When those things get hungry, they go around eating other men!

I think I heard something off this way!

So it was a fully-clothed man. Well, I'm glad it turned out that way, too.

What the...!? They're dead!? Wh-who are you people?

Wait! You're not subjects of the Nightless City, are you?

You seem to be...alone. That's lucky. Were you taken from the surface?

We're allied with the Resistance that's trying to free the enslaved men. Maybe you've heard of them?

If you help us, we may be able to rescue the men here in the Nightless City as

...! Stop, stop! Now's not a good time!

If I heard you, they must have heard you too. Which means it's only a matter of time until they come looking to see what happened.

Oh god, what am I going to do? They're coming. They're coming with their billhooks and hammers!

The merciless executioners will be here soon!

That's something kinda funny about this city, don'tcha think?

The lights are scattered so haphazardly... Not a thought is given to order. They may shine bright...

...but their gleam lacks warmth and truth, in stark contrast to the gleam of Versailles.

...Not that Versailles's gleam was perfectly righteous either.

It was designed to pile extravagance upon extravagance...to show that there was no greater place to be found anywhere in the world.

But this glow is quite the opposite. It has been expanded endlessly, signifying that it has ambitions well beyond where it is now.

Yeah, it does kinda feel like they've just been piling on lights for the sake of doin' it!

The lights are so bright you can't even read what the signs say, and there's so many of them that you're never sure where you're supposed to look.

And what's with that platform in the middle of the plaza? It has such an imposing presence, and it's as flashy as anything else here.

I bet I can figure it out if I reeeally wrack my brain! Hrrmmm... Oh! I got it! Maybe...it's a DJ booth?

I do not know what it is, but I know it is NOT a DJ booth.

(Although...why does the sight of that object put my heart so ill at ease?)

Y'know, chaotic as this place is, compared to Ys it's...surprisingly orderly?

Indeed. It may have something of a squalid luminescence, but it is a far cry from decadence.

It almost feels as though it is flourishing, which is rather strange considering how far underground we are.

Oh! These people are kinda weird, too. We really DON'T stand out much, even in these outfits.

Quite. While they do all appear to be largely around the same age, they are otherwise completely dissimilar in almost every respect.

And the real surprise...

...is that there are men here.

Yeah, and it doesn't even seem like a big deal. Like, they don't even have any collars or chains on them. I wonder why they don't just run away?

They could be bound by some sort of spell. We'll have to talk to someone in order to find out.

However, speaking with one of the women may be dangerous. I think it would be best if we were to find a man who was by himself.

Yeah, but that's easier said than done when it seems like everyone is all...couply. They're even locking arms and everything. What's going on?

How come things seem so normal and so NOT normal at the same time!?

Wait. There's a group of two men and one woman over there. That seems odd. Let's follow them.

Are you cold, master?

I'm fine, thank you.

Here, master, use my coat.

Oh my, aren't you sweet.

What do you think you're doing? She said she wasn't cold, you brown-noser.

Hmph. It's not my fault you're too dense to read between the lines.

Now now, no fighting. I love you both equally. Mwah.

You have a lovely nose, and you have beautiful round eyes. You're both special. So no more fighting, okay?

You... You are too kind, master. Thank you!

You truly are too kind, master. I'm sorry for how I behaved.

Aw, c'mon. You gotta be kidding me with this reverse harem stuff! Look at them just smooching it up in public!

...Shhh. The woman just told the men to wait for her over there while she goes to the bathroom.

Now's our chance to get in closer.

Ugh... This sucks.

...?

I'm sick of buttering her up all the time...

You must be sick of it too, right? I don't know how much more of this I can take.

I'm going along with this 'cause I don't wanna die. I'm not a subject of this nation. And let's not kid ourselves, that's just her way of calling us "pets."

I got a wife and kid back on the surface. C'mon, she's never left us on our own before. Now's our chance.

...Let's get out of here.

I've even heard there's a group called the Resistance outside this city. If we can just meet up with them...

d'Eon...!

Yes. Now we know how these men truly feel about living here. Let us go talk to them and find out

...?

...Well? Say something. Aren't you fed up with

(Deep breath) ...

Attention! I wish to make a report!

Wha...!?

This man would disturb the Nightless City's peace! He means to flee this city of harmony and light!

Something's not right here... Astolfo, stop!

Come quick! We have a criminal here! Bring Her Highness's justice down upon him!

S-stop that. Please, don't call them. You've got it all wrong. I was just kidding around...

Whatever you do, don't call for the Torturers!

Oh god, what am I going to do? They're coming. They're coming with their machetes and hammers!

Those merciless executioners will be here soon!

I'm sorry, what are you talking about? Who are these executioners?

Y-you mean you don't know? I'm talking about the Torturers!

The Empress's official torturers who serve as the Nightless City's police force!

If you know what's good for you, you'll hurry and make yourselves scarce! That's what I'm going to do!

I'm still not sure what he meant, but something is definitely headed your way. Be careful!

...Guard dogs 17, 18, and 19 confirmed dead. Likely culprits...spotted.

They do not appear to be kept by any subjects. Rather, they appear to be intruders.

Ugh! She stinks of blood and guts.

In fact, she absolutely reeks of them!

...

And of course, she's a woman... That huge weapon must be so unwieldy, given her physique.

...No, that's not the issue. This bloody stench isn't that of a warrior fresh off the battlefield.

It really does bring to mind an executioner! This woman has almost certainly spilt the blood of others far beyond what could be deemed necessary!

...Rejoice. Her Highness is most lenient. Intruders though you may be, she will still grant you a chance to swear fealty.

Now choose.

Will you swear fealty after your judgment...or before?

Very well. Then let the judgment proceed.

No. Judgment is Her Highness's strictest law. None can avoid it.

？！

The penalty for killing a guard dog is the amputation of your four limbs, so that they may be fed to the other guard dogs.

It is a perfectly just and ecological solution, as one would expect from Her Highness.

This woman doesn't look so inclined to be lenient about amputating our arms and legs...

...She is clearly as frightful as her bloody stench implies. I cannot help but hate and pity her.

I feel like women should be more, well...free, whether they're fighters or not.

Take Dahut. She may have been evil, but she was proud of who she was.

But you're not proud of anything. All I sense from you is self-admonition.

As for that weapon of yours, you will never mete out your so-called judgment on Fujimaru.

I may be young and inexperienced, but I will still protect him with every fiber of my being.

Furthermore, even in death, I will never swear fealty to that Assassin. After all

？！

D-do you have to say things like that when I'm trying to steel myself for battle!?

So, you refuse to swear fealty to Her Highness! Your punishment shall now be far more severe!

Y-you actually beat the Torturer? You guys are amazing!

？！

Fou!

Thank you, but all I did was defend against them.

We could never have defeated them without Fujimaru's quick thinking and unerring orders.

...Sorry for hiding out on my own back there, but we're terrified of the Torturers.

We could never hope to stand against them. Not after seeing one of their "shows"...

"Their shows"? Senpai, this is a good chance to talk to one of this city's inhabitants and learn more about what's going on here.

Aah! Who said that?

Oh, don't mind me. I'm on your side.

Just think of me as a talking version of that cute fluffy animal over there.

Fou?

You lot sure can use some weird spells...

Anyway, I'm just grateful you all defeated her. If you hadn't, I'd have been killed for letting dogs I was in charge of get away like that.

After what you did for me, I'll help you out in any way I can.

Wow, this is a real stroke of luck, having someone who can provide us with information show up like this while we were just waiting here.

It makes me feel kind of bad about having d'Eon and Astolfo disguise themselves to sneak into town.

So you have other allies here too? I just hope they haven't run into any Torturers themselves.

Or that they haven't seen the Torturers at work...

I take it you're referring to the show you mentioned earlier.

Would you please tell us everything you can about this city, the Torturers, and what role they play here?

Of course. First off

What was that? I've got a bad feeling about this...

...Attention, subjects. This man has committed a crime.

The crime of plotting an escape from our glittering paradise here in the Nightless City.

The contemptuous crime of snubbing Her Highness's boundless mercy for her loyal subjects!

This must be some kinda show...

So that's what that platform in the plaza is for: a scaffold for public executions.

...I don't like this.

Come now, don't feel bad. You did the right thing.

Of course. I'm well aware that crimes must be promptly reported. I simply followed Her Highness's law.

Aww, you're such a good boy. I'll have to give you an extra special reward once we get home.

...You are too kind, master.

(Dammit, I didn't do anything wrong. I just didn't want to die...)

(If you want to survive in this city, you have to sell out anyone who might drag you down with them!)

Please, don't do this. I'm begging you. Wh-what are you going to do to me?

...Your punishment has been determined. I will remove your fingertips.

I-is that it!?

I promise, I'll never even think about running away again. So please, spare me!

...Next will be the middle of your fingers. Then their bases. Your palms. Your wrists. From there, I will slice your arms into equally sized parts from your wrists up to your elbows.

Then I'll do the same from your elbows to your shoulders. Next your legs, then your torso.

Your body will be whittled down piece by piece from its extremities until you cease to exist.

This slow shredding of the body is known as "Lingchi."

...!

It was extremely pragmatic of Her Highness to come up with this as the ultimate punishment.

While the fine technique required to perform it makes it a slow method to learn...

...we Torturers are certain it will be regarded as the greatest form of execution known to humankind.

E-e-execution...

You should be grateful to Her Highness. You have been given the gift of time to repent for your sins.

Those who die by the guillotine or the rope are not so lucky.

You are truly fortunate, save that you sadly will not have the opportunity to experience Her Highness's other innovative torture methods.

I would have liked to see her kneeling torture or tree torture myself. Ah, so you already weep in regret.

You might have had a chance to experience them, but now that your sentence has been determined, I'm afraid we don't have time.

Oh god... Oh god...

Then let us begin with the first cut: your fingertips.

Oh god, oh god. AAAAAAHHH!

It started! Ahaha, wow, they look just like little shrimps! And look how much blood is spraying out too!

Haha, yes, it's really...something...

...

...I knew that platform inspired feelings of dread in me, even if I wasn't sure why.

But...now that I've seen this horrific display, I finally understand.

d'Eon...?

It is a scaffold used for executions. It may not have a guillotine, but it serves the same purpose.

Once, long ago...I failed to prevent such an execution.

When the guillotine was soaking France's streets in blood, I was not there. I was not able to return.

And so, I cannot help but think... "If only I had been there."

Had I been there, sword in hand, at the scaffold while Marie awaited her death at Sanson's hands...

Perhaps...I could have made a difference...

Yet here I am now...

And once again, I am unable to act!

...Hey, d'Eon? You don't have to overthink this.

The important thing is that we're Servants now.

...I know that. We are currently Heroic Spiritsghosts from the past. I know that it is pointless to think of what could have been...

No, no, no. That's not what I mean at all.

I mean that we're Master's Servants. We're acting directly on his behalf, remember?

So all we gotta ask ourselves is: what would Master do?

...!

But...we have a role to fulfill. An important one.

I know. And saving this guy prooobably won't help us fulfill it. But, oh well!

I say we give it a go! And if it all goes reeeally bad...

...we'll both say we're sorry, okay?

You are a great fool, Astolfo. You really are.

Hee! Everyone's always saying, "Astolfo, stop leaving your brain at home!" But I never do that! Honest!

I can see what they mean, dressed as you are now. Then again, I suppose I'm in no position to speak.

Perhaps that's why I'm compelled to do...this!

There is a crowd of people here. We must end this quickly!

Okay, I'll try!

Ow, she's harder than she looks!

It seems we have attracted reinforcements. This is not good!

...Who are you?

Interfering with an execution ordered by Her Highness is a clear act of treason.

The penalty for treason is death. You two will be executed after this criminal!

Evildoers may not know my name! If you must call me anything...call me Sailor Paladin! Friend of justice and kicker of butts!

And this is...

I-I have to do this too!?

Ugh, in for a penny, in for a pound. I am Maid Knight, friend of justice and defender of the innocent!

Uwaa, I just got goosebumps! Please don't! I just know he'll do something horrible with it!

Wha...!? D-don't you dare! Th-that would be a clear breach of my portrait rights!

？！

Wait, what are you doing here anyway, Master!?

And you, Fergus!

We heard an ominous sound and thought we should come take a look just in case. I'm glad we're not too late!

At any rate, this is horrible. Just horrible!

There. You have been added to the list of today's executions.

Once you are all dead, the names "Sailor Paladin" and "Maid Knight" will forever be engraved in the history of the Nightless City!

Just to be QUITE clear, those are NOT our real names!

Fou, fou!

I'm searching for a new place to hide as we speak. For the moment, please keep running, and don't stop!

I'm glad we managed to beat them, but they were weirdly...uh...tanky?

I've realized something after fighting them.

Remember those citizenserrr, subjectsthat were gathered around? I believe they and the Torturers are fundamentally the same thing.

？！

It's just my impression...

...but I got an identical feeling from the Torturers we defeated as I did from the subjects.

Their only true difference was their weaponry.

Essentially, I believe that those serving as Torturers are chosen from among the women here.

Maybe that means this whole city could be a threat, kinda like Ys.

Anyway, at least we managed to rescue this guy from being executed. Now we just need to find somewhere safe and catch our breath!

Okay...I don't see any enemies nearby. I think we're good for now!

I'm so sorry for all this trouble...

Oooh, really? I didn't know you were into that sorta stuff, Master!

V-very well... If you insist!

Stop! Senpai was just kidding!

？！

...At any rate, a lot has happened since we came here, but...

...thanks to you two, we did manage to learn more about this city.

In fact, given what things are like here, something like this may have been unavoidable.

I agree. Now we know about the Torturers, the subjects, and what life is like for men here.

Things may be different from how they were in Ys, but men are still treated as lesser beings here.

They are controlled by an incredibly severe set of laws, and offenders are subject to extremely harsh penalties enacted by the Torturers.

...It's horrible. It's just as terrifying here as it was in the last city.

I might never have believed just how terrifying it was if I hadn't seen it for myself.

...I don't blame you. There are no words to describe just how awful the Torturers are.

Oh hey, so who's this guy, anyway?

This man agreed to help us after we ended up saving him. He says he can no longer return to their society.

You people really are incredible. I still can't believe you stopped a Torturer's execution and brought that guy back with you...

Hnghhh...

He's missing a hand, and he's lost a lot of blood. We can try to staunch the bleeding, but I don't know if he'll even last the night.

I'm not sure that matters. Security's suuuper tight, so it won't be easy for us to leave.

Plus, we can't keep Rider and the Resistance waiting outside for us forever.

？！

Indeed. We must defeat the empress, and free this entire city.

...!

So I would ask you: Can you tell us where we can find the Assassin who rules the Nightless City?

You've been living in this city for some time now, right? You must have some idea where she could be.

...I'm afraid not. Men are the lowest rung of society here. We're no more than laborers for the women.

The only reason you see us walking side by side is because the women have permitted it.

If I'm being perfectly honest...we are just slaves.

Slaves...

As long as we obey the law, men and women are on equal footing here. At least on paper.

But basic human rightsthings like free speech and suchall belong to women.

In the court, two opposing men can expect a fair trial, but if it's a man and a woman, the law almost always sides with the woman.

We have no real freedoms. What we eat, when we sleep...our lives are regulated. Naturally, we don't get to choose where we go or what we see either.

So I really have no idea where the empress could be.

？！

Rumors, huh... In that case... Well, I don't know if there's anything to it, but I've heard that there's some sort of underground facility here.

But of course, no one, not even proper subjects, can just walk in. You have to be a Torturer or higher to even have a hope of that.

An underground facility exclusively for big shots? Sounds pretty perfect for a villain's hideout!

How would one go about entering this place? Where is it located?

I-I told you, it's just a rumor. I have no idea how much of it is true, if anything. That said...

I do remember a guy telling me how a Torturer suddenly showed up out of nowhere right in front of him. He thought he was gonna die.

She wasn't just walking about, either. He said that one moment she wasn't there, and the next, she was.

So, if that place exists, there might be a secret underground entrance to it near where that happened.

？！

Did he tell you where this happened? If not, can you take us to this guy?

As luck would have it, he really did die after he got reported for something else. What a sick joke.

Still, I do have an idea of where it was. It's a place you're all familiar with too.

Fou?

It's behind the plaza with the execution scaffold you all just left.

It's very quiet here now. Maybe that's because it's almost morning?

Huh, I would've thought the city would still be up in arms looking for us. Guess not!

If we knew things had quieted down this much, maybe we could've escaped after all.

Maybe, but that wouldn't do us any good. I believe this was the correct choice.

For that matter, things may have quieted down here because they thought we HAD escaped, and are concentrating their search outside accordingly.

I too believe this was the correct choice.

So what do we do now?

Do we wait around here for the Torturers to come out, or take the risk of looking around ourselves?

？！

Okay, he said it was behind the scaffold, right? Gotta be quiet now...

Y'know, I am pretty sure I've said it before, but this place SUCKS for covert ops!!!

There's sooo much light! It's impossible to sneak through the shadouh, is it just me, or is it getting even brighter around here?

...! Oh no. It's a trap!

Neehahaha! ...Uh, I mean, kehehehe!

Welcome to my castle, uh...oh yes, Hun Yang.

...On second thought, I'm already tired of that name! From now on, I'll call you Shi Gou, or "Wet Dog," since you evidently love to slink through shadows!

That's...the Assassin of the Nightless City!

Oh no... Look around the plaza!

It's an ambush! We're completely surrounded!

But how did they know where weGyah!

Heh...hehe. Don't blame me for this.

If you have a chance to report someone, you take it, get rewarded, and raise your status as a citizen.

That's what you have to do to survive in here. We don't have a choice.

I mean, do you guys really believe you have a chance of bringing down the Nightless City? 'Cause I sure as hell don't.

Once I heard you had other allies here with you, I thought I'd get a better reward if I sold you all out together, so I've just been biding my time.

I see. Now I finally understand what Rider meant.

This city truly is home to nothing but dogs!

Dogs are a traditional symbol of bravery for the Ulster clan, but these are something else entirely!

H-hey, you'll let me serve a high-class subject now, right!? I'll be guaranteed a safer life than I had before now, right?

Indeed, you did well to inform us of our guests. You will receive your reward, as promised.

Th-that's great!

However, your manner toward your empress is quite insolent, and you clearly lack dignity.

Take him away. Let's see now...twenty lashes ought to improve his poor attitude.

And...some hot water torture to boil off one of his two faces while you're at it. Go on, be off with you.

N-no... Please... Aaahhh!

...

Now then, it would be unbecoming not to show my guests a proper welcome!

As such, you are all invited to join me at my castle.

？！

Hoho, an underground facility, eh. I suppose that isn't entirely inaccurate. But no, I simply keep it buried underground as a matter of course.

It would cause my subjects no end of emotional turmoil if I were to constantly grace them with my noble presence, after all.

It is the mark of a truly excellent ruler to erase all trace of herself, so as not to overwhelm her subjects.

So I, of course, am no exception.

However, now that we have guests to welcome, it won't do to have the Nightless City's true form hidden away like this. Behold!

...Hm? What's that, tactician? That would be both dangerous and pointless, you say?

You fool! The point is to shock the living daylights out of them!

They shall be so agape their eyes might well pop right out of their heads! I have to see that for myself!

...?

Now, let us ignore my silly tactician's advice and try this again. Behold the Nightless City's true form!

An earthquake!? No...this is something else!

The scaffold is cracking open... Something enormous is rising up out of the ground!

I can't believe it!

I-it's a castle! It's even brighter than the rest of the city combined! Who thought THAT was a good idea!?

This is the heart of the Nightless City, its brightest shining star. I call it Yaoguang Hall, or "The Hall of Divine Light." A perfectly fitting name!

Kehehe! To be perfectly honest, I've been waiting for someone with spirit to show up, so that I could finally show it off!

I can't make use of the mechanism I had put in place to make it appear like this on a whim, after all.

Now then, I shall have a feast prepared in your honor while I await you in my castle! Feel free to frolic with my attendants as you make your way here!

Attendants? Oh crap, she must mean all the Torturers coming out of the entrance!

So we have Torturers guarding the gate before us, and Torturers surrounding our escape route behind us. What would you have us do, Master?

Now you're talking!

Agreed. I believe Rider would say the same if he were here!

？！

I'm glad to hear that. It's part of my geis to never turn down an invitation to a feast.

Now that the Assassin has invited us to one, I was prepared to go all by myself if you had declined.

？！

Fou!

Right. Let's go, Master! The Assassin is almost in reach!

These must be your personal chambers.

Indeed! How good of you to come, Shi Gou!

Confirmed! That's the Assassin of the Nightless City! But...who's that next to her?

...

Another Servant reading! Be careful, Master!

Hm? Oh yes, I suppose you wouldn't have met yet, would you. Very well, you may introduce yourself.

...All right. I'm a Caster Servant.

I serve as a tactician here in the Nightless City.

(Another woman... But, she seems so uncomfortable.)

...

(And her eyes...they're so sad. It's as though she's scared of everything.)

Oho, a tactician? And here I thought you were the type to lead a nation a touch more whimsically.

Don't be ridiculous. The best rulers are those who know how to make use of their subjects. I take great pride in my choice of adjutants.

Skilled underlings deserve to be valuedto be given the sort of work that suits those skills.

I am an unrivaled judge of talent. I would go so far as to say that not even the great Qin Shi Huang or my ancestor, Liu Bang, can surpass me.

Case in point: it was all thanks to Caster's clever planning that I was so easily able to drown those filthy rats in Ys. Hahaha!

？！

...I'm afraid it's true. I did once serve Ys.

But, if I had stayed there, well... I didn't want to die, so...

Dahut pursued hedonistic pleasure to its absolute extreme. She never planned for the future, but always chose to live purely for the moment.

Caster tried to warn her over and over, but that lust-crazed wench refused to listen.

In time, she realized that Ys would one day come to an ignominious end, and decided to come work for me.

And I am truly grateful for your compassion, your Highness.

Speaking of which, what do you think of my Nightless City? It's nothing at all like that pitiful pile of planks that used to be Ys, right?

？！

Indeed, I knew you'd say as muWh-what!? (Flump)

Whoa! She just fell right off her throne and faceplanted! Just like in my cartoons! Oooh, she sure popped right back up there though!

A-absurd. You must be lying to me. That...there's no other reason you would say such a thing!

You couldn't possibly fail to see its splendor after witnessing it firsthand! I cannot believe otherwise!

Whatever your original purpose in coming here, you should have seen enough of my city even before I granted you an audience to recognize its brilliance!

If anything, I was certain you would arrive, prostrate yourselves before me, and beg me to let you live in my glorious city! Don't you agree, tactician!?

...Yes, of course. I...couldn't agree more.

(I can see she's doing her best to avert her eyes.)

Hey! We're the ones who can't believe what we're hearing? How could you be proud of this glowy mess?

You need to ask? The answer is blindingly obvious.

This city is light itself. Where there is light, there is justice. Thus, this city is overwhelmingly just. In fact, it is a city of nothing BUT justice!

...! That is utterly absurd!

You have torture openly displayed. The men your women keep are terrified of it and rightly so!

People rat each other out left and right. Nobody can trust anyone else, let alone speak their minds freely!

Well of course. I strongly encourage my subjects to report any transgressions they witness, after all.

What...?

If anything, I would distrust the ones who don't. Evil should not be hidden. Crimes should not be covered up.

They should say something the moment they so much as sense wrongdoing afoot. That way, my loyal Torturers can take over and compel the offender to come clean.

...There is so much wrong with that... I don't even know where to start. Just off the top of my head, what about false accusations or misunderstandings?

A system like that would surely incentivize people to falsify reports in order to kick others down.

Never. That sort of thing only happens in other, lesser nations.

In a truly just nation, one that holds itself to the highest standard, there can be no mistakes, and certainly no false accusations...

...nor any who would misuse the reporting system for their own ends. Such things would simply never happen.

Exactly. Take a walk around! Your city isn't even KINDA like that!

？！

The Nightless City is still young. As such, some...growing pains are to be expected.

But, as my methods spread and take root, this city will quickly grow closer to that ideal.

Nonetheless, with all of that said, even you cannot deny that my city is far more peaceful and orderly than Ys or El Dorado.

Surely you saw for yourselves how brightly it glitters? That is all the proof you could need to know that my reign is good and proper.

Under my rule, evil will die out, the strong will assume responsibility and flourish, and the weak will serve as their foundation.

What could possibly be wrong with that? Even a child could see the simple truth of this path!

(...In one sense, she's right. That WOULD be a strong manner in which to lead a country. But...)

Here, I'll spell it out for you: in a nation where everyone holds themselves to the highest standards, reporting wrongdoing is the perfect approach.

With all of my subjects vigilant, there will be no tolerance for evil of any kind, no matter how small.

Eventually, that approach will lead to the end of evil entirely.

And so the goal of proper conduct is precisely what will set people on the correct path!

I don't know if this is the best way to say this, but...you're wrong. You're just...wrong.

Even if that did make evil disappear, and no more crimes ever took place in that nation anymore...

...I can't imagine the people who live there could ever smile.

？！

Grrr. I don't know who that voice belongs to, but she was clearly "dissing" me! How dare you!

None of you has even the slightest self-control! And it's not just you! All of humanity is like that!

You all need to learn to endure the most arduous hardships. To work hard, and study with diligence!

As long as one builds character like that, evil will never take root in their minds! In time, there will no longer be a need for transgressions to be reported!

And yet...

You dare to criticize my rule, and in my presence! Caster, what is the punishment for this heinous crime?

I don't think we have a punishment for this particular...crime. But, if we add this to the "bothering me for no specific reason" category...

...then the punishment would be for Your Highness to torture them yourself, and then life in prison.

Yes, that will do. Very well then, I shall first torture you myself, then you can begin your new life rotting in my dungeon!

However, since I am nothing if not merciful, I shall call in my best Torturers, those who can compel anyone to speak the truth.

In effect, I shall make it easier for you to repent and confess your true feelings. Namely...

"I beg your forgiveness. Your Nightless City is actually super awesome. I was just so shy I couldn't come out and say that before." Not that that will lessen the severity of your sentence, of course.

I'm afraid that not even a nation's ruler can bend its laws once she has made them.

Caster, you will assist me.

Um, well, I...

If these people are truly foolish enough to fail to understand the righteousness of my path, they will have come here with the goal of destroying this city.

If they succeed, you will not escape unscathed.

...Then it seems I have no choice. I don't want to die, so...I will fight...

Greeeat, a whole buncha those Torturers again!

We may still have many interlopers to deal with...but we are also finally within reach of our goal. We cannot let this chance go to waste!

You're up against an Assassin and a Caster! We still don't know their True Names, so please, be careful!

You're quite good. More's the pity, really. Why do you not understand?

There is nothing wrong with my system of reporting. As long as people can hold themselves to a high standard, they CAN conduct themselves properly!

Of course, they must put in the effort to do so. Namely, the effort to uphold my laws, to suppress their base desires.

I understand that by virtue of being human, one will inevitably have desires.

The desire to sleep when one wants, to eat what one wants, to be lazy, to even commit crimes...

But it is only the suppression of those desires that will allow for a true and just nation to be born.

In that sense, those fools in Ys were the polar opposite, since they explicitly sought out the pleasures that come from pure indulgence.

And thus, their destruction was assured! But not me. Not the Nightless City.

Though some may remain here who cannot control their desires, they will be weeded out in due time.

If one can apply oneself in a focused, dedicated manner, one is certain to walk a moral and just path! Why can you not understand that!?

Moral people and a just nation, huh?

So far as we can tell, this nation is a den of torture and cruelty. I wonder if it only seems like justice to you because of how above it all you hold yourself.

The more I learn about running nations, the harder it appears to

Stay alert! Some Torturers still remain!

See, that is how I once obtained something I wished for myself. I swore I would claim it, and worked hard to make my goal a reality!

In essence, the moment I made my decision was also the moment in which I acquired the treasure I had been seeking my entire life.

Indeed, that may be why I find myself in this form right now.

Treasure, huh. I got a buttload of that when I was alive, y'know. Course, I ended up either lending it out or giving most of it away...

What kinda treasure didja get?

Hehehe, do you wish to know?

Your Highness, I don't think it's a good idea to

I take it that treasure was a country of your very own, Empress Regnant.

...Oho. It seems you have finally arrived at my name.

I have had many titles, of course, but I am particularly fond of that one. You have good taste.

What do you mean "seriously"!?

That is a pretty damn cool title! I won't hear a word claiming otherwise!

？！

Sorry for my absence. I've been focusing on analyzing the data, and I've finally got an answer.

Granted, she's been giving us plenty of hints from the beginning, but her childish appearance didn't quite line up with everything.

But now that you've fought her directly, we have much more accurate data to work with, and I'm certain of my conclusion beyond any doubt.

Encouraging citizens to spy and report on one another... Employing brutes known as Torturers to go around hurting people and drag out undesired truths...

And this "Yaoguang Hall," the heart of the Nightless City...

While it may not have been quite as flashy as this incarnation, this Servant is still reported to have lived in a building of the same name.

...In other words, all of these are things she used while she was still alive.

She's known as an empress here, right? That's not because she's the ruler of this city.

It's because she really was an empress.

What's more, she was the only empress in all of history to ever rule over China.

A Chinese empress!?

She began her rise as a concubine to Emperor Taizong of the Tang dynasty, and later married his son, Gaozong, following Taizong's death.

She assassinated her rivals, steadily gained power, and eventually claimed the entire country as her own.

She commanded her subjects to address her as "Dowager," "Empress Dowager," and later "Empress Regnant"...

If we believe her most popular name to be her True Name, we have two to choose from:

Zetian Wu Hou or Wu Zetian!

Oh? Hahahaha! Well done. You're absolutely right!

Oh no... Now they know her True Name...

Whaaat!? You're telling me THAT'S a real empress!?

Who are you referring to as "that," you little peach-haired hussy!

？！

You know, I didn't like the look of you from the start... Well, no matter. I can deal with you later.

Now then, since you know I am indeed a true empress, let me ask you: Does that change your mind?

There is no other city that shines as brightly as mine. With proper effort, all can lead a good life.

If you swear to become my subjects, I may even change my mind about imprisoning you for life.

Bah! PASS! This city may not look as horribad or rowdy as Ys, at least on the surface, but...

Indeed. It only LOOKS that way. And then only because its harsh lights prevent one from seeing it clearly.

At its core, it is just as twisted and rotten as Ys.

You can talk about your city's justice and propriety all you like, but in the end, you can't hide the fact that it is fundamentally lacking in both.

As Mash said earlier, it is the one clear truth of this place.

？！

...Well said, Master. Of that much, I'm absolutely certain!

What fools you are. Such a pity.

Clearly both I and my city are simply too bright for rabble such as you. In that case, I won't force you to look. You may avert your gaze and remain in the dark.

There is nothing more to do now, as there is no greater crime than refusing one's punishment.

Now that it has come to this, your execution shall be carried out in a grand and ostentatious manner. Tactician, call my expecting subjects.

...Yes, Your Highness.

In the name of Wu, I command you to be born!

Th-there's more of them now! It's just like what happened with the pirates in Ys!

Oh gross, not again...

Do not mistake me for a smug and foolish ruler. I know very well when to make use of others. However...

I will say this: two among you I will throttle with my own hands!

...That cat with the long fur, and the peach-colored hussy with the cattish air about her!

...Fou!?

Did she just call me that again!?

I can't stand cats. I shall cut off all your limbs myself and stuff you into a bottle for safekeeping!

Fou being a cat is debatable, but that doesn't matter! I'll never let you do that. Let's beat her, Master!

Do you see anything yet, Rider!?

Um, if you like, I'd be happy to take over the telescope for you anduh, never mind!

That flashy castle that showed up out of nowhere must be the Assassin's lair. Nothing of significance seems to have happened except that.

That was some time ago too, and still no smoke signals. I guess they must be fighting her inside there as we speak.

Do...do you think they can win?

They'd better, or else we'll have come out all this way for nothing.

Anyway, it's up to them now. All we can do is make sure we're ready to go in whenever weWhat is it?

W-we just got an urgent report back from the scouts, sir!

What did they say?

Well, from the west side of the Nightless City...

... ...!

You're kidding me. Of all the times...

R-Rider! I've got some bad news!

I know. I've already heard the report.

No, not that! There! Don't you hear it!?

Oh, come on. Now we have to deal with that too!?

Dammit, how unlucky can we get? I wonder whose bad luck it is: mine, or theirs...

Wh-what do we do now, Rider?

You need to ask? We get ready to head in there the moment we see the signal. Now hurry!

...

Guh...

Y-you did it!

No... She hasn't fallen yet!

Tell me... Do you know why I'm an empress? Was I born to it? No. Absolutely not.

I was an ordinary girl, daughter of a lowly government official.

After my father died, and my relatives took me in, they would beat me merely to pass the time.

There is but one reason why I rose from such lowly origins to sit atop all of China...

...because I wished it, set my heart on it, and worked towards it!

I studied books and martial arts! I learned the ways of charm and allure! I cast off everything I didn't need and polished what I did to its utmost!

I worked day and night, foregoing leisure and rest. I trained myself to ignore my relatives' distractions.

And even once my beauty was recognized, and I was admitted into the emperor's palace, I didn't stop.

I killed the emperor's wife. His concubines! So many others I quickly lost count!

I used poison, cunning, power...everything at my disposal to kill all who stood in my way!

Indeed, I rose through pure dedication, as it was the sole method that let me achieve my goals!

And so I gained all of China as my prize. And I did so entirely on my own!

This power she's giving off is immense...even after we have her cornered!

So this is the strength of a true king...

The spirit of one who ruled over a vast land, and left her mark on history!

Oh man... This is just like when Charlemagne gets all mad about something. I don't think we can touch her!

？！

Scratch that! Way to go, Master!

？！

...Hehe. Hehehe. Hehehehe!

I am told that when I was a baby, a monk prophesized that I would one day ascend to the highest domain.

When I learned about this, I was furious at him for sticking his nose into my affairs.

It was not providence that brought me to the top! I would never permit something like that to interfere with my endeavors!

I stand here now on my own two feet. As such, I am the only one who decides when those feet will move.

There is no one else who helped me get hereno others who are responsible for my success. There was no sage's admonition, no fool's blade, no impassioned entreaty pushing me upward!

Thus, not even the heavens themselves can force me to kneel in defeat!

(Her Spirit Origin reading is in tatters, and looks as though it could disappear at any moment. And yet, her presence is still so strong!)

...Crap, he's charging straight in there. This isn't going to be pretty.

!!

What the!?

Hoooly sWhat just crashed through the ceiling!?

Look!

!!

Spirit Origin pattern match confirmed. I still can't believe it!

That's one of the Servants who went missing from Chaldea: Heracles, the legendary Greek hero!

That one strike obliterated Wu Zetian's Spirit Origin!

...

？！

Something's wrong! He's...HUGE!

You're right. Our records indicate he should be about 253cmjust over eight feet tallbut he's clearly far bigger than that!

A-at least, he saved us...? Wh-whoa!

I think he tried to attack me! He just smooshed that Torturer like a spiky pancake!

He's huuuge! And hugely strong! But how is he so faaast!?

？！

...Are you going to face him, Master? I'm afraid that fighting such a ferocious monster will only end in some or all of us dying...

If you wish to fight him nonetheless, I will go alone. I may not be able to defeat him, but I should at least be able to stall him for a few minutes.

...Wait. You mustn't fight him. No matter how strong your defense, a single strike would still end you.

Caster... What do you mean by that? Do you know what's going on here? Why is Heracles so enormous?

Please...sheathe your swords. I have no wish to fight. I surrender.

That man is a Rogue Servant who appeared here in this underground world some time ago. He is a Berserker, in every sense of the word.

He comes and goes at a moment's notice, leaving nothing but destruction in his wake. He is more like a natural disaster than a person.

He has no conscious mind, and of course, he cannot be reasoned with. He is destruction incarnate.

...Wait. Was that what Rider was warning us about before we came here?

That's what he meant!? Welp, I'm sold! Seeing that makes not believing kinda hard!

...I am surprised you answered that so directly. Are you planning something else?

No, I'm not. I just...don't want to die now that Wu Zetian is gone.

Furthermore, I believe our efforts would be best directed at escape.

？！

We've accomplished our goal of defeating Wu Zetian. It seems she wasn't the Demon God Pillar either, but at least we managed to free this city!

I suggest we get out of here and meet back up with the Resistance in order to discuss our next move!

G-good plan! Let's get outta here while that thing is popping Torturers like bubble wrap!

What's going on out here!?

The Nightless City's subjects and Torturers appear to be doing battle with...

The Amazons!?

Fou!?

The El Dorado forces... Of all the times for them to show up...

This is pure chaos. If we don't find a way out of this city soon, we may end up fighting both forces at once!

...Oh great! Look over there! We got even MORE enemies!

...No, wait. That's...!

？！

Sorry, we couldn't wait around for the signal any longer! How'd it go!?

We managed to take down the Assassin, Wu Zetian! But now we have two other big problems!

The Amazons from El Dorado, and the giant Berserker wreaking havoc in the building behind us!

Dammit, I was hoping I was mistaken about seeing him go in here.

Well, no point in thinking about that now. One of those problems would be bad enough. We can't stay here long with both of them to worry about.

There's a hell of a lot more of them than there are of us. If we try to fight them head-on, we'll be done for. Resistance, fall back!

？！

As long as we can help you all escape, it's worth it.

If you are all killed, that could mean the end of the Resistance too.

But if we escape now, there'll be another chance. There always will be, as long as we don't give up.

Thank you for risking your life to help us, Rider. I wish I had a medal suitable to award your bravery.

Haha, and I might take you up on that if a medal could fill your belly! Now come on, let's get going!

...Wait! Don't go near the front gate! That's...

？！

Dammit, of all the rotten luck...!

!!

Aw, man. We've got Berserkers for days here! And the big guy in the castle sounds like he's coming out!

This is what they mean when they say "between a rock and a hard place." What will we do now!?

...Ah, ahh, ahhh...

...AAAHHH!

Here she comes! She's so fast!

Ngh! Don't underestimate me! My sword is sworn to defend and protect! It cannot be broken through brute force alohm...?

...les...! I'll kill him, I'll kill him, I'll kill you!!!

Sh-she just blew right past us!

...And right into the castle where Heracles is.

Wh-what was that all about?

We can figure that out later. Just thank your lucky stars she didn't come after us! Now come on, let's go!

...

(The Nightless City...a city of bright lights where ratting one another out was strongly encouraged.)

(If everyone conducts themselves properly, then no mistakes will be made, and peace and order can last forever. Such a nation would grow and flourish.)

(But that isn't right. You can't just erase or suppress human desires entirely. If anything, I think it's those desires that make life worth living.)

(If the majority of people suppress their desires, the country may well prosper, and the higher-class subjects may well live happily. I don't know if Wu Zetian was aware of how the women here lived their lives.)

(But for them, this nation WAS a happy place. As was Ys for the pirates.)

(...But of course, the same can't be said for the men who were treated as lesser beings. For them, both of these cities were places of terrible suffering.)

(Is there no possible way to create a nation where all of its people can be happy?)

Earth to Fergus! Stop staring at the city and start moving your feet!

Don't forget we still have to pick up that injured guy we hid away earlier!

Oh, right! Sorry!

Well, it wasn't easy, but we all somehow managed to make it out of the Nightless City.

We were all still running away, desperately trying to put some distance between us and the city, when I heard a sound and looked back.

There...I could see the largest building in the whole city, glowing impossibly bright as flames consumed it.

......!

...AAAHHH!

It was faint, but I thought I could see the two monsters fighting each other atop its roof.

One of these monsters was, of course, the "natural disaster." The other, hard as it is to believe...

...looked to be a smaller, yet equally destructive disaster of a sort. I could just be seeing things, but I could have sworn they were evenly matched.