Assassination Plot

Again, thank you for agreeing to manage our military affairs, Count Vlad.

Not at all. On my honor, I vow that victory shall be ours.

Still, the fact remains that we're only now pulling up to the starting line. The other realms still have a big lead.

Come now, Sancho, look on the bright side. Think of it as us saving our strength for when we'll need it most.

Wow, talk about putting a positive spin on things! Look at me being a big ol' smarty-pants!

Very well then, Count Vlad.

I believe we should discuss our next course of actionwhile continuing to train the army, of course.

Agreed. Now then, if I may direct your attention to this map.

While we have a great many things on our plate at present, we are ultimately faced with three options.

Do we go on the offensive or fortify our defenses? If the former, do we go after the Revenge or Reinstatement Realm?

According to the sum total of the information Sancho's spies have sent us...our best choice would seem to be a strike against the Revenge Realm.

Why is that?

You must look at the big picture.

The Reinstatement Realm may have better generals, and there is an excellent chance they will continue to grow in power.

But...

...for better or worse, Kōnstantînos XI is a known quantity.

Think of this Singularity as a game board. He wishes to play by the rules and win it for himself.

The same does not hold true for the Revenge Realm.

They would not think twice about simply overturning the entire board.

And then there are the strange towers, like the one you investigated.

Holmes was right; they are long-range cannons. The locations alone make that quite clear. However...

However?

I have a strong suspicion that the towers are, in fact, already complete.

...!

Their plan may be to use them in conjunction with Servants whose Noble Phantasms are themselves cannons.

Or perhaps they plan to use them with something much worse than cannons. I cannot say for sure.

Regardless, I believe the entire Revenge Realm is working to overturn the game board in its entirety.

And I suspect Zhang Jue, a Caster aligned with the Revenge Realm, is the one behind this plan.

We must therefore eliminate Queen Kriemhild. If she falls, the Revenge Realm is likely to follow.

If that happens, the Reinstatement Realm's not just gonna sit around twiddling their thumbs, are they?

No, they will not.

I will say this is only my best guess based on the information I have. I could well be wrong about some things.

Regardless, we must act. And we must do so soon.

That all makes sense to me, but it doesn't sound like our army will be of much help there.

You are correct. Our only hope of assassinating Zhang Jue is with a small, elite team.

But such an operation will not, on its own, slip past the Revenge Realm's defenses.

This is why we will also mobilize our entire army and make them think they are under threat of invasion... We could, in fact, mount an actual attack.

And while the other two realms are caught up in the resulting chaos, the assassination team will carry out the mission.

This is why we need to train our army.

That training will take up most of my time today, but I will help you plan the operation tonight.

I see. Then, we'll figure out that plan in the meantime.

I would be very grateful if you took a look later to see how viable it is.

Very well.

In regards to this mission, Mr. Fujimaru

I do.

While I have no wish to expose you to danger, your summoning skills will be essential for these assassinations.

Hey, what do you expect? We all know your summoning skills are really damn useful.

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I would also like to come along on this mission.

I have some experience with both stealth and combat, and I'm also concerned about what Moriarty may do.

As long as he's around...I cannot in good conscience send Master off alone.

Then, I'll assign an Assassin-class Servant to go with you, too.

One on the side of Proper Human History, of course.

You won't be able to do much to help with the mission if you can't fight at your full strength, Lord Fujimaru.

I guess we wouldn't be much help...

Hey, it's not like either of us was ever cut out for espionage, right?

Guess I'll be sitting this one out, too. Honestly, I don't have the skill set to help with an assassination.

We still have some time until the operation beginstime we'll need to get our military forces in good order and conduct a campaign.

We will also need to use that time to come up with an assassination plan, so let's bring in this Assassin you spoke of now.

Sure thing. I'll call for them right away.

Hey there. I'm an Assassin. My True Name is still a secret.

I used to undertake assassinations as part of a certain religious order. I'm honored to be part of this mission.

Very good.

These are your squad mates: Sherlock Holmes, and my Master, Fujimaru. They will be key to this mission.

Do whatever you must to ensure your teamwork is flawless. You have until our army's training is complete.

Yes, sir.

Hey there. Good to meet you two.

How about we get to know each other better over drinks? They say that's the modern way to break the ice.

Though just so you know, I can't drink alcohol myself.

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Good point!

Hmm. Well, I'm sure the coming days will afford us ample opportunity to get to know each other better.

For the moment, I think our time would be better spent determining one another's combat abilities.

Then I'll make a reservation for you three at the training grounds.

All right, everyone, let us all do our best to put a stop to this rebellion against Proper Human History.

You think so? ...I'm not sure what to think.

I've heard that no one believes in Mystics and fantastical things nowadays.

Some people also say that myths...legends...even the tales of our own adventures...were all just stories someone made up at one point.

But, even if that's true...I've never doubted who I am.

I know that the glorious Twelve Paladins of Charlemagne really existed, and I know that the love Ruggiero and I shared was real, too.

Even if I'm not the real Bradamante, but a shadow of her being cast by humanity...

...it doesn't mean I'm not still me.

There's no reason you can't think the same, Your Holiness.

...Bradamante.

You and I are indeed both shadows of humanity.

But at your core, you have an unshakable sense of who you are.

Maybe there's a reason for that.

Or maybeand I know this may sound odd...

...maybe most heroes like you exist alongside your own Mystics and fantasies.

...?

But that's not true for me.

I'm a figment of someone's imagination, my very existence thoroughly disproved by academics.

My life...my history...is all a fragmentary jumble.

And what's more, there's now an overwhelming consensus among academics...

...that I simply never existed.

They were right to do that. Everything they did was right.

...I just didn't take it well. That's all.

It was hard. And sad. It felt like...like they were ripping my heart from my chest.

I wanted to grab them by their collars and shake them, and scream, "How dare you do this to me!?"

But we wouldn't approve of that. Not His Imperial Majesty nor anyone else in the Reinstatement Realm.

...You wanted to grab them by their collars?

It is a whole other kind of pain, knowing I've drawn all of you into my anguish.

Oh, and the collar part is just a figure of speech. Please, just forget about it.

Your Holiness.

I'm a paladin. I'm supposed to serve my lord and my country, and embody justice and light.

And I know Archbishop Tilpin would be furious with me if I didn't help to ease your suffering!

I might have chosen to rebel against Proper Human History, but I'll never stop respecting you!

...Thank you, Bradamante. I wish I could do something to repay you.

For what it's worth, I pray from the bottom of my heart...

...that you and your loved one will be reunited in romantic bliss.

Th-th-th-thank you, Your Holiness.

Oh, yes. I'm not sure if I should ask you about this...

...but weren't you arguing with some other Servants earlier?

...Yes, I was. They still suspect me of being a spy.

I told them they were mistaken and that I chose to cut ties with the others because of a difference in our beliefs.

...I see.

Does that mean...you can't trust me after all?

Not at all, Bradamante. I would trust you with my life.

I just didn't want to pit you against your former comrades in arms.

I appreciate your consideration, Lady Johanna, but you don't have to worry about me.

I offer you this promise, on my honor as one of the Twelve Paladins of Charlemagne: I will fight them with all my might.

...Thank you. And I'm sorry.

I hope you can forgive me for insulting your pride.

O-oh no, you didn't do anything to apologize for! It makes sense you'd have doubts like that!

But I've sworn to follow you and His Imperial Majesty to the end, no matter what.

So, what would you do if Kōnstantînos and I decided to go different ways, ourselves?

P-please don't ask me that!

It's like asking a child which of their parents they prefer!

I'm sorry. I was only teasing!

Meanie!

All right, everyone, it's time we put our plan together.

Yes. A good plan is key to a successful assassination.

That's what my senior assassins are always telling me.

Our first target is Kriemhild's second-in-command, Zhang Jue. If we're to succeed, we must get him to leave this Singularity.

Formidable as his Noble Phantasm and spells are, his intelligence is a far greater threat.

I considered using some sort of magecraft to render him unconscious, neutralizing him, and then bringing him back here...

...but ultimately, I decided we needed to completely eliminate any chance of him using that intellect against us.

We will assassinate him, as such a dire threat deserves.

Got it. I hear you.

It's always possible for targets to change when you're making decisions at your own discretion on-site.

So it's great that we're all on the same page about this now.

Solid communication.

There are three key parts to this plan we need to decide: the how, the where, and the when.

For the how...obviously, we'll have to ambush him.

Precisely. Sniping him would be far too risky. Perhaps it would be a different story if we had a truly first-rate Archer on our side, but

No, even then, I doubt sniping would succeed. Our target is, after all, Zhang Jue: the leader of the Yellow Turbans.

Yeah, depending on what Taoist art he uses, his defenses could be airtight.

...Ohh, I see. So that's why you called me here.

Indeed. We realized we would need the help of a professional in the sage arts.

The secretary already gave us permission to bring you on board.

(It's unfortunate that she's part of the rebellion, but the Assassin should be able to contain her if things take a turn.)

(Though of course, we'll have to do our best to ensure things don't come to that.)

Still, I don't know if I can make it all the way to the Revenge Realm's castle.

I'm not exactly what you'd call "nimble." Compared to most people, I'm kind of...uh...

A slowpoke?

Yeah, that's it! ...Can I leave now?

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Hahaha.

All right, now that Ms. Xu Fu is here, let's discuss the where and when of the plan.

First of all, Zhang Jue's behavioral patterns.

According to the scouts we've had tracking him...

Nnn, that is tricky. I guess it all comes down to how tight the fortress's security is.

We can assume it is tight indeed...but perhaps not so tight that there is no room for us to slip through.

Tell us, Ms. Xu Fu, how would you go about protecting this fortress?

Do we know how this fortress is built, and where?

Let me see... Yeah, here we go. It's all in this document.

Hmm... Nnn... Yeah, this place is practically airtight.

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I don't know the first thing about Western spells, but I've got almost a sixth sense for Eastern ones.

To put it another way, if they did use any Western spells here, I wouldn't be able to tell you anything about them.

But I can tell this fortress is built using Qi Men Dun Jia.

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Hmm... Basically, you use astrology and cleromancy to determine the optimal orientation of all sorts of objects.

It works on everything from people to armies to castles. It can tell you things like the best way for you to walk or a direction where you're sure to fail.

As I recall, Zhuge Liang used it during the Three Kingdoms period.

Oh, yeah, the Unreturning Formation. I've heard of that, too.

Anyway, my point is...

...Zhang Jue used his Taoist arts to lock this Fort Azagouc down tighter than a tánggǔ drum.

But, historically speaking, once you've breached a fortress, capturing it is simple.

It may be that these Taoist arts are the only notable defenses we must overcome.

So, basically...it all comes down to this Servant?

...Huh? You mean me?

(Nod)

...Yeah, okay, I'll do it.

Really, when you think about it, that guy might look older, but I actually go back further than he does.

Hell, I was a genuine court sorcerer for China all the way back in the time of Emperor Qin Shi Huang.

Sure, I was involved in a different matter for a while, and my knowledge of Taoist is a little fuzzy...

...but I'm sure I'll figure something out!

Welp.

Hey, who else are you gonna call here? This whole plan falls apart without me, right?

Now show me the respect I deserve, dammit.

Huh? Who the hell said you could come up with a nickname for me?

But...you know... It's kind of a good fit.

No, no. Knock it off. I insist you show me the respect I deserve. You will address me as "Lady Xu Fu." Got it?

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How exactly do we go about this? Do we need to conduct reconnaissance on the fortress to get past its Taoist defenses?

Hmm... No, I think we can put together a counterstrategy based on what we know now.

For example, say there's a talisman used in Taoist arts and a talisman that can counteract it.

We can make a whole bunch of the latter kind now.

And from there, I can hammer the basics of Taoist arts into your heads so you know what to do with them.

Yeah, this could work.

Excellent. I can finally see a way forward.

We'll begin with combat training in teams to reach the minimum of teamwork necessary to execute this plan.

We'll also help Ms. Xu Fu with her Item Construction while having her coach us in the basics of Taoist arts...

...all while hammering out the details of this plan before the day of the mission arrives.

Sounds reasonable.

Then I'm gonna need you guys to bring me a bunch of the materials I need for the talismans as soon as possible.

Oh? Like what?

Hmm. We should be able to use Forbidden Pages for the paper... Oh, and there's one more important thing.

What's that?

Now, we just have to collect lots of this chicken's blood. At least they're big enough that there's plenty to go around.

I see. We write the talismans' incantations in chicken blood.

Yup, that's right.

Honestly, I don't know how much help these talismans are gonna be against Zhang Jue's fortress...

...but it should at least be better than trusting to blind luck to save our asses.

Quite so. Very well then, let's get down to business, shall we?

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Friendship... Solidarity... Hard work... Now, that's the recipe for success.

(What a weirdly sentimental Assassin...)

M-me neither...

Haha. I suppose none of you will be surprised to hear this work suits me quite well.

Well, we don't want any of you getting overwhelmed or confused, so we may as well stop here.

Let us not forget the three of us are rank amateurs. For a stopgap measure, I believe this should be quite sufficient.

I daresay our teamwork has improved considerably as well.

And according to Count Vlad, the army's training is almost complete.

Guess that means we'll be heading out soon.

Indeed. As previously discussed, only the four of us will undertake this mission.

Mr. Fujimaru, I'll be counting on your simple summons to augment our combat capabilities.

Yeah, between his summons and the three of you, you should be strong enough to take down Zhang Jue.

Besides, the bigger the operation, the more likely the enemy is to discover what we're up to.

I'd say we're at the tipping point, here.

I take it there are no objections? Then, let's begin the mission.

Here's to our victory and the power of teamwork!

I swear, there's something about this Assassin that screams "shounen manga protagonist"...

We'll be departing first thing tomorrow morning, so I believe we should go say our goodbyes now.

Nnn. Nnnnnn.

What is it, sir? Did you throw out your back?

I did! I could really use a massage late Wait, no! That's not it!

I was just thinking... Um... I know there's probably not much sense in bringing this up now...

...but are we sure it's not too dangerous for Lord Fujimaru to join us on this mission?

I understand your concerns very well, Don Quixote.

But, I'm afraid this Master has to stay close to his summoned Servants.

Usually, there are ways for Masters to stay at a safe distance while supporting their Servants...

...but they're all beyond Fujimaru's abilities! He has no choice but to wade into the fray himself.

While I'm technically qualified to be a Master, I'm not in a position to summon any Servants right now.

You're goddamn right, you aren't.

We're certainly not about to give a mage who already betrayed Proper Human History once the right to summon his own Servant again.

No skin off my nose.

I could happily go the rest of my life without commanding another Servant.

So there you have it, Don Quixote. As much as it pains meand it really, truly does pain me...

...we have to let him go along if we're to have any hope of assassinating Zhang Jue.

？！

Sir.

I don't know about you, but the Chaldean's explanation makes sense to me.

There's nothing more for you and me to do besides pray for their success.

...I guess you're right.

Lord Fujimaru! Whatever you do, make sure you make it back alive!

I, Don Quixote, shall await your return with the highest of hopes!

？！

Well said!

...Ooh. Did I sound like a real knight there?

You did, sir! You really did!

Well then maybe I should go along after all!

Absolutely not♪

Drat. And here I thought that was going pretty well...

No matter how much of a knight you may be, your place right now is on the throne.

It may not be easy, but you must be patient all the same.

All right, then, Master... I hate to send you on this mission alone.

I understand that I am essentially useless as a Servant now that I cannot fight, but...

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...Heh. I can't argue with that.

Rest assured, I'll make sure our diversion gets the enemy's attention.

Sherlock Holmes.

I know, Count Vlad. I will do everything in my power to ensure our Master's safety.

Astolfo.

Yeah?

I would like you to accompany Master and his team over to the edge of the Revenge Realm.

You got it!

Looks like I'm coming along for a little while, myself!

Not you, though, Roland. You've got another job to do.

Yeah, yeah.

I'd lend you guys my olifant, but I'm the only one who can blow it, so...

Ah well, for the time being, focus on staying alive!

Hm? You say that's what you've always done? Then I guess I've got no advice to give!

I'd like to throw you all a send-off party before you leave...

...but my sir thinks it would be better to save that for your return.

Indeed.

When you return, victorious from your operation, we'll throw a party to celebrate!

Then I'll have everything ready by the time you get back.

That's right. A party!

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Ooh, a party! I can't wait!

And not just any party, but a real... A real...

...Say, Sancho?

Yes, sir?

How can you tell when a party's a gala?

Now that I think about it, the only kind of party I've ever been to is the harvest festival.

What about the celebration the Duchess and Don Diego threw for you?

...Well, I guess the Duchess's was more awkward than celebratory, but still...

At any rate, just leave it all to me, sir, though I will rely on you for all the grunt work.

Fine with me! I have no idea how to plan a party myself, so just tell me what to do, and I'll do it!

That's what I like to hear.

Morning, Fujimaru. You still have some time before you need to leave.

Wanna get a little more shut-eye?

？！

Roger that.

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Morning! How've you been, pal?

Oh, hello. I don't believe we've met.

Ooh, is that Chaldea on the line? Nice to meet you.

I'm Seton, Fujimaru's comrade in arms!

At this point, you better believe I'm gonna keep going with it for as long as I can. Besides, I'm pretty sure I won't be stepping on any other Servant's toes!

Hahaha. Sorry, that was maybe kinda presumptuous. We haven't actually fought together, have we?

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Whoa, really? Aw man, now I'm blushing!

Anyway, what are you doing up this early? Hell, it's basically still night.

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Uh, Fujimaru, are you sure we can trust this Servant?

Don't worry about me. I won't tell anyone.

Nobody likes a rat!

I'm just really sorry I still can't be of any help myself...

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Hahahaha. Sorry, but I'm gonna keep the mystery man thing going for a while!

Knowing when to do a thing is almost as important as knowing what thing to do.

That said, I'm not loving how I've gotta draw this out, either.

I can't tell you to trust me or that it'll definitely be worth the wait...

...but if you can guess my identity on your own, hopefully it'll be a sign of good fortune coming your way!

Oh, hey, is it morning already? Hang in there, pal! I'll be rooting for you!

I'm gonna try and take care of my own business as best I can, too!

Hmm... He's a real mystery man, all right.

His Spirit Origin's no stronger than a Phantom Spirit's, so I'm sure he really is weak...

...but he IS a Servant. You don't sense any hostility from him...right?

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Okay. I trust your judgment on these things.

But if that's all true, I wonder why he won't help?

I suppose we'll just have to trust him when he says he's got his reasons.

Okay, let's head back to the castle for now. You've got a long day ahead of you.

Is everyone ready?

Yeah, I guess.

All good here.

Then let's get going. Remember, we'll be heading very deep into Revenge Realm territory.

We are bound to encounter enemies on the way, but we won't necessarily need to fight our way through them.

If we must, we can always run.

In fact, I had Ms. Xu Fu pack numerous talismans specifically for that purpose.

Just be aware that we won't be able to use them every time. Also, we could be in trouble if the enemy has a Caster too.

Hey, hey. You guys all ready?

I'd say so, yes.

Got it! I'll be taking you guys right up to the border in one of those golem-drawn carriages!

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Okay then, let's get going!

I know you're probably sick of hearing this by now, but remember, the direction we infiltrate the fortress from will be crucial.

Qi Men Dun Jia is an extremely complex spell, but it always goes in a set order...

...and it doesn't matter how strong the sorcerer casting it is. In some ways, it's a lot like a gun.

If you want to fire a gun, no matter who you are, you have to load it, disengage the safety, and pull the trigger.

No matter how good a shot you are, you can't fire a gun without doing all these things, right?

It's the same with this spell. It might be complex, but it's not invincible.

For example, say it made it so that no one could enter the building from any direction.

If you cast a spell like that on a castle...

...then how would its defenders come and go?

So, we can definitely get inside. The problem is that doing so will be complex and not at all intuitive.

I'll do my best to solve the riddle, but...in case I get it wrong...

Sorry really isn't going to cut it here, but yeah. I'll still say it.

Unfortunately, unlike video games, real life doesn't have a "Continue" option.

？！

Anyway, assuming we make it inside, there probably won't be that many soldiers to contend with.

I presume we'll have Qi Men Dun Jia to thank for that as well.

Yup.

Not only is it fiendishly difficult to navigate, but the people inside could also mess it all up by inadvertently screwing with orientations.

So they wouldn't be able to station many other Servants in there, even if they wanted to. Which they don't.

Be that as it may, we do believe we will encounter some form of military resistance inside.

Most likely some sort of being Zhang Jue controls with his Taoist arts in lieu of Servant soldiers.

Hmm, yeah, that's a good point. If he uses familiars or something along those lines...

...he could severely restrict their behavioral patterns to make sure they don't mess up the spell.

That would make them much harder to control though, so...I think we still have a shot at this.

Thank you, Ms. Xu Fu. Going over all of this ahead of time has been a great help.

We'll be counting on your assistance inside the fortress as well, as your skills will be crucial to this operation.

However, there's one other key to this operation that needs to be addressed.

Oh, right. You mean me, don't you?

I take it your Noble Phantasm is equal to the task of killing Zhang Jue.

...Yes.

It may not be as strong as the First Hassan's, but my Noble Phantasm is by no means weak.

Although thinking back on it, maybe pride is what kept me from ever matching his.

Speaking of which, Lord Fujimaru, I understand you've met a number of the Hassans yourself.

May I ask what they're like?

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I see...

Well, now I feel a little embarrassed, making big proclamations to someone as accomplished as you...

...but I hope you'll trust me to see this mission through!

Hey, guys? You got a minute?

What is it?

Well...

One of our squads is fighting a skirmish with one of the Revenge Realm's squads.

I see... What's the situation?

Um, it looks like we're losing, but at least they're already prepared to retreat.

So, what do you guys want to do? Go around them since this is a stealth mission?

That would probably be best.

What do you think, Mr. Fujimaru?

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Woo, now you're talking!

I was just getting tired of doing nothing but driving this carriage!

Okay, let's do this thing!

Hey all! I'm Astolfo, a paladin of the Righteous Realm!

It's my duty to assist you in batt No, wait. That's not right.

As a paladin of the Righteous Realm, I guess, um, I'm the reinforcements?

Eh, something along those lines! Anyway, nice to meet you all!

How polite of him.

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Gotcha.

The squad does seem like they have things handled. Okay, we'll take a detour then.

There, we made it past without a prob

...Huh? Waah!

Demonic Beast attack! Demonic Beast attack!

Understood. We'll take care of them. Let's go!

Good luck.

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Ugh... Well, I guess I'd better help out a little too...

Why not just agree to do so in the first place?

Hey, thanks!

Don't worry about it. You'd do the same for me!

There we go! All beasties gone!

Now we can collect all the materials!

...As much as I wish we could, I'm afraid time is of the essence.

Our mission is an urgent one.

Oh, looks like we're almost there.

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Hmm. Okay, this is as far as I go.

I'll head back on my hippogriff. See you guys later! And good luck! We're all counting on you!

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Wooo!

Yeah.

My predictions never pan out, but I've got a good feeling about this mission!

Welp, bye!

...If his predictions never pan out, as he says, then perhaps we should expect things to go poorly?

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Let's!

Man, I don't like this...