To the Sunset Red as Blood

All ships, full speed ahead! All systems green!

All systems are green on the Shadow Border too.

And judging by the comms link status, it looks like that's true for the other two ships too.

Looks like Hephaestus is gone now. Along with the rest of Perse Island... Dammit.

I bet. He was oddly human for a god.

Nonetheless, at the very end...

...he both saved your lives and created a bow designed to destroy Artemis.

I only wish the other gods who sided with humanity had survived as well.

Me too.

I know the Greek gods are generally depicted as very, um, emotional beings, but all the same...

You're not wrong there, Mash. That definitely describes Lord Apollo.

Hey now, you don't know that. I could just be an automated system running a bunch of programs, right?

It's more than possible to simulate a personality, along with external displays of emotion.

Of course, if the system itself is designed to express emotion...

...then who's to say there's any difference between such "fake" emotions and real ones?

And if there is a difference, what could it be?

？！

This isn't about philosophy! This is a purely practical matter!

What do you think, Orion?

You mean about you guys having feelings? Of course you do.

Well now. I'm surprised you didn't even need to think about it.

What's there to think about?

You could list all the differences between humans and machines you like, and it wouldn't change anything for me.

Once you get to a point where you're testing zeroes and ones for nigh infinity, that's basically analog in my book.

We all get to decide what emotions are for ourselves. It doesn't matter what anyone else says.

Here, Apollo, I'll ask you myself: Are your emotions real?

...Well I'll be damned. I never thought I'd ever lose a debate to a barbarian like you.

The fact is, when it comes to things you make and wish with all your heart were real, it becomes impossible to tell what is real from what is not.

That's enough talking. I'm going to head to the next island now.

We might have evaded Artemis again, but Odysseus still knows we're here.

If we dawdle for too long, it'll only be a matter of time until he has us surrounded again.

Our next stop is Eris Island, the island right before our ultimate destination of Nemesis.

I am afraid Lady Corday is still comatose.

That's because the Zeus and Hephaestus nanomachines are fighting each other for control...

...so she's been effectively deactivated as a result.

That said, I ran an analysis on her Spirit Origin, and it looks like she's slowly wasting away.

So it's a race against time then.

Yeah.

In that case, I take it you won't mind if we sail full speed ahead to Eris Island, fearless leader?

Not at all.

Our next goal is to find the Athena Klironomia.

Once we've used them to revive Ms. Happy-Go-Lucky there, we'll use the Hephaestus Klironomia to finish work on the Nautilus.

From there, we'll be heading out to cut down the Tree of Emptiness, but of course

We'll need to figure out the right time to bring down Artemis and deal with Odysseus's army.

And let's not forget we'll also need to take down Poseidon while we're at it.

...I say, isn't that a preposterously tall order?

Forget tall. It's damn near impossible.

That said, the Argo is the very pirate ship that made the impossible possible. So don't worry, Subordinate A, I've got everything well in hand.

Hahaha. Surely you're not referring to ME as "Subordinate A" are you?

I assume you mean the shifty uninsured layabout idly fiddling around with the console there, yes?

It's Meunière! Meunière! Meu! Ni! Ère! Three syllables! It's not that hard!

？！

Oh, I'd like to go with you. Is that okay, Holmes?

That's fine. I expect we'll be continuing our dive for some time yet.

... ...

？！

No, she doesn't.

Hopefully that's true, but there's no way we can tell she's not having, say, horrible nightmares.

Da Vinci...

Hey hey! Sorry for the intrusion, but I thought I'd go ahead and take a little break myself.

Oh, in that case, go ahead and take the chair. We don't mind standing.

Thanks! Phew...

Looks like you two have been through a whole lot, huh?

？！

Ahaha, that's for sure.

Still, you made the right choice. No, that's not quite right.

Back then, at that moment, YOU were in the right. Completely and fully.

I agree.

MasterSenpai doesn't always do the right thing. I know he's snuck food sometimes, for example.

But I absolutely, wholeheartedly support the choice he made back there.

That aside, you really shouldn't sneak food, you know? It's not fair to the rest of us, and it's not good for you, either.

？！

Fou fou!

It looks like you've made an enemy of Fou.

We're coming up on Eris Island now.

Jason said he wants Fujimaru and Mash to come to the Argo.

Understood.

...Please hang in there just a little longer, Corday.

？！

This time, I want to get in and get out as quickly and quietly as possible.

Mandricardo, Achilles, Paris, Chiyome, Master, Mash.

Go out there and bring back the Athena Klironomia as fast as you can!

I'll stay here on ship duty.

？！

Good to have you on the team.

(Snub)

Little punk.

Very well then, I will go scout ahead as per usual. Come, Master and Lady Mash, let us be on our way.

Thank you, Chiyome! I'm glad you're here with us!

... ...

Teehee.

(She's real happy to have someone looking up to her. I can tell.)

We have made land.

...Uh-oh. I smell blood in the air. Do not let down your guard.

Blood? I don't smell any blood...

Me neither, but I can feel in my bones that something went down here.

...Now that you mention it, I think maybe I feel something like that too!

(He really doesn't want Achilles to beat him at anything, does he? ...Not that I can blame him.)

Aha, this must be the source of that smell.

It's a dead Demonic Beast.

Blegh. It's a little...grotesque, isn't it?

Well, it is missing its head, so...

Let me see that. ...Yup, it was killed by a single strike.

This was clearly a person's doing. Based on the cut, I believe they must have used a sword or similar large blade.

Damn, that must mean the soldiers got here ahead of us.

Then again, this is the closest island to Nemesis, so I guess it makes sense that they'd be here.

In that case, we have all the more reason to secure the Athena Klironomia and make a hasty retreat.

Fortunately, we know exactly where to look thanks to Lord Hephaestus's precise coordinates.

True.

So we'd better get a move on if we're gonna make the most of our advantage.

Make sure you don't fall behind, Paris!

Why am I the only one you're calling out by name!?

Cause you're the one who was looking at butterflies and going "Ooh, pretty" not five minutes ago.

G-gnnn...

Lord Paris, I am afraid I think your behavior may be too frivolous for our present circumstances.

I-I'm sorry.

Come on then, let's get going. We don't have any time to waste.

？！

(Nod)

According to Hephaestus, the temple should be directly to the northwest of these woods.

Yup, there it is. I can see it over there.

And there's the guards.

We should take them quickly, before they have a chance to contact the others.

Paris, I want you to get the ball rolling. You can handle that, right?

...Yeah, I can. How about you, Master? Are you ready?

？！

Okay! Here I go!

I'm counting on your help, Lord Apollo! Yaaa!

Wait, you meant as an actual baaall!?

They were much stronger than I thought!

Y-yes, they were.

It did feel like they were on another level than the ones we've fought before, didn't it?

Ah well, doesn't matter now. We don't have time to stand around pondering what-ifs. Let's keep moving.

...!

Chiyome!?

Ah, dammit. I just felt the same thing.

I-it would seem...another message has been left here for us.

Fujimaru. Authorization complete.

Initiating prior visitor support mission.

Uploading holographic data.

Hey there. Looks like we're all still alive.

This will probably be the last transmission we send from Atlantis.

You should be able to acquire the Athena Klironomia you came here for once it's over.

How are you holding up, Master of Proper Human History. We have not yet met, but I hope you are not too exhausted.

Between the robotic gods, the nanomachine-infested Demonic Beasts, and Odysseus, there are more than enough adversaries here powerful enough to break your spirit.

I can only hope you've found the strength to continue on undeterred.

As for us, we've finished most of what we needed to accomplish, and we've made a few arrangements we hope will prove useful later.

All that remains now is to hope they work as intended.

Mochizuki Chiyome, Mandricardo, I'm sorry for asking you both to stay behind.

Though I know Jason bailed out of his own accord...

It's okay, ■■. I'm positive Lord Jason will bounce back sooner or later.

...Anyway, there you have it.

We'll be setting off to Olympus now.

I promise we'll find a way to help you.

Odysseus's army is right on our heels even as we record this.

Chevalier d'Eon, Charles-Henri Sanson, can I ask you two to handle the rest?

Of course. Though I'm afraid we won't be able to do much more than buy the rest of you some time.

Just be sure you make the most of the time we buy you, ■■.

Of course. The time you buy us here will be worth its weight in gold.

...Hm? What is it, Kintoki?

Oh, you know, since this is the last time we're gonna call, I just thought I'd say somethin' before we hang up.

See you in Olympus, Master of Chaldea!

I'll be waiting there for you too. And I'll make sure to have some lovely tea leaves ready.

All right then, Master of Chaldea. We look forward to meeting you.

Good luck!

(So their identity remained a mystery, right to the very end...)

Here come the Athena Klironomia! I'll start the extraction procedure!