Thou Art the Ardor that Corrupts the Stars (V)

You don't look like you're Rayshift-sick. What, you didn't get enough sleep last night?

If you're tired, then go back to sleep. But if you have a reason to be up, then stay up.

...Are you listening to me?

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Ugh, fine. Just don't say I didn't warn you.

Is something wrong, Patxi?

Oh, good morning, Mr. Fujimaru.

...? Mr. Fujimaru?

See for yourself what's wrong with him. I don't know what's going on. Maybe he ate something he shouldn't have, maybe he heard some weird song somewhere...

A song?

Yeah. Did they have songs back where you came from?

Oh yes, we had seven of them. There were four about the envoys, and three about the giants.

The second envoy one was always my favorite...

B-but never mind that now! What are we going to do about Mr. Fujimaru!?

Should we help him lie down? Or give him some medicine?

Maybe we oughta take him to a doctor.

A doctor?

Now who do we know around here who might know something about medicine... Aha, got it.

Hey, Asha! Over here! And don't forget the horse!

Um... Good morning...?

Oh, hi, mister. ...What's wrong? Does your tummy hurt?

A horse? Did someone just call me a horse?

Well, Lu Bu's frame is as broad and gallant as any noble steed, and I am none other than Lu Bu!

Regardless, I do have an obligation to let you and your father ride on my back through this stirring morning air, Lady Asha.

Now, if you wouldn't mind, Lady Asha, please get up on my back.

B-but, what about mister Fujimaru? I think there's something wrong with him.

Hm? ...Oh, now that you mention it, he does seem pale.

Right? He does, doesn't he? What should we do?

I don't see what we can do. It looks like he's hearing the song.

I had a feeling that was it.

Mr. Fujimaru? Are you okay?

I don't think he can hear us. Now that he's hearing the song, there's nothing we can do for him.

He's gonna have to find his own way out of this.

You know.

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Your vitals and physical exams all check out. Man, you are in incredible shape, you know that?

But, it also looks to me like you're pushing yourself too hard.

I can observe your vitals and physical stats all day long, but aside from things like brain wave measurements, pulse rate, and blood pressure...

...the problem is that I can't actually take a peek into your mind.

...Hey.

You kind of instinctively know what you need to do to pass these tests, don't you?

I guess that's no surprise since you've done them so many times, but just 'cause you can doesn't mean you should.

Listen, Fujimaru.

You're not here to make us happy by getting full marks on your tests.

All you need to do is be honest and let yourself fail the tests you can't easily pass now. It's for your own good.

Hm?

...If you fail, there's no one who can take your place?

Hm, that's true. There is a lot resting on your shoulders, and no one to take up what you can't carry. I understand that.

But if nothing else...

...you can still at least let us worry about you and help you how we can, right?

...Thank you.

Oh, right.

There you go. That's exactly what I'm talking about. Thank you for telling me, Fujimaru.

...You're right. You are hearing a song right now. It is a divine melody, heard in your soul, not your ears.

The song's already seized your cerebral cortex and limbic system, so your mind could fall apart at any time.

...We need to find you a doctor.

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I'm talking about those two. Man, when did they get so close?

Makes me feel like I'm back in college...or even high school. It's enough to make me forget I'm actually at an advanced research institution.

Oh, but don't get me wrong. I mean it all in a good way.

My job might be kind of dull, but when I see young people like that who're still so full of potential, well...

It just gets me right in the feels, you know? ...Uh, and again, I don't mean that in a weird way.

I think it's 'cause I've got a much younger sister back home. I just get all misty-eyed whenever I see them.

...Whup. Speak of the devil.

All right, I'm heading back to work. Don't tell them I said anything, okay!? I mean it!

Oh! Good morning, Senpai.

Morning, Fujimaru.

...?

Are you okay? You don't look so hot. Did you go outside the base or something?

She's right, Senpai. You're very pale. In fact, it looks like something is very wrong with you

Is it that bad?

Y-yes! This isn't what Senpai is usually like at all! I think he's in serious danger!

We need to get him to the doctor immediately!

Yes, Dr. ! Ophelia, would you cast a sedative spell on him?

Sure. Don't move, Fujimaru.

...?

...No, Fujimaru.

We can't hear the goddess's song. Only you can.

Hurry. It won't be long before her song seizes control of your heart.

That song is a song of love. It twists your very soul. It can send even a thousand armies to their deaths in an instant.

It's a form of Mental Corruption that forces those who hear it to kill everything they hold dear, even as it sings of love and affection.

...You already know what's going on, don't you?

I'm not telling you anything you don't already know. You heard all this before you fell into this state.

You need to wake up. Hurry.

You're in an especially precarious state now that you've touched the Barrel.

You mustn't stay here for long. Please. You need to wake up.

If you don't...

...you'll end up killing Mash.

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Director? Whatever are you talking about?

I'm the reputable inspector the Clock Tower sent here to, well, inspect the place.

Really, Sion, you simply must do a better job of training your employees.

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How should I know where your director is? Wait... Does this mean he's been dismissed from his post? Really?

Do you really mean to say you dismissed no less a figure than an ex-Lord from his post!? Just what kind of messed-up organization am I inspecting here!?

N-no. No, no, that can't be right.

In fact, now that I've taken a closer look, I can see he's deathly pale! He can't possibly be in his right mind!

Oh, wow, you are right. This is not good at all. He clearly needs immediate medical attention.

Doctor. Doctor! I am sorry to bother you on your break, but this is an emergency!

. .

, . .

. , Fujimaru.

, ?

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What incredibly...

...incredibly poor taste.

I see. So, if love and beauty are worth, then the god of both controls worth itself.

I suppose I should have expected such an ancient machine to come out swinging. It certainly seems to have worked.

Though really, when it comes to humansintelligent life-forms with minds that constantly seek fellow souls to form connections...

...I can see why an attack of this manner would be so effective.

Gah! It's so damn noisy! My flames can easily handle a fair amount of corruption, but this is just too much.

So, a god, huh? One that came right out of the gate as the ruler of minds.

And this god is a machine that's been around since ancient times? Hah. What a joke.

It's just a big hunk of floating metal! A broken-down music box that happened to learn a few new tricks!

Listen to me, Fujimaru. This is very important.

Remember the Black Barrel. Remember the Command Spell ammunition.

No matter what kind of transcendent destructive light you may touch...

...your soul is yours alone.

Then stop. Forget everything I ever told you and just stop.

I'm not thrilled about it, but, as always, the choice is yours.

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...Yes?

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No, I suppose not.

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...I see.

That's so like you, Fujimaru.

Then open your eyes, my accomplice!

Open your eyes and extend your hand up to the sky!

As the Roman emperor says, there is nothing beyond your reach. Haha, hahahahaha! Nothing!

If you wish, you may give yourself over to the ancient goddess's song, fall to the curse, let yourself be overwhelmed...and snap your beloved flower clean in two!

Or, you may continue to rebel down to your very last brain cell, let loose a battle cry...and stretch your hand out towards the one you love!

To be human is to wish. To want. To struggle! To harbor immense desires! If this decrepit bucket of bolts calling herself a god would try to stop you, then kill her!

For if I know you...

...I know you can make it happen!

Senpai!

Senpai...!

Yes, it's me! Oh, thank goodness... You're awake again!

Yes, that's right! We're in Olympus, in the East District!

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Musashi and Holmes are okay, too! Right after you collapsed, Caligula

Fortunately, my Noble Phantasm, Flucticulus Diana, was able to temporarily counteract Venus's mental attack!

I may not be able to use it multiple times in succession, but fortunately, I do not have to. Blavatsky's predictions were right on the mark!

The twins have already accomplished our ultimate objective! All that remains now...

...is to bring the floating goddess of beauty down from the sky!

Damn straight. We pulled off what we came here for!

Thank...you...Caligula...

Your Noble Phantasm...was just what we needed to fight Aphrodite.

We knew her power could control minds...

But your Noble Phantasm uses Artemis's Authority to affect minds as well.

They effectively cancel each other out, hmm. Fascinating. At any rate, my apologies for attacking you all!

Same here! Sorry!

And thanks, Caenis and Caligula!

Ha! I was looking forward to cutting you in half. Eh, guess it'll have to wait.

Right now, the important thing's that the emperor's Noble Phantasm got rid of that weird singing voice!

Now's our chance to smack down that overgrown pelvis on wings!

Indeed, we cannot let this opportunity pass us by! Fujimaru!

Fou, fooou!

Right!

Leave that to us. We've got just the thing!

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Aphrodite appears to be hovering at a fairly significant height. She's apt to shoot us down well before we could reach her with an airwalk or the like...

Exactly. That's why we're going to use this to take to the skies!

Connecting to Prometheus-Hephaestus transmission network... There! Linking spaces and transmitting matter now! Prepare for instantaneous expansion!

Everyone, stand back a bit! This space is about to be twisted off!

Whoa. Did the space around us just start warping?

I initially assumed this to be some manner of large-scale spatial manipulation spell, but it seems to be more akin to ultra high-speed matter transport... Or perhaps teleportation!

Come forth, Stymphalides!

This is our aircraft, Stymphalides Blackwing!

It's the God Destroyer Alliance's one and only ultrasonic mobile fighter! Edison, Nikola Tesla, and Helena built it themselves!

Aphrodite's air-to-ground attacks cover way too much area, so we can't head straight for her Icarus-style!

Instead, we're going to use Stymphalides to send you all up even higher!

I see. So we will be looking down on the goddess from above.

How very insolent. However, I think such insolence suits me now.

I will go and face her from on high! Who will accompany me?

Oh, you better believe I'm coming along too. I've gotta make up for attacking you guys earlier.

I'll come too. I'll scarcely be able to look myself in the mirror until I've made proper amends!

Oh no you don't. I'm comin' along, too. 'Sides, this god's still got healing Authority keeping her safe, right?

Then you're gonna need me and my spear to dismantle it! 'Sides, I'm sick and tired of holding down the damn fort!

Me and Aphrodite got plenty of unfinished business of our own! I'm gonna smack her bitch ass outta the sky!

Right, Master!

Of course. Don't worry, I spent over two hundred hours mastering this craft. You won't find a better pilot anywhere!

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Everyone, get on! We're gonna take off in no more than five seconds!

Initiating Stymphalides's flight preparations. Unfurling beam sail.

Releasing safeties. All artificial gravity systems are green.

Igniting reactor. Firing up the engine. All flight preparations complete. Macarios!

Here we go! Hang on tight!

This is faster than I expected! And it looks like... Ms. Kyrielight!

R-right! Senpai, you'll need to put on a Mystic Code so you can breathe!

Thank you, Senpai, but I'll be fine thanks to my connection to the Ortinax.

Not at all!

Making sure you stay healthy is very important to me!

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All right, here you go, Senpai. This breathing Mystic Code should supply you with oxygen as long as you wear it.

Haha, you really are weak, aren't you?

And yet, he still didn't think twice about coming along with us. I think that's pretty impressive, don't you?

Huh?

Oh, for shit's sake... If that's true, that makes Jason a badass too...

...

Well, I guess he kinda was, in his own way.

We're about to break through the clouds! I don't think she's noticed us yet, but

Whoooa! You all finally made it up to the sky, huh!

Guess this means it's time for Operation God Destroyer's second phase! Which means it's my turn to help out!

Hell yeah!

You're a sharp one, ain'tcha, Chaldea Boss! That's right! Though it might not be as flashy as that was!

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We're all dead. Kaput. There ain't a single one of us left anymore.

But, we did our best to leave behind everything we could. The Seven Link Heroic Spirit Cannon, the great summoning circle plan, Caligula...

And me, I left you a giant golden surprise!

It might not pack enough punch to take down a god in one blow, but it's still one of my hella cool favorites!

Now it's the God Destroyer Alliance and Chaldea's to use however you like!

I am afraid the plan is to wing it.

At this point, that is the most effective tactic we can employ for Operation God Destroyer!

You serious!? Hahahahaha, so you wanna just roll the dice on this!

Unfortunately, there is no accurate way to measure the enemy's firepower, so we have little choice but to try to find an opening we can exploit.

Fortunately, we now have a number of methods available to us with which to fight back, so I am certain we will find a way to bring Aphrodite down!

She's seen us! And she's sending a Spiritron attack our way!

!?

Caligula!? Why are you opening the canopy!?

This is my stage! It is only right that I stand proudly upon it!

Closing the canopy back up!

Caligula is standing right on top of it! And...his magical energy is spiking rapidly!

Aphrodite's Spiritron attack is about to hit us!

Hraaah!

Flucticulus Diana!

That's...Caligula's Noble Phantasm!

He's still able to neutralize the Mental Corruption! But the enemy is bound to come at us even harder now!

We'll need to descend and evade her attacks so we can get into position to strike back!

Macarios!

Hold on tight! Caligula, grab on to the canopy and don't let go!

Here we goooooo!

Let's do this!

Let's go, Master!

Rrgh...! Rrraaaaaah!!!

Diaaanaaa!!!

Ahh, goddess! O Venus, exquisite goddess of beauty, ancestor of my grandmother Silvia in Proper Human History!

A man called Aeneas was the son of Prince Anchises of Troy, a man you once loved yourself!

And Aeneas himself was my grandmother Silvia's father!

That means your love is directly responsible for the birth of Rome itself!

As you come from this Lostbelt, you surely know not those names, but I will never forget the debt Rome owes you!

Though you may now be a goddess of love who utterly lacks the emotion over which she holds sway, we shall never forget our love for you!

So now...

Now is the time for Rome to part ways with your Lostbelt self! Behold! This is humanity's yearning given form!

Come, Rider!

Goooooolden!!!

Aw yeah!!!

Senpai, a...a giant humanoid structure has appeared...

...and has attached itself to Aphrodite!

And there's something about it that seems to evoke...Japan's Heian period!

Our emergency test of the God Destroyer summoning circle is a success! Virtually releasing Sakata Kintoki's Noble Phantasm data!

It worked!

It's a virtual summon that uses the great summoning circle!

This may not be Operation God Destroyer's key figure...but it's still going to be a huge help in the fight against the machine gods!

We all risked our lives here in Olympus!

The great summoning circle's meant to call on a Grand VIP Servant to take on Zeus himself, but first, we thought we'd put it through its paces with a little Noble Phantasm data!

This here's something special we whipped up by mixing in part of my (read: Sakata Kintoki)'s Spirit Core! As the strongest of the Heian period, this was Boss Raikou and her Four Heavenly Kings' favorite set of armor...

This is the same set that took down the Great Tsuchigumo of the Kitayama Rendai field...the Golden Huge Bear!

Great Noble Phantasm:

Settsu Armor Kumano!

You're one to talk, jackass!

All right, Boss of Chaldea! Fellow Heroic Spirits!

Let's go all out for this one! Full golden power! Hold nothing back!

This god...

...Is going down!

...No way. Now that I got hold of you, I ain't never letting go!

Hey, Little Greek Goddess! I got just one question for ya!

Ever hear about Kintarou of Mt. Ashigara!? He had supernatural strength! We're talking hyper golden here!

And when it came to sumo, not even the toughest bear could beat him, 'cause he was invulnerable, baby!

Giga Golden Spark!!!

Hahahahaha! Gooooooldeeen!!!

And I'm not done yet! Get ready!

See, I was only just born from bright red steel made from a tiny bit of Sakata Kintoki's Spirit Core and his special Great Noble Phantasm!

I'm basically a big old newborn baby! Know what that means!?

...Of course! The Natural Longevity Conceptual Weapon will barely hurt you at all!

You got it! Now... Fire at will, Chaldea Boss!

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Senpai...!

...Right, Senpai.

...Understood, Master!

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Emergency Barrel Replica connection, complete.

Firing position is clear. Releasing Paradox Effector. Beginning countdown!

There! I brought Stymphalides as close to Aphrodite as I can get!

You're all good to go!

Opening canopy now!

Initiating Accomplishments Measure. Ascertaining Aphrodite's life scale.

One thousand... Two... Three...There! It stopped at thirty-eight hundred!

Beginning Black Barrel transformation. Preparing to burn the Dead Counter into the gun barrel.

...Connection in place.

I've measured Aphrodite's destiny. Now I'll use the Dead Counter to turn it from speculation into reality.

Bunker bolt is at its limit! Gun barrel is fully stabilized!

Immediate synchronization with Barrel Replica complete. Ortinax synchronization rate is at fifty percent... Sixty... Seventy... Eighty...

Master! Please load the Command Spell!

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Command Spell confirmed. Spiritron chamber is at critical mass.

Selecting explosive round firing mode. Barrel Replica, full trance.

...Preparing to fire!

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Aphrodite. Goddess of love and beauty.

Now that you know you're about to disappear, don't you have any regrets?

Of course not. Why would I? I'm Aphroditea cold, heartless machine.

I'm a device for controlling others. A Spiritron information warfare fighter, and intelligent life-form guidance vessel.

I'm not as kind as Demeter was, so I won't be giving you the kind of answer you want.

But you may watch and see how a goddess meets her end, if you like.

And to see...what remains...

...after a life of control and arrogance...

... ...

......

Picking flowers, are we?

...Yes.

I thought it was the least I could do...

...to honor our fallen goddesses, Lady Demeter and Lady Aphrodite.

I see.

I was wondering what you were up to. That's very kind of you.

Why, you seem much more affectionate than any of the other goddesses here, Queen Europa.

You're correct.

I only seem that way, Peperoncino. You're a perceptive one, aren't you?

The truth is...

...I'm crueler than anyone else here.