Act Three: Rallying Cry from the Calmest Region (6/6)

All right, we've been planning the big guy's takedown for some time now, and it's time to blow him out of the water!

We've already got its sound in our proverbial sights, so all that's left is to carry out the plan like we practiced in the simulation. Everyone ready?

First off, my Leviathans will, like silent and graceful swans, bring the assault team right alongside the enemy ship.

It'll be a significantly more difficult performance than usual, so I'll be there to lead them.

Uh. Next, I cut the armor!

And from there, I'll use my Noble Phantasm to run the beast through in a single blow.

As for me, I'll stay back with Raikou to defend both her and the ship!

...All that aside, we certainly don't look like a group of warriors headed off to battle, do we?

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This is definitely one of the most ragtag crews I've ever come across, that's for sure.

Still, the fact that they're taking this unprecedented threat so lightly does seem like something Heroic Spirits would do.

Ehehe... It looks like it's time!

So it does. Okay, no more pointless chatter!

All hands, we've arrived at the designated position near Enemy Ship Alpha! Begin the operation!

Yaaah! I'm gonna chop it in haaalf!

This girl really has a knack for breaking the tension, doesn't she...? It's too big to chop in half, but that's okay; you've done plenty to help. Now get on! Quick!

Oh. Okay. You take good care of people.

Well of course I do. Any halfway decent collector knows how important looking after her dolls is.

...Though I suppose I'm not one to talk, since I've also been...less than kind to some of my playthings.

Why are you treating me like a doll?

Because you are one. Aren't you, Frankenstein's monster?

You're a poor little bride doll created to be the vessel of the first human, Adam, but you never did get the partner you were promised.

I think that's a lovely concept, personally. If you like, I wouldn't mind helping your wish come true.

No. I'm tired. Just wanna sleep somewhere cool.

You just want to sleep? Really? Summer outfit or not, didn't you become a Heroic Spirit because you have something you refuse to compromise on?

Uhh. My wish already came true.

?

The professor told me I should never have been born.

I told him he's the one who chose my purpose for existing.

So I said he should find a way for me to fulfill it. But he didn't.

So I looked for one myself. My body fell apart, but my pursuit was still inscribed in the Throne.

But now, I know I have purpose just by existing, even if I am a patchwork monster.

I learned that at Chaldea. Now I have Papa, Babbage, Master, Mordred... That makes me happy.

So my wish came true. I'm different now. And my new lazy self was reinscribed on the Throne.

...I see. Then I suppose congratulations are in order. I guess it wouldn't be fair to try and push my particular taste for tragedy onto you.

Besides, this isn't the Far Side of the Moon, where there's no hope of salvation. If you have another option aside from breaking down, then more power to you.

So, you don't like lazy me?

You're just not my style.

Can we be friends?

I don't know. But I suppose envy and sloth working together wouldn't be the weirdest thing we've seen.

I heard you can make water. Will you make me a bath later?

As long as you're okay with Nemo chewing you out afterwards. I also did want to try making a pool on the ship's deck.

Okay. Can I call you "Mama"?

Absolutely not.

We did it! All of our torpedoes hit, and the giant enemy ship's starting to fall apart!

We've got the torpedo team back safe and sound, and the combat team should be back soon, too!

Good. Okay, everyone, brace for impac

What the...!? What was that, Professor!?

Computer room here. Hmm, that sounded like engine noise... My hypothesis is it was Alpha crying in pain, or just the sound of it coming apart.

I see. Well, as long as it wasn't pinging for us

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Ghh...

Ahaha. I'm sorry... It looks like...they got me good...

Yu-Yu!?

Lady Yang Guifei!?

Get Nurse in here, now! Professor, what's going on!?

As far as I can tell, that sound actually wounded Yang Guifei because of her delicate hearing.

But that's not the only problem.

When she gave most of her Spirit Origin to her clone so she could help out in ways other than being our sonar...

...it left her original self so weakened that a fatal injury like this will probably result in both her and her clone disappearing.

I'm here! Don't move the patient! I need to treat her right away!

...What the...? You tweaked your Spirit Origin to boost your audio sensitivity with no thought to the risks?

Ehe... I'm sorry, Nurse... (Cough!) I just wanted to be...as helpful as possible...

Master, we need a Command Spell!

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...It's not enough! We need more!

No... Don't give up! I'll use every last elixir we've got!

Don't do...that... We need to...conserve our resources...

Sorry, Batty... I guess you'll have to do the last area without me...

Don't say that! I can't do this without you, Yu-Yu! We can't go without your sonar!

Oh, yeah... Sorry about that...

Goghie... Even after I'm gone... I hope you'll keep...watching out for everyone...

...

I'm going to release my Noble Phantasm.

Huh?

Gogh, does that mean

Yes. I actually do know how to use it and what it does. I just didn't say anything because it's dangerous.

It proves that I'm your enemy... The enemy of the whole world.

But...ehehe, I don't want you to go away, Lady Yang Guifei. So I'm going to use it.

...I need to paint.

Goghie...

I need to paint... The starry sky and cypress trees that surpass life and death.

Far beyond faith, romance, and trompe-l'œil. From eternity, through the whirlpool of the stars... With a handshake to you.

My study of cypresses and a village! You know it as De Sterrennacht!

Wh-what's going on!? Is that painting really oozing out into the air from the canvas!?

A Reality Marble!!!

It's a painting of the endless eternity I saw in the night sky during a particularly intense hallucinatory episode...

I used to think it was one of my worst paintings...but now that I'm dead, I can see it has its good qualities, too.

At least, if you don't count the horrific gospel of the Outer God glaring at this world through it!

Any Foreigner who opens their eyes now will be turned into a god, and anyone else will be driven mad by the stars! So close your eyes!

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...Lady Yang Guifei? Lady Yang Guifei?

Nn...

Ehehe, oh good. So you're awake now?

What...happened...?

Her Spirit Origin changed!?

It's a side effect of her deification restoring her damaged Spirit Origin.

I'm glad it stopped here. If it had gone on much further, she wouldn't be a Servant any longer...

Y-Yu-Yu!? Are you okay!? You look...really glammed up!

My apologies for the disturbance, friends. As you can see, I have narrowly escaped the jaws of death and am once again alive and well.

To think I would reach my ultimate form in this manner... I will make the most of this second chance at life to serve all of you, and my beloved Emperor, as best I can.

Y-Yu-Yu?

...Ah, forgive me. It seems the Ascension of my Spirit Origin has altered my personality somewhat.

A moment, please...

...There, I adjusted my Spirit Origin! Sorry, guys! The Yu-Yu you know and love is back now!

Whoooa! It really is you, Yu-Yu! This is great!

...Huh? What's the matter with you guys?

...

I knew it. It's too dangerous.

Things might have gone okay so far, but a single mistake will change every Foreigner into an enemy of humanity...

Ehehe... My Noble Phantasm is itself a threat to humanity. I'm a pathetic excuse for a Heroic Spirit. I don't have any right to serve you, Master...

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A-are you okay, Master? You look pale...

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...I agree.

If you were really an enemy of humanity, Van Gogh, you could've killed us with your Noble Phantasm at any time.

But you haven't, and you won't. That tells me without a doubt that you're on humanity's side.

You're hardly the first Foreigner we've met who has the power to open a dangerous gate to another world.

I'm told that's the case for Abigail Williams, too.

So as long as Fujimaru is okay with it, I'd like you to remain on the Nautilus, Van Gogh.

？！

Same here! Though I guess that's no surprise, since you just saved my life and all!

Besides, we might both have weird Spirit Origins, but that just means we can do things nobody else can.

So I want you to stick around too, Van Gogh! And once we're done with this operation, let's go to Chaldea together!

...(Sniff)... Ehehe, ehehe...

Master... Lady Yang Guifei... Nemo... You're all so kind...

Okay, I'll do everything I can to help! I promise!