Humanity's Whereabouts

Well now. It would appear our suspicions about that strange spiritron signal we detected were warranted.

We take it you Servant creatures are capable of moving about in your spirit forms then?

And you sent your bodyguards away anyway? Has the great emperor gone senile in old age?

Our scans did not detect any explosives. The closest thing to a weapon you appear to bear is that dagger.

Tell us, how exactly do you plan to damage our holy vessel with that?

I figured as long as I got close enough, the rest would work itself out...

I wouldn't be an Assassin if I didn't have at least that much resolve.

Assassin... Ah, yes, we vaaaguely recall seeing you somewhere before.

Ah, of course, this must be one of those alternate histories. How very strange.

What, you're saying you forgot what I looked like up until now?

Hehe, we have been governing this world for two thousand two hundred and sixty-three years. Just how many attempts do you think were made on our life?

Even we cannot count all the times we have been threatened for the secret to our immortality alone.

Did you truly think that you were our sworn enemy? That you were somehow special among all the other would-be assassins?

...

...Well, we will say that when you came along, we were still looking for immortality in all the wrong places.

Thinking back on it now, I believe you may have even done us a favor by inadvertently putting us on the right track. We should consider rewarding you for that.

Oh yeah? So what, you're gonna give me a medal or something?

Now that you and your companions have made it all the way to Xianyang, we will honor you with a personal condemnation of your strange history.

Wait, you're gonna lecture me? Now?

"Proper" Human History. What a pretentious name. You wear your arrogance in believing that yours is the only true course of events on your sleeve.

In spite of this arrogance, you behave as if your actions are dictated by morality.

Thus, we must convince you beyond all doubt which of our worlds is truly "proper" as you would call it.

...Morality? Oh, so now you're going to tell me that this is the good, just, moral world?

Where you hold all power, where you don't let even the tiniest seed of knowledge take root, and where you casually slaughter your citizens the instant they inconvenience you? You call THAT a good, moral world?

Absolutely. What more glorious purpose could there be for the human race?

You don't think of anyone, anywhere as human, except yourself!

You are quite correct.

By concentrating this land's bounty in a single point, we have become the ultimate human.

Has any one individual ever ascended to such heights in your so-called Proper Human History?

Behold our Great Wall encircling the sky. Behold the great harvest produced by the land. Who else could ever boast such greatness?

Humans in groups cannot accomplish anything. They are shackled by discord, by conflict, by contradictions.

So there will be no humans, no groups.

A Zhenrena true humanshall have total reign over heaven and earth, and unite the species.

A Zhenren? Don't make me laugh. You call this bloated mechanical monstrosity of a body human?

You believe the only human body is one of flesh and blood? That one's status as a person is contingent on whether they have two eyes, four limbs, ten fingers?

Utter drivel.

The true measure of a human...is responsibility.

It lies in bearing responsibility for this worldits skies, lands, and oceans, and the lives of all who dwell within.

Can those of you from Proper Human History choose which species will go extinct? Can you decide the amount of coal that will pollute your atmosphere?

Can you prevent the polar ice caps from melting? Were you ever once successful at controlling your endless desires?

...

We can do all of that, precisely because we are the sole arbiter of this world.

Thus, we are human, for we bear all responsibility for this world on our shoulders alone.

And now you're saying this regime you've set up here has made this world complete? You really believe that?

You are quite correct.

Hmph, then you're a bigger fool than I thought. Being complete is just another way of saying "done."

This precious world of yours has no way forward. You're stuck with nowhere to go.

...

Thanks to becoming a Servant, I learned all sorts of things I could never have known in my own time.

The future of humanity is all about possibility.

I, and those who know me as a Heroic Spirit, have walked many distant worlds.

You said to look at your Great Wall in the sky? I did. All I see is a monument to your so-called eternal empire's limitations.

You said you built that wall in order to defend against threats from other stars? Talk about preposterous.

True, they'd have no way of building something like that in Proper Human History's twenty-first century.

But if they'd had the same resources at their disposal, you can bet they'd use them to explore beyond our world, not shut themselves away.

Your argument reeks of sour grapes.

I'll admit we're off to a slower start. Your empire might well have succeeded at hurrying its evolution along quicker than Proper Human History.

But I'll also bet your world's never produced anything quite like this before.

...What is this toy?

If you think it's a toy, go ahead and scan it. You love analyzing stuff, right?

Hmph. What could be so impressive about a simple rectangle...

...???

...What the?

It's an entire computer and it fits in the palm of your hand.

If you shrank down that absurdly large body of yours into components small enough to fit into this casing, could you even get close to this thing's performance?

...Hmph, but so what. We commend your efforts in packing so much functionality into such a small device.

But its processing power is still barely one millionth of our own!

Did I mention there are four billion just like it in Proper Human History?

... ...What?

That's a personal device. Almost every human in Proper Human History has one.

Th-that's absurd! It is the very height of foolishness!

You hand out processing power similar to our Authority to the general public? Why do something so outrageous?

Without anyone mitigating their desires, it is only a matter of time until they consume every resource on the planet!

If that's all you think computers are good for, you're using yours all wrong.

These things aren't generally used just as computers. Originally, they were just communication devices that were gradually redesigned with computing capability.

...Communication?

You heard me. People share their opinions, pool their thoughts, and work together to achieve a common goal. This is just one more tool to help make that happen.

People have always wanted better ways to communicate. They've never stopped looking for ways to reach mutual understanding and prosperity.

That's how the people...no, the humans, of Proper Human History live their lives.

Then...you are saying every one of the people in your world is a full human unto themselves...?

You're right about one thing. There's no end of quarrels and disagreements.

I'm sure we're a long way off from uniting everyone under shared principles and ideals.

Maybe we never will... Maybe humans will drive themselves to extinction, or suck the planet dry.

Even so, WE aren't done yet. And it's because we're still incomplete that we are always striving to go further than ever before.

In our world, people are always moving forward toward something better. They're not just stuck in one dead-end world that thinks it's a utopia.

...What you claim to strive for is no more than a pipe dream. You have no assurance you will ever truly attain what you see.

Yeah, that's right. It's a dream. It could easily fade away if we're not careful.

That's why we all hope for the same thing: that humanity can reach new heights no one has ever seen.

People who hold that dream become Heroic Spirits, and answer the summons of those who share that dream. That is what Servantsthe executors of the Counter Forcereally are.

We're a sort of being that you'd never think to see in your eternal regime.

...We see. So this better world of yours rests upon nothing more than a roll of the dice, as it were. Reckless. Far too reckless.

You balance the fate of the world on a tightrope. One misstep could destroy all.

We could never permit this.

Yeah, I bet you wouldn't. That's why we find ourselves at an impasse. One of us has to die so the other can carry on guiding the earth.

Hehe, is that so. Tell us then, how do you propose to kill us with that plain, ordinary dagger?

Every one of Epang Palace's defensive armaments is already trained on your person. You will not get one step out the door before you are simply disintegrated.

You still don't get it, do you? Proper Human History is light-years ahead of you in terms of communications and data storage and access.

And in our world, with all its conflict, any technology can be used as a weapon...not that I'm proud of that.

For example...did you know it's possible to poison a computer just by communicating with it?

...Wha...!!!??? You...$#*& In that toy...^<&@u・$・ﾟ3ﾟⅢ...

Yes. You obviously wanted to have a lofty discussion about worldviews and philosophy...but I'm really just here to kill you.

Even if I had to goad you into scanning this phone so you'd end up downloading the virus in it.

fA◆...I...c*Nﾊ...remember...I$o...now...{ﾖyﾟI...Your... ...%/CA_P・ﾛ〒...name...C~#-cZ...is...ﾛOIM^... ...Jing...f・...Ke...vZxﾅ9

That's right! It's been a long two thousand and two hundred years, but I'm finally going to finish this!

...Well done. Well done indeed.

Guh... Wha...?

We commend you, Jing Ke. This time, we will be sure to remember your name. You are the only one to make us fear for our life not once, but twice.

Man... I can't believe this...

I promised Fujimaru I'd make it back safe and everything...

Haha, I knew I never should've have pushed my luck quite so far...

Maybe it's just my destiny to always choke right at the very end...

You are wrong there, Jing Ke. Your Heroic Spirit's true worth lies in dying with a smile, even as you fail at what you set out to accomplish.

Hey, uh, you're sure the giant emperor up there isn't gonna just fall down and squish us, right?

Fou, fooou!

Now that you mention it, Qin Shi Huang has been surprisingly silent. I expected to have heard something by now.

Was. Jing Ke. Successful?

I certainly hope so...

If she had been, then we should have heard back from her by now. It is unfortunate we had no choice but to let her handle the Epang Palace on her own...

So, where should we go about looking for this Fusang Tree?

I'm quite certain you'll find it in the treasury, but I recommend stopping by the Ministry of Technology first, especially as it's right on your way.

Buuut if you'd rather leave that fancy car of yours behind, be my guest!

Ah! The Shadow Border!

Hmm. Well, it's no race car, but we have certainly been through a lot together.

I only hope it's still in one piece...

I'm not sure. It's very possible we'll find it completely disassembled, and its components scattered across the floor...

Hey, this concerns you too, buster! Remember, we need the Border if we're gonna get out of this Lostbelt!

It IS still in one piece! Hooray!

Fo fooou!

Aha, now I see. Qin Shi Huang must be something of a perfectionist when it comes to puzzles.

So that's why Qin Shi Huang took it apart and put it all together again perfectly... The emperor had to be sure of understanding its inner workings!

I bet Qin Shi Huang would be great at building models!

Now that we've got the Border back, we can't lose! Ah, this is great. It feels just like coming home again!

...Uh, it looks like there's a box here marked "Leftover Screws"?

...That DOES it! Qin Shi Huang is going down SO HARD!

(Oh, man. She's breaking out her glasses. She must really mean business!)

Unfortunately, time's not on our side right now, so I'll have to do a full inspection and overhaul later.

Now, let's get out of here! As long as the engine still works, we should be good to go!

...Huh. So you're the Chaldeans? This is a surprise. I expected a huge pack of muscular brutes.

I never imagined a brat, a little girl, and a bunch of scrawny weaklings.

Oh, if it isn't Han Xin. Long time no see.

Han Xin!? As in, one of the Han dynasty's three greatest heroes?

So in this Lostbelt, he ended up serving the Qin empire...

Oh, I don't work for the emperor anymore. In fact, I was just relieved of duty. There's no reason for us to fight.

...Hah! Did you really think I was going to just stand by and watch while you rode off into the sunset?

Lord Chen Gong, that smile...

...Indeed. That's the same look Lord Lu Bu used to have back when we were serving under him.

I can practically smell the blood on you, you freakin' creeper.

I just wanna wage war. What's it matter if there's a reason for it?

Not to mention I've got a lot of help here, and none of them is ready to admit defeat.

So come on, warriors of Proper Human History, let's do this thing. You, us, no restrictions, no holding back. Just good old war for war's sake.

Ahh, there's nothing more exciting than going up against impossibly strong enemies! I can't wait!

...I was unaware Mt. Li had generals...like this slumbering there as well.

And here Qin Liangyu only ever fought to preserve peace...

Lady Liangyu? Oh sure, she was great. I loved that whole pure and innocent thing.

That shine wasn't gonna rub off after just being revived two or three times.

Me, on the other hand, I've been waging wars for the emperor since before that mechanical body! I crushed India...Egypt...Rome...

I never saw the years of peace between. I was always kept on ice for those.

Yeah, I bet you were. You're a freakin' psycho. Nothing you'd do in peacetime but cause trouble.

Everlasting peace is just a way of saying there's no more enemies to conquer.

So I'm awfully glad you guys showed up.

The last time I went back to Mt. Li, after I'd crushed the Aztecs, I didn't think I'd ever get to wake up again.

Now, let me see what sort of messed-up killing techniques you guys came up with in your disordered world where our empire never existed!

Yes, yes, yes! This is awesome! I love a fight to the death! There's nothing better than war!

I can't believe it... These are the same soldiers we fought before! How can they be this much stronger just from a change in commander!?

Yeah, I hear you. Been a long time since I was up against a general who could make your blood run cold.

Monsters such as he are not unheard of in times of war.

(That said...I think this man's strategical sensibilities may even outpace Zhuge Liang's...)

I'm glad to see you're enjoying yourself, Han Xin.

Crap.

Oh, hello, Captain. Are you sure a hard-ass like you wants to get mixed up in a wild brawl like this?

The emperor asked me to keep an eye on you until this was all over.

...

Ahh, we really don't deserve such a wonderful emperor. I can hardly believe the emperor would care so much for a piece of trash like me.

You said it.

The emperor even told me I was free to fight all I wished, as a reward for my years of faithful service.

Hehehe. I see not even old age can slow you down.

Well then, let's get to it, shall we? At this point, I can't think of any better way to demonstrate our loyalty to the emperor than by going down fighting.

Heavenly Emperor has been kind enough to keep broken men like ourselves in check by allowing us to serve.

Now, we beasts who could never find solace in peace can finally repay that kindness!

That old man is an ordinary human... Does he truly mean to go up against Servants with his bare hands!?

Oh, you better believe it! Trust me, don't take your eyes off him for a second!

Even if he did catch me off guard, he still managed to stun my Spirit Core with one blow...

That general isn't the only distinguished warrior here! That old guy's as tough as they come, too!

You'd better not hold back against him!

(...Huff, huff, huff...)

？！

...W-we've neutralized the enemy fighters... ...Although

No, it's all right. I doubt they have the strength to even stand anymore.

Man, who knew there were so many monsters in China. Can't believe these guys put up this much of a fight with nothing but strategy and pure skill.

Let's hurry on. I have a feeling the Fusang Tree's practically around the corner.

...Han Xin? ...Are you still breathing?

Unfortunately. I never expected them to just leave without finishing us off... Tch, don't they know that goes against the rules of war?

Hehe, still, that was a good fight.

This building won't last much longer. If you can still stand, you should leave now, before it collapses.

Heh... As it happens, that battle really took every last bit of energy out of me.

...So I was hoping I might just be able to sit here a bit longer.

Heh, I suppose we'll just have to wait then...

You misjudged how much stamina you had halfway through the fight, didn't you? Did you think you could keep up the same pace as when you were young or something?

To my shame, yes. I hate to admit that I began feeling my age at a mere one hundred and fifty years old, despite the emperor giving me personal instruction in the sage arts.

You should've come to Mt. Li when you had the chance, instead of insisting on staying on active duty.

...Man, I wish I could've seen you fight in your prime. I bet it was something to behold.

...Well, I suppose there was a time when I went around threatening my enemies with my martial arts...

My, how time truly does fly. Those days I spent alongside Heavenly Emperor were more than I could have...ever asked for...

...

...Hah, some guys have all the luck. He looks so peaceful, you'd think he was just sleeping...

...The Chaldeans will soon reach the Fusang Tree in the treasury.

It will mean the empire's most valuable Mysticthe cornerstone of our peaceful civilizationwill fall into enemy hands...

No... Right now, the Fusang Tree is more important than even that... Isn't it, Yu?

...

This battle will determine the fate of the world...yet you still wish to avoid it?

I do. I understand very well how foolish that request is.

But...I cannot bear to see you wield your swords any longer. Indeed, that is the only thing I desire.

Even if that choice should lead to obliteration...

But the world is in peril even as we speak. This empire faces an unprecedented threat to its peace.

My programming would not permit me to simply stand by while this happens.

...

Forgive me, Yu. I cannot change who I am.

...Yes, you're right. This is who you are.

In that case, I will accompany you. Please, let me stay by your side until the very end.