Friday, December 11, 2020

Live A Hero Chapter 2 Episode 9: Time Limit

We begin with a flashback as narration tunes in at some shanty town looking place, a dirty yet solemn scene of victory won after much suffering. Kaibutsu fluids have splattered around, equipment has been damaged and worn out, and blood is dripping from injuries. Heroes in this state are raising their arm up, a signal of the peace that has been brought to Hakata at last. The people raise their voices in joy and gratitude and warmly welcome the heroes. They gather around, their eyes filled brimming with awe for the heroes anyone would say is cool. Among these onlookers is a young boy, who feels boundless envy and respect for the praise being given to the heroes that he never received and might never get. Mokdai talks about how cool and heroic the heroes are, and he starts to talk about how he could never be like that before trailing off.
 
Back to the present, you, Akashi, and Mokdai are trailing behind Suhail and his gang by a few minutes as you enter the smoking building. There's far less smoke inside the building though, but there is debris lying everywhere. Some of the building's wiring has become damaged and exposed, throwing little sparks out that cause small fires in the area, which provide faint lighting for the interior.
 
Akashi is surprised at how bad the place looks and wonders if it was bombed. Mokdai notes that he doesn't see Suhail anywhere, so he wonders if he's further up ahead. You guys continue on through the strangely silent building, and eventually you see a large figure that you recognize. Mokdai starts talking to Suhail and saying you guys caught up, but he realizes after a second that Suhail isn't in his hero/villain/whatever form anymore.
 
Suhail greets you guys in some surprise, then comments that he stuck his head into a really crazy ass fight now. He points ahead, where a bunch of his underlings are flat on the ground, bleeding and groaning in pain and also out of their battle suits. This accounts for at least half of Suhail's starting forces. Akashi is shocked by this turn of events, and Mokdai points your guys' attention to something nearby when he catches sight of it. You notice the strange lights of multiple Kaibutsu eyes shining in the darkness, who make some weird noises as they approach. They then drag one of the mobs with them and retreat back into the gloom.
 
You react in disbelief at Kaibutsu being here, and Akashi asks if all the lights were because of the monsters. Then he realizes there's far more of them than the park incident the other day. Mokdai seems to flinch at that, and Suhail says he's never seen so many before either. The monsters have also unfortunately eaten the crew's Observer, which lead to everyone's depowering and inability to fight back. He sighs as he kicks some nearby scrap away, then says his decision to bring him along because of concerns of radio jamming was a mistake. Their Observer being gone takes away pretty much all their options, and Suhail gets pissy about how not fun this is.
 
Mokdai starts freaking out a bit and having a PTSD sort of episode as the scene of Kaibutsu milling around reminds him of what he saw back in Hakata. He flashes back for a moment where two other people call out to him, one telling him to run while another screaming for help. While he's having his episode, Suhail turns to you and suggests that you engage (re: contract) with him. He needs to save his crew and get out alive, so it'll be a temporary deal where he'll become your Servant take orders from you. You'll need the help anyways.
 
You agree to the idea, so Suhail says he'll send you the form. A little fiddling with phone armbands later, and the paper shows up on your end, and you accept in short order. Suhail thanks you, saying he'll fight more than you're expecting and tells you to keep your eyes peeled. Akashi notes that since you guys don't know what's up ahead, you'll just have to step on the Kaibutsu and find out. Suhail approves and says Akashi has guts like he thought he did. Akashi says he's wrong if that's what he really thinks, but he has to push on ahead for now. On that note, he tells you and Mokdai it's time to go. You agree, then notice Mokdai isn't doing so well.
 
Mokdai is taking a few deep breaths, so Akashi asks if he's okay in concern. Mokdai says he's okay, just shaking a little. He can keep the camera running fine, so you don't have to worry about that. Akashi isn't totally convinced, but he lets it be and tells him not to push himself. He'll protect him, so he shouldn't worry too much about things. Mokdai nods at this and thanks him.
 
Suhail says it's time to go and tells Akashi to steel himself as they charge ahead and take down anything in their way. The two of them yell as they charge towards where the Kaibutsus' eyes are, and Mokdai follows from behind with his camera as he mutters to himself. He talks to himself about how much of a coward he is who can only watch and be defended. He voices his frustrations about his inability to save anyone and how powerless he is, and on that bleak note the episode battle begins. More story after that.
 
After the battle, the story starts up a flashback to a time dated ten years ago over in the refuge shanty town district in Hakata, Fukuoka. A bunch of unnamed children start talking how cool heroes are for defeating the scary monsters that attacked the place. A couple of them talk about wanting to be a hero when they get bigger, and Mokdai says he wants to be one too.
 
The other kids mock Mokdai over this since he's such a fraidycat and because he's fat since coolness is also based on appearance in their eyes. They laugh at the idea and Mokdai weakly agrees with them, and one of the kids brags about how they'll never be afraid no matter what happens. Mokdai then starts narrating about how the friends he grew up with had laughed when he floated the being a hero thing with them. While he laughed with them, deep down he was hurt by it and never let it go. Mokdai repeats his agreement that heroes are supposed to be brave and cool, never showing any weakness to the people. Since he's a lame weakling, he'd never be able to become a hero. Never in a million years, he repeats to himself...
 
Time then returns to the present and narrates how things look to Rando Tanaka down the street: Raidark is suddenly blowing smoke, and a giant mysterious ship has pulled up next to it. The ship's sudden breaking has resulted in a shockwave that blasts through downtown, and now the central district has fallen into a panic.
 
Exio is watching all of this, then starts talking to himself about how it was a failure after all. Then again he knew that Mystery Mob from the beginning of the chapter never had the ability to control the Kaibutsu (or whatever he means by ‘that/them’) to begin with. Things have turned into a huge incident now though, and it's not just your problem anymore. So how will you take responsibility for this? The people won't be satisfied with hanging you at this point. If that's the case, he'll have to mobilize too.
 
Exio extends his hand out as he looks at the smoking building, like he's inviting someone to a ballroom dance. He starts addressing you and says you must be over there, then asks if you can turn his mistake into your success. You don't really have the luxury of taking your time here, as given the amount of time that's passed since their appearance some of the Kaibutsu should be just about ready to transform.
 
Scene then shifts back to Raidark's HQ as Furlong starts yelling about firing his extinguisher. He then declares a way through has been opened before asking Survive Taker (Victom) to go save any survivors. In the meantime he'll go to the lower floors to put out fires. Victom acknowledges the request as he refers to Furlong as Burn Striker, asking him to handle the lower areas. Furlong then yells as he runs off.
 
Gammei comments on how different Furlong acts while on and off the job and how it always surprises him. Victom says this personality change didn't start now and compares it to being possessed, then wishes his normal demeanor had some of that brave spirit. But anyways Victom says he'll go looking for any people needing to be saved and evacuating them. He asks Gammei to check the upper floors and save anyone he finds, which he agrees to as he refers to Victom by name. Victom insists on being called by his code name while on the job, which takes Gammei back a bit. Gammei corrects himself as he wishes him luck, and Victom returns the concern in time before heading off.
 
Camera then jumps to your end as Akashi notes that the fire doesn't seem to have started nearby where you guys are. There's still a lot of rubble that's fallen down everywhere, which is a bad sign of things. Suhail notes that it's fortunate you guys haven't come across any dead bodies on your way there. If anyone were around though, they probably got eaten before it came to that. Speaking of, he thinks it's weird how all the Kaibutsu you guys have seen are all the small types since they need to be bigger to actually affect anything on this side of things. So where'd the fire come from then? You either suggest other terrorists did it or that there are bigger monsters in the mix. In A, Suhail asks if you mean whoever sent the notice. It's possible, but he wonders how he got monsters to show up then. In B, Mokdai says he agrees with you.
 
Mokdai starts talking about how the methods don't matter if someone intentionally brought Kaibutsu here. If someone did that, there's no reason they'd need to create this much damage. If they just wanted to hurt people, then they could just leave a bunch of small Kaibutsu around since they wouldn't need to blow up a hole to let them in and set any fires. You agree he has a point, and Mokdai continues reasoning that the level of structural damage present means it'd have to come from larger monsters, which in turn means they must be among the smaller ones. Mokdai admits to seeing something like this before in Hakata, and he says if they aren't taken care of soon it'll be a huge problem.
 
Akashi is curious as he picks up on something about Mokdai. Suhail says what Mokdai is thinking makes sense. He also starts talking about hearing something about smaller adult level Kaibutsu around before when a voice calls out asking if anyone is there. The party is surprised by this as Akashi asks if it's someone who fell behind at evacuating the building. Mokdai recognizes the voice after a moment, and Gammei soon turns up, surprised to see you guys and asking why you're there.
 
You call out to Gammei and comment on the coincidence of seeing him there. Gammei starts demanding to know where you guys went since he was worried about you all, though he stops short when he sees Suhail. Suhail greets him and says it's been a while. Gammei is surprised to see him there and asks why he's there, then jumps to the conclusion that he's responsible for the incident.
 
You react in surprise as Gammei starts attacking Suhail, who defends using his own chains against the former's cuffs. Suhail quickly dodges the follow up attack to complain about how Gammei is treating him after it being so long since they last met. Gammei refuses to listen since he still believes Suhail is behind the attack and the Kaibutsus' appearance, even if he can't think of how that can be. He rattles off a list of crimes to charge Suhail with including kidnapping, large scale destruction, attempted murder, assault, and abuse of otherworld abilities. About the only silver lining is that Gammei hasn't seen any casualties so far, but that doesn't make the rest of the charges go away.
 
Suhail objects and tries to get Gammei to stop, and he does admit to kidnapping you guys thinking you were all suspicious. He protests that everything that happened here started before he actually got there though, and that he only just entered through the top minutes ago. A bunch of his underlings got hurt in the attack, so he's been hit by this incident too. Gammei refuses to believe that anyone besides Suhail would do something this overt, bringing up the crime notice even if he admits himself that it isn't like him to send one.
 
Suhail denies sending a calling card or the like and points out Gammei knows full well that he wouldn't. He then laughs as he says the fuzz on Earth really are a bunch of incompetent idiots. Gammei takes offense at this, and you jump in and try to stop the argument. Gammei demands that you butt out, but you speak up in defense of Suhail regarding his culpability for this attack.
 
Gammei is surprised into considering your testimony, though he starts to ask if you were threatened into saying so. Akashi backs you up saying you guys were in Suhail's ship until a short while ago. Mokdai adds that the building was already on fire when you made it over. Suhail rubs it in Gammei's face as he calls him Detective Defective and makes another dig at the Earth's police force. Gammei protests in shock that he can't just take a criminal's word at face value.
 
You add that Suhail did abduct you guys though. Gammei says that's good enough and that he'll arrest Suhail after this is all over. Suhail complains in shock about you blabbing about that, and Gammei starts wondering who's actually responsible for this incident. He's cut off by some rumbling, which Akashi initially thinks is a quake before he realizes the building is crumbling.
 
You start yelling about how bad this is, and Victom turns up at this point and announces his presence. He tells everyone to gather together, so everyone moves to obey. Once you're all grouped up, Victom throws out a rope to tie you all together. He then says it's time for a quick exit, then tells everyone to keep their mouths shut or else they'll bite their tongue. He jumps out the window and follows along another long rope that reaches to the ground level, rapidly hauling you guys along with him. The force of this makes it feel like your face is getting cut.
 
After several tens of seconds, Victom brings you all to the roof of the building nearby. The main building starts collapsing, and the upper section starts falling down. Suhail's ship flies away from the building. You either gasp about how close that was or thank Victom. B gets an extra line where Victom waves it off and says it's part of his job.
 
At this point, a call reaches Suhail's phone. He picks it up, and the call is coming from the rest of his crew. He asks if they've picked up the injured, then thanks them when they tell him they've managed to get everyone. He orders them to turn the barrier on and hide somewhere in the mountains where he'll meet up with them later. Gammei thanks Victom for saving them, and Victom responds that he was just fulfilling his duty. That said, he asks Gammei why a villain is around and if he's got something to do with this attack.
 
Gammei doesn't deny that Suhail is involved, but he does say that he doesn't seem to be the culprit. Victom is confused as he points out how unspecific that answer is, so Gammei apologizes and says he'll explain in detail later. For now, Suhail just got caught up in this. Victom lets the point stand then and notes that arresting criminals is outside his jurisdiction anyway.
 
You ask who the guy in the mask is as you refer to him as cool. Gammei tells you that Victom is one of his coworkers and captain of the hyper rescue team as he introduces him by name. Victom insists on being referred to by his code name again since he's in hero mode now. Gammei apologizes and complies, though Victom sighs and says it's too late for that now.
 
Akashi is surprised at seeing more heroes and asks about there being heroes specializing in saving people. He then notices Mokdai being quiet despite being saved by one of his beloved heroes and asks about that, so Mokdai says he is happy to meet Survive Taker, but he's bothered by what's happening. Despite all the Kaibutsu appearing and attacking the place, Mokdai says it's too quiet right now and compares it to how it was in Hakata one time.
 
Akashi starts to ask Mokdai what he means by that, but more shaking cuts him off. Mokdai quickly notices something and points everyone's attention back to where the main building was. A large growing shadow appears where Mokdai is pointing to, and eventually all the Kaibutsu fusing together destroy more of the building as they grow into one giant monster illuminated by the moon and the city's lights. On that note, the episode ends.
 
 
 

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