Live A Hero Chapter 5 Episode 10: Legendary Tag Team (Abridged)

Giant Monster: SCREEEEE
Jellyfish: (blobs in bum rush)
The Monster is creating jellyfish in response to the party getting closer to it, and two lights jump forward amid all the fighting.
Huckle: Here they come! 13 on the left and 7 on the right!
Ryekie: Roger that! I'll get them all together, and you take them out!
Huckle: Understood!
Ryekie: Come at me bros! Justice Thunder!
Jellyfish: (blobs in surround attack)
Ryekie: Gh! Okay I took a little hit, but here we go! Thunder Field Trap!
Jellyfish: (blobs in shocked paralysis)
Ryekie: Hopper, do it!
Huckle: Got them! World Traveler "Sonic Boom Penetration"!
Jellyfish: (blobs in chain destruction)

Ryekie: AWESOME! Hopper, you--
Purple Jellyfish: (blobs in desperate flailing)
Ryekie: Whoa! Eat my knuckle sandwich!
Purple Jellyfish: (blobs in light shattering)
Ryekie: Huh, you missed one. Did you get rusty?
Huckle: Hello, I haven't fought as a hero in YEARS.
Ryekie: Oh right, haha. Still, you aren't winded yet. Let's keep this going! Can you keep up!?
Huckle: Of course! Here we go!

Jellyfish: (blobs in aerial bouncing)
Akashi: Eat fireballs, freak!
Sui: I'll take care of these ones!
Jellyfish: (blobs in dissolving light)
Akashi: Got 'em! But anyways, man are those two are crazy good. They're taking on even more mobs than we are!
Sui: I know part of it is them being up front ahead of us, but I'm still surprised at how strong Huckle is.
MC: Yeah...kind of a huge turnaround here. That's a famous partnership for you.

Crowne: Well they were both S Rank Heroes, so both of them are familiar with harsh battles. Still, it's weird...does anyone else feel like your fatigue's been recovering? And my attacks are feeling stronger than before somehow...
Mokdai: Well there's a reason for that. Oh right, MC your phone blew up didn't it? I'll lend you mine until the battles are over. Look at the screen.
MC looks at the LIVE@HERO livestream interface, where the VP count is changing by the second. There is also a viewer count at...
MC: OH MY GOD 92 MILLION VIEWERS. Eight numbers long!
Mokdai: This huge scale audience bigger than we usually have is why Ryekie and the Director can throw their big moves like that and our weapons keep fixing themselves! I've never seen a viewer count that big before!
Barrel: It's the comeback of the legendary hero duo! Of course everyone would come out to watch that!
Victom: Yeah, there's that but...everyone really IS worried about what's going to happen with the country.
Sadayoshi: We have...the whole world's expectations on our shoulders now.

Victom: What, you scared? You're a hero battalion leader for the National Defense Department.
Sadayoshi: ...no. I've decided to give my all to prevent losing at all costs. We cannot let ourselves fall behind private heroes after all.
Barrel: Haha, dang. You have more of a sense of humor than I thought you would!
Sadayoshi: I-I do? I was taught not to speak so casually...
Victom: It's fine. Right now, we're heroes on the same side fighting the same enemy. We can trust in that fact at least.
Sadayoshi: Is that so? I'm glad.
Jellyfish: (blobs in interference)
Victom: Here they come! Get ready, you two!
Barrel: Roger, Captain! Please work with us, thanks Colonel!
Sadayoshi: Of course! Monsters, you will fall here! 

Kyoichi: ...hey, MC's phone blew up earlier right? But they're still sending us VP like normal. How's that work?
Toshu: (shrug) There's a lot of things we don't know about Observer abilities.
Jellyfish: (blobs in interruption)
Kyoichi: Well if we can fight like normal, I guess that's good enough! Here they come, Toshu!
Toshu: Heh, that's just like you. Don't fall behind!
Exio: ...MC doesn't seem to notice that they're having a temporary power overflow in their Observer abilities. They're grasping the number of views without using machine assistance and distributing it unconsciously. It's likely they're return to how they normally operate after this battle is over, but they've clearly grown as an Observer.

Gammei: Hey! What's-your-face! Pay attention here! Enemy incoming, and I need some VP!
Yoshiori: Watch your mouth when you speak to Exio, pig! Didn't your mommy ever teach you to say please!?
Gammei: Do you realize how CRAZY this situation is!? And who are you calling a pig!?
Jellyfish: (blobs in vibrating screaming)
Gammei: You things shut the hell up!
Yoshiori: We're talking here, dammit!
Gammei binds jellyfish in place, and Yoshiori follows up by filling them with holes.
Gammei: Not bad punk.
Yoshiori: Shut up, dogface.
MC: They seem to be getting along. Huh.

Exio: (sigh) Those two seem alike.
Melide: (breathes hard)
Yellow Jellyfish: (blobs in encroachment)
Melide: Oh no!
Furlong: Melide, please get back! Shaw Hose Buster!
Yellow Jellyfish: (blobs in ring out)
Furlong: Are you okay!? ...you seem tired.
Melide: T-thank you. I'm okay, I can...keep going...
Furlong: ...everyone's pretty far ahead. Get on my back, I'll carry you!
Melide: What...? You sure...?
Furlong: I'm sure. I'm a fireman, so I often carry people like this. And right now, we're on the same side. Of course we'd help each other. Go ahead, climb on!
Melide: ...okay. Thank you.

Monomasa: ...Melide is trusting people besides us?
Shoen: Are you upset by that...?
Monomasa: No...I'm actually happy. Melide doesn't like opening herself up to others much, much less ask for their help. She's changed since meeting all of you. I want her to know...that not everyone in the world will hurt her.
Shoen: ...I see.
Jellyfish: (blobs in mood breaker)
Shoen: Speaking of which, if there are things that will come to harm her...
Monomasa: Yes...we have to hunt down every last one. Will you help me?
Shoen: Of course. Let's go.

Mochizuki Inn
Yellow Trainee: Whoa that's another one down! These guys are awesome, Young Master!
Red Trainee: The viewer count is blowing up! I've never seen so many people tuned in at once for a battle!
Green Trainee: Is it really okay for us not to go too!?
Nessen: Please stop calling me Young Master for the thousandth time...our job is to hold the fort back here. So many Monsters are appearing, so we cannot leave this city undefended. We can only pray for their victory.
Nessen: ...everyone, please come back safely.
Air raid sirens
Nessen: W-what's that noise? I don't think we have sirens installed around here...
Disaster Alert: This is the Japanese government and temporary Orient City Disaster Prevention HQ. We have news for everyone living 50 km of the Orient City quarantine zone...

Back to the party
Enemy body count unknown, because they don't leave bodies. But anyways the situation is changing!
Akashi: ...why is the big Monster acting weird?
Giant Monster: JOJO MENACING NOISES
MC: It's fading in and out for some reason.
Kyoichi: Yeah...it's like what happens to us when we run out of VP.
Monomasa: What would happen to you if you were starving and had to exert yourself?
Barrel: wat. I'd fall over exhausted, I guess?
Monomasa: Yes, that's what's happening here too. Monsters gain energy from the VP people and things gather. This one hasn't been eating anyone or anything and spawning a huge number of smaller Monsters for defense, constantly shaving at itself to do so.

Gammei: Soooo it's get weaker? Then this is our chance! We gotta get to the core while it's like this!
Victom: Hey stupid, it's not gonna be THAT easy. Eyeballing it, it's still a 3 km tall Monster that we somehow have to get closer to.
Huckle: ...I agree. It resisted this far, and I doubt it'll just give up. I feel like it's highly likely it'll burn itself out and throw everything into a death throe.
Melide: ...strange. I'm...getting a really bad feeling...
Suddenly...
MC: REALLY STRONG EARTHQUAKE
Giant Monster: SHRIEEEEEK
A huge wave slams the ground, and trees off in the distance are mowed down.

Toshu: What's happening!?
Yoshiori: Shit, I can't stay up! I can't believe it was storing this much power!
Mokdai: W-wait! The ground is splitting!
The ground roils and tears itself apart, creating large chasms.
Crowne: Careful you don't fall in guys!
Sui: Very helpful! I can't get awa--ahh!!
The ground splits between MC and Sui. Sui starts falling. Kidding, it’s actually MC.
MC: WHAT AAAAAA
Sui: No! (catches MC with strings that wrap around their sleeve)
MC: Thank you Sui!
Sui: (struggles to hold on) I won't...let go! But...!
Sui is unable to keep a steady foothold and is getting pulled down.
Sui: I can't...dig in! Ah!
Ryekie: JUSTICE CHARGE! (zooms in and pulls Sui up)

Sui: R-Ryekie! Thank you!
Ryekie: I...don't have...a good foothold either! But...! RAAAAAGH! (yanks MC up like a fish on a hook)
MC: AAAAAA
Crowne: I got you, MC!
MC crashes into Crowne.
Crowne: OOF
MC: T-thanks Crowne. Y-you okay?
Crowne: Owww. Well I can ask you the same. I'm glad you're alright...
Ryekie: Nice catch, Crowne! You really are a hero!
Crowne: O-oh shut up! How about you think about the consequences next time you help!?
Ryekie: Ack, I can't argue with that!
Crowne: ...but nice going on your end too. You didn't become an S Rank Hero for nothing.
Ryekie: ...yep! Thanks!

Sadayoshi: ...the shaking stopped. Is it over?
Furlong: What? No way.
Exio: ...no, here it comes!
LOUD SCREAMING
MC: OW!
Akashi: W-what's wrong!? You okay, MC!?
MC: Something's coming!
Akashi: Wha--
Giant Monster: REEEEEEE
Tons of tentacles pop out from every crack on the ground.

Ryekie: Damn that's a ton of tentacles! There's...at least 200 of them before I lost count!
The tentacles lift up the ground area the party is standing on.
Kyoichi: Whoa what!?
The party is surrounded with no way to escape, and only the main body is visible in between the tentacles.
Yoshiori: Okay so maybe it isn't going to just pin us down all at once. Is it going to weaken us and eat whoever goes down first?
Monomasa: I don't know if it has intelligence, but that's likely the general idea. It's true we have nowhere to run. Absolutely none.
Sadayoshi: ...but this can be a good opportunity. Since O-X lifted the ground and us with it, that means we can get to its body from the front. If we can break through and attack its core...
Toshu: So destroying the core is a realistic plan now!
Shoen: Good. So this is our final battle with it?
Gammei: But if we lose we're all gonna be eaten! So we can't afford to lose!
Barrel: We can't lose our lives or the city!
Kyoichi: Right! I will save the children's homes!

Melide: The Monster's life is dwindling...it probably can't take much more. Just one more push, and the core should be exposed.
Exio: We have Views for days. With this many people watching, we should definitely be able to break through. But be careful, it's fighting for its life too.
Furlong: I've never felt this nervous or fought in a battle like this before...I hope I can get past it all.
Victom: Don't overthink it. You're plenty strong if you fight like normal. Have some self-confidence.
Furlong: ...yes Captain!
Victom: Good answer. I'm counting on you.

Huckle: ...everyone, it's finally do or die in this long battle. Since I've lost my memories, I don't know how many times our agency's had to flirt with death, but there is one thing I know of. Everyone one in the company is a great hero who can fight on. I want you all to keep going until things end.
Ryekie: Save all the big boss briefings for after it's all over! Our chance is finally here! We can finally save the city! Stay sharp people!
Akashi: Yeah...I never thought I'd end up in a battle like this when I became a hero for real. But when I'm with MC and everyone else, I think I can fight. We can win this!
Mokdai: Same. I was always someone who watched heroes and was afraid of fighting. I never thought this would happen. But somehow, I'm not afraid now. Maybe because I'm with you all?
Sui: I...might be a little afraid. But I don't want to run at all, because repaying everyone for all the support you've given me would mean fighting here. Plus, I feel I can accept the reason that I'm here myself.
Crowne: I'm in the same boat now that I've come so far. I never thought I'd be a hero, never mind that it'd escalate to this. But I'm gonna survive this fight, then give my respects to my other self.
Huckle: ...I suppose you're all psyched up. Let's go to the final battle. We're counting on you, MC.
MC: Let's do this, everyone! We're gonna win and go back home together!
Party: YEAH!
BATTLE START

Tigers New Year Episode 2 (Abridged)

MC's phone lights up with an alert about their next scheduled thing while they're at Kasai Coastal Park.
MC: Kinda sucks that I have to go, but I already have plans. Where was I going again?
There's a text of the Berserkers lined up and a message saying to come whenever.
MC: Okay, gotta hurry to the center of Tokyo. I've been moving all day since the start of the year.
MC starts hustling towards the train station and immediately bumps into someone the second they look away.
???: Oops, sorry. You okay? Oh wait, you're...
It's Smoky God.
Smoky God: Oh it's you MC. It's so nice to see you so early in the year.
Lucifuge: Ooh, Lightbringing MC!
Cait Sith: Happy New Year's meow! What a coincidence running into you here!
Smoky God: Were you coming back from a New Year's cruise like all us rich and fabulous types? Even if you weren't, want to go eat out together?
MC: It's the coming of the godly stinking rich! / Did you just say cruise!? / Sorry I gotta go

Smoky God: Oh, you seem to have plans. But don't hurry too much. You might run into thieves or something. But since we met like this, this must be fate. Would you like to hitch a ride with us?
Cait Sith: Oh yeah, come on MC!
Lucifuge: Indeed! And if you'd please, we could talk along the way!
MC: Uh okay? / Maybe I'll get an Uber / You don't mean an elephant by ride, do you?
---
(C) Smoky God: Haha, good one. That's for next time.
---
Smoky God: To the private helipad!

Later
MC: welp / I'll be in Ikebukuro in no time! / omg rich people transport
Lucifuge: Isn't the view splendid, Lightbringer?
Cait Sith: Okay it was a surprise to be so high off the ground, but it's also exciting like magic!
Lucifuge: Let me give you a drink! Would you like the special Tir na Nog grape juice that Cait Sith recommends?
Smoky God: The landing pad in Ikebukuro has been secured. It'll be a short ride, but enjoy it while it lasts.
And so the Pimp Copter flies off
Smoky God: Now let's have a champagne shower but without actual champagne!
MC: The amazake is spilling! / I didn't know you three were friends / You guys definitely seem the type to be at rich people parties

Smoky God: Ah yes, it happened one day while I was napping under a tree at home. All the little animals were coming together, and then Cait Sith comes trotting by. And then we became friends.
MC: How underwhelming / Sounds like neighbors / How'd you meet Lucifuge?
Lucifuge: I often talk with him about property management.
Smoky God: We vibed over not having a place to donate all our excess money.
Cait Sith: We talk about being kings and nobles! There has to be stuff only we can see!
Smoky God: And today we were celebrating the new year hoping for good tidings and watching the first sunrise of the year at Kasai Coastal Park.
Lucifuge: We heard about the Winter Mikoshi while we were there, and then we met you. It was a coincidence, but what a glorious coincidence to see you on this day! Normally I'd go to the New Year's lucky bag sale for a lark so I can find a present and excuse to see you.
Cait Sith: Tee hee, Lucifuge was gonna but a scarf through those sales! We were also gonna buy you one too, which was another reason we all got together.
Lucifuge: Nooo, my secret! O-oh, I wasn't feeling guilty or such! I, well...oh, I should take a picture of this and put it next to my picture of Ophion!
MC: Oh was that a surprise? / Lalalalala I don't hear anything! / You're such good friends

Smoky God: It's so nice to give to each other. Back in Shangri La there was someone who lived like this, though not to the point of giving himself to a starving animal. It's something worth valuing. I think Fuxi would agree.
Soon the helicopter reaches Toshima Ward and the Berserkers' arts theater is visible.
MC: Wow that was fast, now we just have to land. Where's the heliport?
Smoky God: That would cost time, which means there's only one thing to do. (gently hugs MC)
Smoky God: We jump. :)
Outside
MC: AAAAAAA
Lucifuge: Be at ease, Lightbringer! Cait Sith, if you please?
Cait Sith: Skydiving Illusion! Watch my magic trick!
Cait Sith causes parachutes to pop out from Smoky God and Lucifuge's backpacks.

The rich people party descends upon Ikebukuro's west side main street as a bunch of people look at them.
Smoky God: Oh no we stood out, who could ever have seen this coming? Trying to be incognito is hard. But we got you here safely and that's what matters. You should get going.
Cait Sith: I'm kinda sad, but oh well. See you next time!
Lucifuge: It seems exciting around here. Where are the New Year's sales?
Smoky God: We have plenty of time. Let's go friends.
And so the three walks off into the crowd, rich people aura keeping people some distance away.

???: Aw man, I came running and there's no street fight? Lame.
It's Macan.
Macan: You see anyone worth fighting?
MC: Happy New Year, Macan! / Aren't you cold like that? / Where's the other Berserkers?
(A) Macan: Pfft, who cares. Eating or being eaten's the only thing worth celebrating!
(B) Macan: I'm Macan goddamn Gadungan. Like a little cold bothers me.
(C) Macan: I can't be bothered to explain. Nomad's doing something stupid.

MC: You seem to be in a bad mood for a tiger on Year of the Tiger.
Macan: Have you SEEN how many morons come up and worship m--
Garm: MAAASSSTEEERRR! Happy New Year!
Macan: Oh goddammit
Macan: MC, you didn't come worship me like all the other pain in the asses have you? (nonchalantly sidesteps Garm)
Macan: WHY ARE THERE SO MANY HOLIDAYS LATELY!? Why don't people fit in my festishes into their seasons' greetings!? Nomad's so busy hanging out with other people he won't fight me! Hell with this!
Garm: Nomad? Nomad over there! Working hard! (points)

Nomad comes over smiling when he notices you guys.
Nomad: Hello everybody I'm selling Japanese New Year's stuff! It's the Berserkers' New Year's sale!
MC: Rave reviews for Mr. Part Timer / Perfect choice for year of the tiger / hot Nomad in formal kimono
Nomad: ...you know this is money making time right? I'll do anything for my goals! I'm selling out my pride and past for it! Ohh, new customer! Hello, would you like a good luck picture?
Bathym: Ooohhh, MC darling! Happy New Year's! What do you think of Nomad's speech? Mmm, getting a little crush on him?
Pollux: We were helping at first too, but apparently we suck at selling things.
MC: Hi guys. What's going on over here?

Pollux: Uhh, what was it again? The Berserkers' Exchange event?
Bathym: Just a little Berserkers fanservice to start the year with coupled with a New Years sale. Fighting's nice and all, but shows and sales are necessary too. The ring's being set up for a special stage now, so we're enjoying New Year's.
Nomad: Goddammit you guys, help out some more! Giving me a formal kimono for Year of the Tiger's fine, but I'm the only one working as salesman and guide! That idiot Macan already tore his up, even though it was a rental and he did it outside Enclosed Areas! The year's barely started and I'm already stressed to hell!
MC: Hi Nomad gimme money / Nice clothes / Aww I wanted to see Macan in formal kimono
(A) Nomad: Yeah sure lemme ARE YOU SERIOUS!? I'm trying to make money here! You just be a good high schooler and just enjoy the concept of having a holiday!
(B) Nomad: Oh thanks. Work kinda sucks, but seasonal clothes are good.
Macan: Wow you still have yours on? My tiddies burst out of mine in five seconds.
Nomad: >8C
(C) Garm: Macan wear because Snow say so, just for short time!
Bathym: He was so handsome in it...but by the time I took my camera out, it blew up off of him.
Macan: Yeah yeah, that's why I'm here manning the store. And now I'mma go for a sec because I sense someone strong.

Nomad: (sighs, then looks at MC) Hey Watson, come help me. I'll treat you to some amazake later. Just the one cup, you're paying for any mor--oh here comes the boss. Work time!
Claude comes over with Snow and Fergus.
Claude: I heard we had someone come in making a grand entrance. It was you, wasn't it MC? I knew it was. Marvelous skydive! I expect a good show from you this year too, haha.
Snow: Happy New Year's, Master MC. Master Claude has been terribly excited since last night, and today the underground arena has been redone for today and open to the public. We have food as well, so please feel free to look.
Fergus: New Year's, new day for YOUTH to see! If there's a party, then I will be there! I'm only here sometimes for this, but this is such good timing. The days of YOUTH look bright this year!
Cthugha: OMG there's so many people I can't handle this much social interaction after being alone all the time!
Snow: ...are you okay, Mr. Secret Weapon? Should I bodyblock for everyone if you're going to explode?

MC: Oh hi Ikutoshi and Kagutsuchi! Happy New Year's!
Ikutoshi: Oh it's you MC. You're here on New Year's? Weirdo.
Kagutsuchi: Hello, and happy New Year's! I went shopping for New Year's decorations with Ikutoshi! I was originally going to do errands alone, but I got lost along the way and Ikutoshi has been walking me over...
Ikutoshi: Don't tell them that! C'mon, shopping to do!
Smoky God: ...oh. Isn't that the lion and tiger from my home world Shangri La? Obscure-ish Buddhist references so early in the year...reminds me of my old bonds.
Lucifuge: Oh is this a New Year's sale? Do they have scarves?
Cait Sith: Wow this place looks fun! Lucky Cats everywhere!
Smoky God: This is rather empty for a holiday festival. Why don't I call over some dancers? And elephants.

MC: A crowd's starting to form. At this rate it'll be chaos! Macan, is that steam coming off of you?
Macan: Why the hell are you people so calm this time of year!?
Nomad: Boss, Manager, I promise to bring MC inside, so if you guys are done saying hi to them go wait inside! GOD!
Ikutoshi and Kagutsuchi: ???
Nomad: Hi, looking for New Year's sales? Check out Andvari's shop! It's got everything!
Lucifuge, Cait Sith, and Smoky God: !???
Nomad: Hello, uh, high class people! Thank you for your interest, but we have certain customs here! You, moneyba--I mean noble man. You said you're looking for scarves? Turn right at the entrance and go to the store three stands down! Garm, show them the way!
Macan: ?????
Nomad: And you, jackass! You still have a main event to star in today, so shut your mouth and be good dammit!
Once Nomad's done answering everyone's questions...
Nomad: Okay everybody, have a good New Year's!
Everyone else: WOW!

MC: Nomad that was brilliant! / Look at those customer service skills! / Everything in moderation
Macan: Ugh, fiiiiine. The event is gonna be with me and Nomad anyways I guess. Hurry up with the formalities already so we can get the show started!
Macan walks off with Claude and Snow back into the Berserkers guild house. Bathym and Pollux go back to helping.
Smoky God: ...hehe. This is the year of the tiger, so okay. The dancers and elephants can wait for next time. Let's go do our own things and help Lucifuge find a nice scarf.
Cait Sith: Okay! Let's find one that's only going to be here this year!
Lucifuge: Lightbringer...I mean, MC! I will call you when I have things ready! Please enjoy things until then.
Smoky God: Bye. Look forward to that surprise.
Nomad: Okay finally I can breathe...huh? What's up MC?
MC: Macan and I are waiting for you / Are you on your break yet? / I wanted to hang out with you
(A) Nomad: ...huh. You a battle junkie like everyone else? Sure, I'll come along. I'm ready to throw down and work off some of that rust building on me.
(BC) Nomad: ...! Cheeky little brat. Okay okay, if that's what you want dear customer. Shall I be your guide for the Berserkers' special New Year's event area?
End of Episode

Live A Hero Chapter 5 Episode 9: The Light Shining Again (Abridged)

Huckle (narrating): I still remember the times Mr. Ryekie and I charged across the battlefields as heroes.
Flashback
Monster: lOVELYYYYY (shatter)
Huckle: Whew it's finally dead and I can stop to breathe!
Ryekie: *(deep huff)* ...heheh. Hahaha!
Huckle: W-why are you laughing?
Ryekie: Oh, not much! I just never thought teaming up with you would get us this far! I couldn't even imagine it when we first met since you were a rich kid who never left home before and now you saved the country from danger!
Huckle: Could you not talk about my past? I know you've caused your own fair share of problems too. Plus, I didn't get here on my own. I grew thanks to fighting together with you, so thank you Mr. Ryekie...
Huckle (narrating): I still remember how that fist bump felt, and I still remember how I fought back then. Which is why I want to go back to that point. I want to be his partner again, living our lives together in the light...

Present
Ryekie: WHY ARE YOU HERE, HUCKLE!? (grabs Huckle by the collar looking angrier than he's ever shown himself to be)
MC: Justice, stop! Please calm down!
Huckle: ...haven't you been wanting my help too? I wanted to help you. Even if I can't fight I can still talk, so I came. Isn't that okay?
Ryekie: You're a smart guy, so you know you could've just Space Zoomed it in if you wanted to help like that! There was never a need for you to come to the front lines!!
Huckle: Yes, if the cameras could work as well as my eyes and ears. But they don't, and there are things I won't get unless I'm here. You've fought for years, so you know how that is.
Ryekie: But...!!

Sadayoshi: Please forgive me, Zap the Justice...I was the one to bring him here. It was my suggestion that he come here, which he agreed to.
Mokdai: Why did you suggest coming here together with the director...?
Sadayoshi: Um...
Huckle: Colonel, ultimately the one to decide to come here was me. You came to me to apologize for your rudeness, but you noticed my mental state was the same as yours and chose to suggest this idea then. I am solely responsible for being present here.
Sadayoshi: Director Huckle...
Ryekie: !! ...
Ryekie pushes Huckle away. Huckle stumbles a little before regaining his footing and looks at Ryekie.
Ryekie: ...you can still make it. Get somewhere safe.
Huckle: ...no.
Ryekie: Why won't you understand!? GET AWAY FROM HERE!!
Huckle: Why won't YOU understand how I feel!?
Suddenly a giant earthquake hits.

Mokdai: Whoa! The earthquakes really do get stronger the closer we get to the Invisible Mountain!
Sui: This must be...!
Giant Monster: SCREEEEEEE
A horde of jellyfish Monsters have arrived!
Crowne: It's the welcome wagon! And tons of the thing's greeters!
Kyoichi: The tentacles are moving again too! Can we get past all this!?
Toshu: Well we can't stop either! If we go done, we lose everything!
Shoen: ...I need to hang in there!
Jellyfish: (blobs in enemy wave)
Gammei: Whoa, here they come!

The tentacles start to thrash about, and the jellyfish Monsters continue their assault. Mass Destruction ensues.
Yoshiori: Wagh! Focus you sissies, or they'll crush us!
Monomasa: It's hard to progress while keeping the Observers safe!
Akashi: MC, stick with me!
MC: Thanks Akashi! Don't ditch me!
Red Jellyfish: (blobs in whip attack)
Mokdai: Director, look out!
Huckle: I see it! (jumps out of the way easily)
Huckle: I can still keep myself safe even if I can't fight!

Barrel: Wow, so that's what an ex-S Rank Hero is like...
Ryekie: Whoa! Huckle! You get how things are here, right!? You avoided that attack, but it's still dangerous for you to be here as you are! You have to go! I don't want to see you hurt any more than this!
Huckle: But that's how I feel about you! I couldn't keep watching, and I couldn't stand by and say nothing! (continues dodging attacks)
Huckle: It's true I lost all my memories of things after the point I became an Observer! I don't remember who all the new people in our office is, or the time the two of us put in to building the agency up! But I still remember all the times we fought as heroes together!
MC's phone glows weakly in response.
MC: Huh?
Phone: [-----]
MC: It's this again. (attempts to click the phone back to idle. The phone rejects this and flashes brightly for a second)
MC: Whoa!

Akashi: MC, what's going on? What was that light!?
MC: I dunno, but the window won't close!
Phone: Ne- Path x0ixx. ---: --- k0xx: Very x1xx
Bits and pieces reveal themselves like a Wheel of Fortune puzzle, and each letter makes the phone shine brighter and run hotter like it's overheating.
Melide: Exio, look at that light!
Exio: ...that's impossible. But...it's trying to connect a Path!?
Ryekie: ...! Huckle!
Huckle: Maybe the things that have been lost can never come back. But...I still wish for it! I want to fight along with you! I want to bring back those days we went into battle together!

MC's phone shines even brighter at Huckle's words, and it burns so hot that the screen cracks.
MC: WHAT
The display collapses, but before it shuts down completely words in a large font appear.
Phone: 5TR0ng Pa7h de7eCTeD. HeRO: H0pPER the FaCE 57ren9th: VERY H16H
Phone: CCCcCCCc?????
Exio: It's transmitting! T-this is MC's...! Can you break through that wall...!?
The screen of MC's phone shatters.
MC: Ahh! My phone!
The phone starts smoking.
MC: W-what do I do? I can't trigger the transformations or help the heroes fight...

Exio: MC, hold out your hand and focus! Think about the hero's potential in your mind and wish for their transformation! Do that, and you can Observe without needing a phone to channel things!
Melide: You'll be okay. You can do it.
Exio: ...neither Melide nor I know of any case of a Path being connected under these circumstances. All we can do is teach you how to connect Paths without going through a phone. Now show me your unknown potential!
MC: (raises a hand towards Huckle and focuses) Give him power! Connect!
A bright light flashes from MC's hand and extends to Huckle. A vision of Huckle's hero form comes into MC's head.
MC: Wait what!?
Exio: Now! Fill yourself with the determination to transform him!
MC: ...Execute!
Huckle: Wait what
Akashi: WHAT
Ryekie: What's happening!? Are you really...!?
Quick aside in space
Broker: What!? Impossible! This has never happened before! Have you grown that strong!?

Earth
Huckle stands looking shocked in his hero suit, which flutters in the wind as it shines as if made out of light.
Barrel: Look at Director Huckle!
Gammei: He transformed!
Mokdai: Oh my god I can't believe it! I've only ever seen that mode in videos!
Sadayoshi: Director Huckle...no wait, you are now Hopper the Face, the hero who once saved Japan!
Huckle: (surprised for a moment before quickly refocusing) I am the hero who rides the winds and is embraced by the galaxy! I am the traveler who crosses our vast world! I am the former S Rank Hero, and I am here! Hopper the Face!
Yoshiori: WHAT!?
Monomasa: You've returned!
MC: Yes! / Hopper the Face! / AWESOME!

Huckle: MC...I never thought my wish would actually reach anyone, but you granted it for me...thank you.
Huckle smiles at MC before turning back to face the Monsters.
Jellyfish: (blobs in confused squishing)
Huckle: ...I'm going to repay all the efforts you went through for me. It's been a long time since I've fought...but somehow, I'm not worried at all. I can do this.
Akashi: D-damn...Huckle really was a hero back in the day...
Crowne: This is my first time seeing it in person too, but wow...Huckle's super manly now.
Sui: We have a new hero on our side!
Ryekie: ...! (wipes away a tear) ...Face, I'm going in! Can you keep up!?
Huckle: Yeah, let's do this! It's been forever and a day, but let's show them our teamwork!
Ryekie: Hell yeah, partner!
Jellyfish: (blobs geometrically)
BATTLE START

Tigers New Year Episode 1 (Abridged)

Shirou: Morning MC. Stuff happened last night, but were you able to sleep? On a related note, Happy New Year! I'm glad we're seeing the holidays together, and I hope I--we all make great memories together with you as well.
Evils: YEEEEE
MC: Happy New Year! / Let's make the most of this year too / I'm glad we made it another year...
Shirou: For New Year's, we're supposed to have soba noodles and good to bed early. I wasn't expecting what happened last night to happen...
Flashback
Tezcatlipoca: BRRRROTHER
Tiger Man: AMIIIIIGOOO
Sandayu: GIT
Tezcatlipoca and Tiger Man: awwww
Present
Shirou: Right they're technically jaguars instead of tigers. Sandayu-sensei found them quick. I was just in bed until now checking everything over inside the dorm. I think Kengo and Ryouta are still asleep. Moritaka and Touji went out for their morning practice, still looking sleepy.

Behemoth: (yawn) Damn bro, I didn't expect New Years to start off so loudly. I'm still kinda sleepy but I got up because I got too hungry. But eating out the fridge wouldn't be cool of me, huh?
Shirou: Morning Behemoth, did you get some sleep? Also, Happy New Year's.
Behemoth: Yep, even with a different pillow! Happy Near Year's. I know all our plans have gone out the window, but are we still going to visit the shrine together when everyone's up?
Shirou: That was the plan before New Year's hit. It's almost noon and we're the only ones awake.
Behemoth: And I only woke up for food, bro. Not surprising after the noise from last night...
Shirou: MC has plans too, which was why we were supposed to go early.
MC: Still sleepy... / We can all go another day / I gotta move!

Shirou: Everyone associated with the Year of the Tiger's going out for their own special touring. I'm still surprised at how many people you know.
Behemoth: Is that something different from the Japanese New Year's shrine visit?
Shirou: The Japanese custom is to go make your first visit to the shrine on New Year's and see the visiting Toshigami-sama.
Behemoth: who
MC: Like a protective ancestral spirit that watches over an area / some of them are kids that look nice in kimono
(AB): Behemoth: Oh wow bro.
(C) Behemoth: Haha bro, you sound like you know one personally.

Behemoth: So you can do these first shrine visits as much as you want? I'll come too then! And then I'll get summa that first bit of food of the year!
Chouji: You sure are excited Behemoth. Morning everyone, Happy New Year's!
Shirou: Being superstitious on New Year's...? That might be a good idea. Chouji, if you're going out to stock up on things let me come with you.
Chouji: Okay! Want to come too, Behemoth? I can teach you about the first seasonal food products that go with New Year's stuff.
Shirou: Okay, let's leave our New Year's greetings until tonight then. Say hi to your other school friends for us, MC.
MC: Wait it's that time already!? Okay bye guys, we'll get the gang together tonight.
MC's phone's reminder alarm rings as they leave. Busy schedule today! Three destinations to get to, so time to get the day started.

Yoyogi
Kyuuma: HAPPY
Gunzou: NEW
Ashigara: YEAR'S
MC: Happy New Year's! / You guys sure are energetic! / you guys it is so cold out here
(A) Gunzou: Haha, so polite. Here's to another year of getting along!
(B) Ashigara: Heheh, of course! This isn't cold enough to stop ME!
(C) Kyuuma: Here's some tea I made just in case! Here you go, don't burn yourself on it.

Ashigara: Man, she's the last one to get here? Slacker!
Gunzou: C'mon today's special. Let's keep waiting a little longer.
Kyuuma: Oh look!
Durga: HNY guys! Sorry to keep you waiting! This is the Year of the Tiger, my year! Seemed like a good a time as any to dress up.
Jocks: WHOA
MC: Thanks for inviting me over / Happy New Year! / You look good in formal kimono
(A) Durga: Haha, was my text the first one of the year? ...wait, I sent it too early and it technically was still last year when it got through? Oops, sorry for jumping the gun! But I was still the first to say I was thinking of you, right? So Happy New Year again!
(B) Durga: Yeah! Let's both become first this year too! ...huh? We'd be competing if we did? Umm...what if I meant it like determination or attitude? Like that!
(C) Durga: Aww, thanks! I knew you'd be the first to compliment me on it! It's New Year's! Year of the Tiger! Why wouldn't I try to be the best? ...what would I be the best at? Everything of course!

Kyuuma: Okay we're all here. Let's go the the nearby shrine!
Ashigara: Wait it's just gonna be us? So Yasuyori isn't the only one ditching...?
Gunzou: Don't be like that Senpai! Everybody else had over places to get to, people to see, games to get to.
Ashigara: I-I know. Yasuyori and Wakan Tanka and...uhh? Durga, where's Daisuke?
Durga: Oh yeah I just heard from him!

One explanation later
MC: Winter mikoshi carrying? At this time of year? At this time of day? All the way over at Kasai Coastal Park? In the middle of wintertime?
Durga: Yes. Apparently this is a regular thing.
Gunzou: It's famous here. The Kasai Coastal Park Winter Mikoshi Carrying Competition. All the athletes join in on it.
Ashigara: And they do it through the cold winter ocean water! Good for New Year's exorcism!
Durga: It's not like mikoshis are brought out all that often. How about we do it too?
Jocks: WAT

Durga: What do you guys mean, wat
Gunzou: I mean, you wanna go dressed like that?
Kyuuma: Y-yeah, that!
Ashigara: R-right. You're dressed all fancy now. Ain't that a problem?
Durga:
Durga: I REJECT YOUR REALITY
Jocks: !?
Durga: What the hell guys, I dress a little bit up and you all start acting like that? Yeah I know I don't dress like this much, but I pride myself on looking the best! But I'm still ME, Miss Supercompetitive Aims For First Place At Everything! Anything that sets off my competitive edge, I am doing it!
Ashigara: Durga I think you're misunderstanding something here
Gunzou and Kyuuma: (nods)

Durga: Hmph. And what could I be misunderstanding?
Ashigara: Okay yeah, no one at our school would back down from swimming in wintertime.
Kyuuma: But this is a mikoshi we're talking about here.
Ashigara: And you are in formal clothes. How much do they cost!?
Durga: Uh. Well...this is a rental and...it still cost a lot even with Arachne's special discount deal...
Ashigara: And what's gonna happen if it gets all wet?
Durga: Uh, w-well...! Yeah it'd be bad for me...
MC: Why don't we check it out? / Let's go to the shrine first! / Well...
(A) Durga: I knew you'd say that! Okay let's go people! Oh yeah, we're still going to the shrine first. If there are multiple events, we go for multiple first places!
(B) Ashigara: Let's do that then and leave the rest for later. We can do the mikoshi afterwards!
Durga: Yeah! Leave the hard thinking for later!
(C) Kyuuma: L-let's go visit the shrine first! We can think about what to do after that.
Durga: R-right! We'll be together then! Thinking later sounds good!

Gunzou: On another note, when's Daisuke-senpai's mikoshi race supposed to start?
Durga: Uhh...one and a half hours from now. Better hurry up with with the shrine visit or we'll miss out!
Ashigara: GIRL YOU ARE BEING TOO CASUAL ABOUT THIS
Kyuuma: Yeah it's not like we can just hustle there and make it!
Durga: We better get cracking on that long distance relay race then! On your mark... (zooms off)
And so the group chases after her.

Later, Shinjuku Shrine
Durga: Okay guys, got your offerings? We get in and out quick, then run for the train station!
MC: (wish for peace and safety) / (wish for success) / (wish for love)
Kyuuma: (thank you spirits for looking after me. This year I hope I stop being a bench warmer!)
Gunzou: (I wish that no one on my team gets hurt. Also I don't wanna see any ghosties or anything!)
Ashigara: (I wanna spend more time with my friends and I want tons of new friends!)
Durga: (firstplacefirstplacefirstplacefirstplacefirstplacefir--)
And then the group heads over to Kasai Coastal Park
MC: omg look at all the people! / I see people I know everywhere I look / Swimsuits! Fundoshi!
(A) Ashigara: Wow it's hopping way more than I thought it'd be!
Durga: Isn't it great we came!? It was worth it to run full speed head empty!
(B) Gunzou: Wow MC, you really do know a lot of people. A bunch of participants are waving over here.
Durga: Yeah. I could make a dream team with your connections.
(C) Kyuuma: I'm getting uncomfortably cold just looking at them! And somehow they still don't seem bothered!
Durga: Now that's what I call high tension!

Durga: There he is! Hey, Ikusaba-senpai!
Daisuke: Durga what you came in formal wear? ...and you're with MC!?
Juugo: Oh, MC. I never thought I'd see you on New Year's.
MC: Hey you guys! / Happy New Year's, Juugo / dang are you guys cold
(A) Daisuke: O-oh my god oh my god! MC, come here for a second!
Daisuke: W-w-w-why are you here...? O-oh, right! I remember you saying you'd be going to the shrine together with us. I wish I could've come too. I mean, as a friend! Hahaha, yep!
(B) Juugo: Happy New Year's...hm? am I in the mikoshi race? Well, yes. I've been coming here every year ever since my teacher told me about this. It's a good way to brace my spirit at the start of the year. I know Ikusaba through our teachers because the two of them are rivals. Since this is a friendly game, I'm joining in to make friends. I think I've gotten more confident since knowing you.
(C) Daisuke: We know each other because our teachers do, and since then we've been joining in this together every year.
Juugo: Ikusaba's been helping a lot, and his non-judo techniques are showing me plenty of things.
Daisuke: I didn't know you were MC's friend. Does that have anything to do with you getting softer lately?
Juugo: !? N-no, I wasn't intending to change...!
Daisuke: Haha that's what I'm getting at. But I'll stop here.

Eita: Happy New Year's! We've got fires made if you're cold! Lots of people not here this year. The fish harbor guys are all super happy!
Yamasachi: Cooold. And yet you people still got together for this. (sneezes)
Otohime: Everyone is in strangely elevated spirits. Is this another heart trend in Tokyo?
MC: Eita you're here too? / HNY Yamasachi! / Otohime, you're here for the mikoshi race!?
(A) Eita: All the fishermen come join in every year! I'm a kid but I'm just as determined! Watch us and fall in love with how we men of the sea live!
(B) Yamasachi: Happy New Year, and many happy tidings to you! I hope I find that fish hook soo--I SEE SOMETHING! Oh it's just some can...
(C) Otohime: Happy New Year's to you, MC. I'm here helping as a volunteer. The New Year's soup will be ready soon, so please feel free to help yourself to some as much as you like.

Dagon: Nice, another lively gathering. MC, I pray for your happiness in the new year. As a teacher at a marine school, I'm interested in sea-related customs. Yamasachi and I are here as volunteers.
Yamasachi: I was surprised to see Otohime here. Something lucky to start things off with.
Otohime: I am also an escapee of the Dragon Palace sanatorium. Allow me to tend to your physical and mental health. The parameters have already been put into health management system this year. If not upheld, this year's treat will end...
Yamasachi: I-I think you've gotten stricter since coming here...
Otohime: I came to Tokyo to study people's hearts and how they are expressed. I still must learn how to better reveal the timidity and impatience that comes from driving others away. If you continue to search for your destination, then I shall also strive to learn how to get closer to the hearts of good people.

MC: So you two are here, Dagon and Otohime / did you ever find that fish hook / I hope you have a good year too Otohime!
(A) Dagon: Yes. I don't like going outside, but I had an interest in these Shinto sea rituals. Aegir? He'd never wake up in the morning to participate in something like this, haha. There are countless records related to the sea about customs for praying for things like this. Truly fascinating. This particular event happens because it's New Year's, and the reason for the mikoshi race is...actually I'll tell you some other time. Come see me if you want to know.
Otohime: I came here for my own reasons based on my emotions. Yamasachi has been growing since leaving the Dragon Palace, so I should as well.
Yamasachi: Did you just call yourself my rival!?
Otohime: Yes.
(B) Yamasachi: Nope. But I'm not doing this for my brother's forgiveness. I want to do this to settle something. If I don't find it, I'll apologize to him. Then I'll find something more important to me.
(C) Otohime: Thank you very much, MC. I will pray for your health and fortune. I may be a machine, but I will study in hopes of being proud of having a heart that cares for others.

Durga: Hey! Stop talking amongst yourselves and introduce me already! I wanna make the most friends this year!
Eita: Wait MC you know everyone here? Hey, introduce us too!
MC: *(introduce the Yoyogi athletes and Toyosu people)*
Dagon: Oh, the Yoyogi students? They're just as energetic as the rumors say. And I see an event like this is spreading to the younger generation even as other traditions fade through the ages.
Kyuuma: We got a lot of people who join in all excited about things, like not letting the cold get to them while holding up the mikoshi in winter.
Dagon: Haha, the vast sea will calmly accept a changed faith like that.
Durga: What exactly is this event anyway?
MC: It's good to know the origins of things / really?

Eita: Oh, oh! The fishermen talked about it before! It started as a festival to give gratitude to the Sea for its blessings when Tokyo was walled up.
Yamasachi: It's also for praying against drownings and tsunamis and stuff. My brother knew a lot about sea-related stuff. He'd always be learning about things when we were kids and--stop saying I keep talking about my big brother, MC!
Otohime: Searching database...it appears carrying the mikoshi is meant to greet those who protect the seas. Oh, excuse me for interrupting. My competitiveness with Yamasachi came out.

Gunzou: So, what, they just threw a bunch of stuff together? Sounds like that's getting overdone.
Dagon: The representative sea for Tokyo would be Kasai Coastal Park, so various sea-related customs would converge here. And you could replace the word custom with faith. What would happen if those gather here? How interesting.
Durga: Does that mean the winter mikoshi event is the greatest event in Tokyo's ocean! I want in then! I wanna win with everyone! I know I'm in track and field but I wanna try! And I've been wanting to get better at swimming too, so it all works out!
Ashigara: Haha, there's no stopping Durga now. Okay, let's all join in!
Gunzou and Kyuuma: Yeah!
MC: Wishes are important / Please let them join! / sorry she's like this Eita...
(A) Durga: I believe in meritocracy, but I think vows and wishes bring out results. Isn't it important to get motivated trying to make New Year's wishes come true?
(B) Durga: Good, you understand how I feel!
Gunzou: Oh, MC's asking too? Okay, we'll join in.
(C) Eita: If she's that bold, then everyone should be okay with it! People of the sea like that kind of passion! It reminds me of someone...maybe I'm just a pushover?

Kyuuma: Okay we're gonna borrow that changing room and get ready. Feels like it'll start soon!
Eita: I'll take you there! Hurry up guys!
Otohime: Would you like me to help you change clothes? Taking off formalwear kimono can be challenging.
Durga: You sure? I couldn't put it on by myself to begin with, so I'll take your help!
Otohime: Very well. Allow me to store your clothes as well.
Eita: Oh no they'll start soon! The old fishermen are too excited for this!
Yamasachi: A-anyways, let's go!
Durga: NOOOO I can't trip and fall this early in the year!
Gunzou: Well yeah you can't just rip the thing off. And it's a rental, so you gotta be careful!
Ashigara: W-w-we need ideas! Is there any way to take it off in a jiffy!?
Kyuuma: W-what do we do, MC-senpai!? We won't be able to make it either!
MC: Go as is!
Eita: Really? ...well, I think I've seen some people do that?
Otohime: If I may, perhaps the fishermen may know of something?
Dagon: Maybe. Let's ask the staff.
And so the party runs over to ask.

Elsewhere
Gouryou: (BIG SNEEZE)
Gouryou: God, why are we surfing on New Year's. I mean I don't see any hotties around. You're the only one surfing here! In the middle of winter!
Typhon: Aww, don't be like that. The more the merrier! And you'll see something good soon. They do winter mikoshi around here on New Year's.
Gouryou: Let's go surfing, buddy! Starboard, HOOO!
Gouryou: HMM. Babe alert!
Typhon and Gouryou look over to where the noise and mikoshi are coming from. Durga is standing in her formal kimono on top of the mikoshi cheering the guys on.

Otohime: I'm glad Eita found out a workable solution from the fishermen. Apparently in past times during celebratory years, the blessed would ride the mikoshi and bless everyone else in turn.
Yamasachi: That's nice, but is coming over in formal kimono enough to celebrate?
Dagon: Haha, maybe the fishermen are happy that youngsters want to participate in the event. Traditions move fast here in Tokyo, so having the young take an interest in them is cause to celebrate.
Yamasachi: Okay I'm convinced. Let's join in!
MC: I wish I brought my swimsuit! / Looking good Durga! / I'm taking pictures!
Durga waves back to MC, and the people cheer loudly for the new year. Everyone's thoughts warm up the chill weather. And atop the mikoshi stood the one who congratulated the coming of spring more than anyone...
End of Episode

Live A Hero Chapter 5 Episode 8: String-Cutting Scissors (Abridged)

Down at the foot of the Invisible Mountain the party sees wilderness. Also...
Jellyfish: (blobs angrily)
Kyoichi: Goddammit these things are spawning infinitely! (dodges) Whoa!
Akashi: Senpai! Sheesh these things just don't quit!
MC: Of course we find them here! Getting tired!
Sui: There's definitely more of them than before.
Crowne: If these things are a defense line for the core, then of course there'd be more of them!
Ryekie: It's taking all we have to survive through all of them, it doesn't matter what our situation is!
Mokdai: I know but...oh no I can't keep up with taking them out!
Toshu: Stop whining and remind yourself that it's good we're in an open battlefield!
Shoen: I want to start whining though...we've been fighting for half a day now.

Melide: The heroes are starting to tire. The Paths are starting to tighten too...
Exio: Well the Paths are also affected by the heroes' mental states too... The more tired they get, the harder it gets to continue battling.
Yoshiori: Stop being pussies and put your backs into it. The core's almost ahead.
Monomasa: Don't be crazy, Yoshiori. We aren't all soldiers like you. Heroes are still regular citizens too, and plenty became one without having and special or intense training. Only a handful could have as much stamina as you.
Barrel: Hey! Some of us have gone through rigorous training at the police school and at UEHA training area! We wouldn't get tired from just this! Eat space lead, jellyfish! ...oh no my gun jammed!
Furlong: Oh no Barrel, are you okay!?
Gammei: Meathead must be getting tired too if his bullets are starting to fall apart!
Victom: But we have to beat these things to get to the core...I'm starting to worry we won't be able to hold up long enough!
MC: Yeah this is bad! / Any ideas for winning?

Ryekie: None of that matters! We HAVE to win, that is our only choice now that we made it this far!
Jellyfish: (blobs menacingly)
Ryekie: So I'm gonna keep on going forward! THUNDER FIST!
A tentacle suddenly pops up by Ryekie's feet.
Ryekie: !?
Mokdai: Oh no!
Ryekie: Out of the goddamn way!
More tentacles pop out from the ground.
Akashi: Justice! Dammit, the tentacles are all over now!
The party's escape route is now cut off by tentacles.

Melide: The giant Monster is focused over here now. Here it comes!
Kyoichi: Frantic dodging! It just grazed the top of my head!
Toshu: This situation is terrible! It was bad enough with just the smaller Monsters!
Sui: ...Ryekie! More are coming!
Ryekie: Huh? ...ahhh!
MC: Ryekie! / Justice!
Ryekie: I can't keep up with what I'm seeing! Is running all I can do!? If only...he were here...!
???: Mr. Ryekie! Stand there and stop!
Ryekie: !? (does so)
A tentacle gouges the area in front of where Ryekie is standing.
Ryekie: That voice! It can't be...!

Huckle: Mr. Ryekie! Are you okay!?
MC: Director!
Ryekie: H-Huckle!?
Mokdai: Director!? Why are you here!?
Huckle: Mr. Ryekie! There's less people over at 2 o' clock! Draw the tentacles there, and you should take some pressure off the other heroes!
Ryekie: Got it! Come at me, freaks!
Jellyfish: (blobs in pursuit)
Huckle: Mr. Ryekie! Don't forget about the other Monsters! 3 are coming from 7 o' clock!
Ryekie: Copy! Lightning Blitz!
Huckle: 2 more from 4 o' clock! Draw them in a little longer and you can blast them all at once!
Ryekie: Right, here goes!
Huckle directs Ryekie to efficiently eliminate the Monsters, just like he did back in his Observer days.
Akashi: Whoa...
Sui: He knows all of Ryekie's moves...but isn't he...?
Crowne: He only lost all his memories from when he was an Observer. Which means he's directing Ryekie using what he remembers from when he was a hero!
MC: He's used to giving him directions / so that's their teamwork /whoa...

Barrel: Oh no, Monsters are heading towards Melide!
Jellyfish: (blobs aggressively)
Melide: Ahh!
Monomasa: Melide I'm coming to sav--
???: SHINING PUNCH
Jellyfish: (blobs in punch out)
Monomasa: What!?
Sadayoshi: ...I was cutting it close there.
Monomasa: YOU!
MC: Col. Sadayoshi!?

Exio: Hmm...interesting.
Yoshiori: What the hell are you doing here!?
Sadayoshi: I came to help.
Mokdai: You...help!?
Sadayoshi: ...I'll explain later. The Monsters are coming. MC, I apologize for my presumptuousness, but may I place myself under your command? At this point I cannot continue asking a Defense Department Operator to continue assisting with my dereliction of duty.
Gammei: Wait, the Defense Department didn't order you to come here?
MC: Uhhhh...okay???
Sadayoshi: Thank you. I will repay this debt with my efforts.
Sadayoshi smiles briefly before looking serious again as he faces the Monsters.
Sadayoshi: Command transfer protocol, complete! Chief Ikusabata Sadayoshi of the National Defense Department's First Hero Battalion has withdrawn from the Defense Department's command and is now taking to the field on his own judgement!
Jellyfish: (blobs in alien shrieking)
BATTLE START (more happens afterwards)

Sadayoshi: Colonel Punch!
Jellyfish: (blobs in YGO monster destruction noises)
Sadayoshi: I can keep going!
Jellyfish: (blobs monsterfishly)
Barrel: W-whoa...he destroyed something with a single punch I couldn't in a single shot...
Gammei: And his movement and feet work are so efficient. He's definitely a Defense Department soldier.

A jellyfish slips by Mokdai.
Mokdai: Oh no, it's getting away! Colonel it's coming near you!
Akashi: They're concentrating on him!
Yoshiori: They're going after the biggest threat! He's surrounded now!
Furlong: I'll come help!
Sadayoshi: No, please stay away actually!
Toshu: Why?
Sadayoshi: I don't need to hold back against Monsters, especially in a wide open space like this! MC, could you send me about 20k VP!?
MC: O-okay! Is this gonna work!?
Sadayoshi's arm and leg attachments start glowing and spinning rapidly.
Sadayoshi: Super jump, up!
Sadayoshi: Firing super move! Resolution "Evil Crushing Shining Fists"!
Sadayoshi hits the ground so hard it cracks and releases light that erases the Monsters.

Ryekie: Whoa, was that his super move!?
Green Jellyfish: (blobs in straggler)
Huckle: Mr. Ryekie! Last one!
Ryekie: Got it! Justice Punch!
Green Jellyfish: (blobs in fading into light)
All enemies defeated, the area is calm for now.
Kyoichi: O-okay, looks like we're good for now. The tentacles have stopped attacking too.
Shoen: We shouldn't let our guard down, but I'm still tired.
Crowne: Damn, Huckle and the Colonel coming when they did really helped.
Victom: Yeah, but... (looks at Sadayoshi staring blankly at the sky)

Sui: What's up with him?
Huckle: ...I think he's had a large share of troubles getting to this point. He still looked conflicted when he brought me here.
Sadayoshi: ...this is the first time I've defied my orders and let my personal feelings pull through. What am I doing? I'm supposed to serve the people of the country and devote myself to them...
MC: Why are you here? Why are you so conflicted?
Sadayoshi: ...I don't know. I was leaving my post before I realized what I was doing. Since then I've kept thinking about what it is I could do as I acted. I couldn't sit still since I don't want the city to be gone either...
Sadayoshi is having mixed feelings as he struggles to continue talking.

Sadayoshi: I was supposed to have suppressed my selfish emotions. But when I realized you all had the same thoughts and desires I had...I couldn't hold it back anymore. I moved without considering this was rebellion against my orders...that's all. I don't know what to do from here...
Monomasa: ... (has mixed feelings as he looks at Sadayoshi)
Ryekie: ...hy.
Mokdai: Ryekie did you say somet--oh my god!
Huckle: ! (gets grabbed by Ryekie)

Elsewhere
Osaka, future capital of Japan and National Defense Department HQ
Manager John: We have a new report about Colonel Ikusabata's dereliction of duty. He has joined with the rogue party and is fighting within the quarantined zone.
Manager Jacob: So even the great Ikusabata family falls short. Their pet dog lacks discipline. I knew we should have appointed a true pureblooded Japanese citizen to protect Glorious Nippon.
Manager Jingleheimer: What do we do? We have a pointless complication added but the HFCM is already ready to go. We can't just stop it now. Trust in us has already been damaged, and we already spent all that money to get here!
Manager Schmidt: How crafty of them to livestream their fight to the nation as they go. If we fire the HFCM now the citizens will distrust us in turn. The whole nation will think we did an act of evil.
Manager His Name: Do we really need to think about it that hard?
Manager Is My Name Too: What do you mean?

Manager Jugemu: All the people out there fighting are calling themselves heroes, which means they can stand up challenge Monsters and fate.
Manager Goko no Surikire: Oh I get it. So if they meet their fate after a fierce battle with Monsters, you could say they truly became heroes from a certain point of view.
Manager Kaijari Suigyo: Yes, but that assumes they get eaten by Monsters and retconned from existence.
Manager Suigyomatsu: I see what you're getting at. It's true we won't get a reputation hit if things go that way, and if anyone still remembers them they'll see them as heroes still.
Manager Unraimatsu: Right. What we're doing is something we just couldn't stop. Theirs is a noble sacrifice for the majority of Japan's citizens. Or even all of mankind!
Manager Fuuraimatsu: Yes, we just need to repeat that over and over and give our condolences.
Manager Kuunerutokoro: Hmm...
Manager I Ran Out of Lines to Continue This Joke: Welp, I'm convinced. What a tragic accident that's going down.
End of Episode

Christmas Showdown Epilogue Part 2 (Abridged)

The police students are enjoying the festivities, and the Santa School students are busy moving things around. Everyone gathers up front for the Santa Sendoff preparation. Off to the side, MC watches as Tajikarao comes to talk.
Tajikarao: Hello MC. They're moving things along with the ceremony, aren't they? Things happened the way they did, but is that really okay? The police are not a monolithic rock, and there are some with no understanding of Transients who stray from the path. And then there's the differences in values and perspectives with citizens as well. Can we really show Hermes what the right way is?
A moment passes.
Tajikarao: ...no, wait. The one who decides what path they walk is the person walking it. Instructer Hougen and I will watch over him. Would you keep him in your concerns as we--MC?

MC approaches Tajikarao quietly, smiling and flustering him.
Tajikarao: W-what's wrong MC!? There's no need for you to get so close! Are you saying you want to have a wild party here with me!? P-p-please wait! I know this is also a party thanking us police students but--*(suddenly handcuffed)*--WHAT
???: Wow, you sure are nice with people. But that's why you have good coworkers and friends who care about you. Not bad!
Surprise Hermes!
Hermes: Oops, turns out I can't stop with my role work!
Tajikarao: WHAAAAT!?
Over where everyone else is
Touji: That voice!
MC: Oh no Tajikarao! / I wonder what happened / I'm gonna check it out!

Back to Tajikarao
Tajikarao: When did you change clothes!? No wait actually, how did you escape the police car!?
Hermes: Secret...okay I guess I can tell you. A certain somebody showed me how to get out. Bailing right then and there seemed like a good idea, but I wanted to come see some people here. Sorry about things Tajikarao, I am like super broken up about it. Since everyone's cared about me so much, I'm gonna think about my future in my own way. I might never change the way you say I will, but I now I wanna think a bit about what I do for work. I felt worse than I thought I would about this whole thing. Next time I'll find another thief and make them my patsy! But first I'll go look for where I belong here in Tokyo.

Tajikarao: Hermes...
Hermes: So I'll be in your hair again! Catch me if you can!
Tajikarao: Whaaat!? Putting aside how I feel about it, I can't possibly allow you to do what you want when you say that's what you'll do!
Hermes: Aww come on. You and old man Hougen are gonna watch over me, right?
Tajikarao: Not like THAT! Let me out of these handcuffs! When did you even take them from me!?
Hermes: Oops butterfingers *(drops key down Tajikarao's shirt)*
Tajikarao: Oh no you slid the key down my back where I can't reach it!
Hermes: kthnxbye
Tajikarao: STOOOOOP

MC: Tajikarao what's wrong!? / Why are you handcuffed!? / Is that Hermes!?
Tajikarao: Oh, MC! Good timing! Take off my shirt!
MC: You what!? / So bold... / Just your shirt?
Tajikarao: No, it's not like that! The key to my handcuffs is inside my--stop, Hermes!
Fire Cop: Senpai what is all the noise about
Shadow Cop: Oh, is this a bonus round to the training? Like an exhibition match between you and that guy.
Fire Cop: Ooh. Good luck Senpai!
Hermes just runs past the cops, waves at those nearby, and yoinks some drinks along the way.
Benten: Hermes? What's going on?

Hermes runs through the crowd and Assassin's Creeds his way up to the roof, where he takes a breath before yelling out to the crowd.
Hermes: Jiraiya, I can't say much but I'm taking your advice! Benten, tell me when you're having your next concert and I'll see you there!
Jiraiya: Nice
Benten: Hey if you're coming to my concert you better cheer from the front seats! ...hey wait, are you debuting as a phantom thief for reals!?
Hermes: Hey, Not Ose! You're listening aren't you? I get you back next time and trounce you!
Ose: Huh. I wasn't expecting him to escape today with that advice. But it's good to look forward to the future. I learned a lot this time as well, but it's ironic you took the advice of those who cared for you and became Phantom Thief Hermes for real. But it'll make things interesting, so okay. I expect you to get to the point where you put up a good fight.

Taromaiti: (I notice Hermes didn't call out to me, so I guess he doesn't want people thinking Cafe Asterism is supporting him, but why didn't he say anything to MC?)
Hermes: Nomad...or Sherlock, whatever! Take care of that police guy next to you! If you need an information broker, call me!
Nomad: Dammit is that where he's going? But I guess him going it alone fits him better than assisting me. Hermes, the next time you step out of line I'm coming for you!
Tajikarao: Who's taking care of who!? I swear I will arrest you one of these days!
Hermes: Good luck with that! Bye! (dramatic cape swish)
Hermes: (pops up elsewhere) Merry Christmas, and see you again! (hops across the rooftops and grabs onto a sleigh flying out to leave)
Hougen: Oh, full of surprises all the way to the end. But we have chivalrous thieves here in Tokyo too, so I'll keep an eye on him for now. If it helps the new cadets to brush up and train, then no complaints from me! ...bleh, I guess I can't be that carefree, huh. Emergency meeting time then. And I hope that spy finds something useful on the chief!
Black: Did someone in front of me say they'd be naughty!? I see you have chosen DEATH! By presents of coal and lead bullets!

Once all the Santa students go, only the police students are left. Hougen makes an announcement that puts them all on alert, and MC as a private citizen is asked to go home.
MC: Touji had to stay? / Hougen must be busy / Hermes didn't say anything to me.
---
(AB): ???: You know if you walk around alone at night you could get attacked by someone, right?
(C) ???: Of course. I was waiting for a chance to talk to you alone.
---
Hermes: Sup MC? I wanted to say goodbye face to face...you mad at me? About kicking up a fuss among everyone and leaving like that?
MC: Eh, that was your choice / No, but I was surprised / Hell yeah I'm pissed!
(AB) Hermes: Heh, I thought you'd say that.
(C) Hermes: Dude, what? I'm sorry! I didn't want to hurt your feelings...wait, you're kidding? You pulled one over on me!? Well I figured you'd forgive me...even if it was only in form.

Hermes: Y'know, I was thinking of letting the police take me away and starting over from scratch. But after talking with everyone and rethinking what it was I really wanted, I realized something even though I thought I'd become an upstanding Transient up until now. In my home world I acted like a role model, but I don't have to do that here. Everyone is living life in a way true to themselves, which meant I never needed to be a role model back in Olympus either. There must be a way for me to live as myself here in Tokyo. And...what Tajikarao said was right. I'm not thinking you'll accept this, so for the time being I'm gonna live away from everyone. It's still too much to live openly in regular society.
Hermes: The Santa ceremony was a huge successful party, and everyone was laughing and enjoying themselves. No one cared about social positions...honestly, I was jealous of that. I know I don't have to worry about whether it was okay for me to join them, but even if everyone said it was okay, I'd feel the difference between myself and them personally. It's just...I did a lot in my home world...and now I finally feel like I can face my own role. But until I can clear it up, I'll watch you guys from afar for now.

MC: Where are you going? You came to say goodbye? I can't see you anymore?
Hermes: Just for now, at least. No, wait...uh, how do I say this? I might be disguised and nearby? No wait, that's not what I want to say...
Hermes scratches his head as he thinks for a while, then decides to give something rather than say something.
Hermes: Hey, MC? Could you take this?
MC: A flute? The one that came from Ded's bag. I think it was a reed flute?
Hermes: Yeah. Same thing I once gave to my best friend in Olympus. I want you to hang onto it until I come back. (blushes)
Hermes: ...you said you wanted to be friends, right? I was super happy you said that. But right now I'm not looking for people to be with me. I want to become someone who can be with you. It might be a bit much to ask but...I'll come back as soon as I can, so will you wait for me?
MC: No rush / Okay / Or we could stay like this
(AB) Hermes: ...thanks. (smiles sincerely)
(C) Hermes: ...you're a player, aren't you. Stop, I just made a decision and you're making me want to go back on it. This is me making my own boundaries my way. (awkwardly scratches cheek)

Hermes walks MC as far as Shinjuku Station to see them back home, the place they first met and now the place they'll say goodbye.
Hermes: ...if you ever need my help, blow on that. I'll come flying from wherever I am. (holds hand out)
MC: Take care / (shake gently) / (grab that sucker hard)
(A) Hermes: You too.
Both shake hands and smile.
(B) Hermes: ...take care MC.
MC holds Hermes' hand with both of theirs and smiles.
(C) Hermes: OW god stop that! I can't take your gorilla grip an--I take it back, please don't squeeze my hand again!
One last joke for the road.

When MC reaches the steps of Shinjuku Station, Hermes waves. Once out of sight, Hermes goes to sit in a corner of the station and pulls out his flute to play it like a normal instrument.
White: Hermes...you were prone to giving up on it but never gave up in your heart of hearts the wish to bond with someone, and now you have finally made one possibility a reality. You've left your world, and even if the world changes around you, as long as you keep thinking about how you want to be...I'm sure you'll create an irreplaceable bond here.
Hermes' heartfelt flute notes rise to the Christmas sky, and the shining sleigh trails look ever brighter.
Christmas Showdown The End

Christmas Showdown Epilogue Part 1 (Abridged)

Cop: Hey Hermes I wanted to talk. The police are looking away for a sec. (reveals himself to be Ose)
Ose: Just some friendly advice from a friend who also came from another world! We both came through the Gates to this world, right? There are plenty of people who came from other worlds. Even powers that seem invincible have some way of being resisted. ...Roles aren't an exception to this either. If you show everything about your role to the world rather than be trapped by a facet of it, then you can find a new side of it. Oh, you're wondering why I'm talking about this? Aww, you already know why without needing me to spell it out. Oops, somebody's coming, kthnxbye! (puts disguise back on)

The thing that happened in Ded's office has been settled by the people who happened to be there. Everyone has decided revealing everything would just cause students anxiety, so when the Enclosed Area is taken down, the regular Christmas plans go on as schedule.
White: Thank you for all your work everybody, and I'm sorry about everything. I'm sure some of you have been anxious since the thief calling card came. Hougen and I however decided to keep things a secret for this training drill. There are people all over who live in fear of dangers coming close, and some of them may be in Tokyo too. If so, then you all should take this experience and learn from it to become better Santas who can bring happiness to anxious children. I believe you can all become Saints, role models for people, and the hope of the future.
Hougen: You all did your best too, police students. If people are to receive happiness, then they, the people around them, and their homes need to be safe too. Our duty is to protect Tokyo's safety and public order, and I expect you all to become stronger from this experience. Okay, that's enough business talk! This year's Santa Sendoff Ceremony is doubling as a recognition of your services, so feel free to enjoy the sauna village, events, and stalls! Ded?
White: All together now!
Everyone: MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Party crackers pop, cheers go out. Then MC finds Touji.
Touji: Oh, MC. So you knew? ...I trusted you and decided to tell you about the case, and you never told me it was just a training drill.
MC: Sorry / I'll do anything please forgive me! / You were involved so I couldn't...
Touji: ...kidding. I know you had your own situation to work with. I just wanted to mess with you a little. I didn't see much of you during this thing, but I still got some good experiences from this. And since we both made it through to see the Santa ceremony, that's good enough.
MC: Yeah / ... / (try asking something)
Touji: Are you wondering about Hermes? I heard about him from Hougen, and I can tell you what's going on. So first, how much do you know?
MC: Up to the part where everyone talked with Hermes.
Touji: Oh right, the part up until a patrol car came over to pick him up. Hermes was isolated in a room and talked with all of you one by one, right?

Flashback
Taromaiti: Hermes, the ties binding you were destroyed by me and severed by MC. All you need to remember is that part, and the part where you can always come back to Cafe Asterism. You were always free. That's all I'll say about it.
Jiraiya: Lemme tell you something before the police get here. I'm the best thief ever! If there's anything you ever want to get back, tell me! I'll help you with that! Also, I had fun this job. I'm sure we'll meet again. Just no acting.
Benten: So I've been thinking... you know how you have a music instrument artifact and play music? You're stealing my schtick here! What gives!? ...wait, are you my FAN!? Aww, why didn't you say so earlier you big dummy? I'll autograph your stuff next time we meet! ...let's do a show together next time. If you won't come to me, then I'll go to you! You better come find me if you don't like that!
Nomad: ...yo Hermes. I had opinions about you the moment I met you, but I can't really be happy with my reasoning after what just happened. Got lots of thoughts from looking at you. I can't think of you as some stranger...much as I hate to say it, heh. Anyways, come see me if you come back and want work. I'll give you my business card. Also where is that smug ass spy cat and why isn't he here to talk to you!?

Present
Touji: After you were the last to talk to Hermes, the police took him to the station while the party here is happening so people who don't know what's happening will worry.
MC: Oh... / I wonder if Hermes is okay / Can I see him off?
---
(B) Touji: I heard he was quiet up until the car came. If he's repenting, then I'm sure there will be some leniency.
(C) Touji: ...want to come with me to talk to Hougen-sensei when things quiet down?
---
Touji: Well anyway...you did a lot. I doubt you can enjoy things without thinking about other stuff, but how about we celebrate the ceremony for now?
MC: Yeah that's a good idea / ...yeah I'm a little tired / Let's get presents for everybody!
---
(A) Touji: Let's get presents for everyone in the guild on our way back.
(B) Touji: ...want me to buy you a warm drink? It should calm you down.
(C) Touji: That sounds good. Everyone's been worried.
---
Touji: Anyway, I've heard a popular cafe is doing a business trip here.

Outside
Taromaiti: Hello everybody, Cafe Asterism's branch store is over here! Thanks for all you've done for the training drill! We have hot cocoa, coffee, mulled wine! We also have cake and food! Maybe take some as a snack for your night trip.
Girl A: Ah! Are you one of the thieves from the drill!?
Taromaiti: Good eye! Yes, I was. Sorry for the trouble I caused.
Girl A: No, no, it's okay! ...you were so cool as a thief!
Taromaiti: Thank you. Would you like a drink?
Random Cops and Santas: Us too!

Nomad: You sure are popular, Taromaiti. I'll help hand out drinks, so gimme half of them.
Taromaiti: Nomad! Thanks! But are you sure you don't need to take a break?
Nomad: I plan to go to the sauna, but there's no rush. Plus you have a line and that bothers me. Dammit I do detective work and I still do customer service stuff.
Fire Cop: Oh! Are you the detective who came to help?
Wood Cop: Your deductive reasoning and battle strategies were very enlightening! The bodyguard working with you was impressive as well. Would you teach us!?
Nomad: Is that punk watching and hiding somewhere? Ugh. (kabedons the cop(s?)) Okay, you see this? This is how you kabedon someone. If you send me a job request, then I'll teach you. Here's my business card, tell your bosses I said hi.
Fire Cop: I'm going doki-doki!
Wood Cop: T-t-thank you very much!

Later, at the sauna
Tomte: Hi guys! Saunas for all your tired needs!
Nomad: Nice. This heat, the smell of wood, the aroma of the steam...
Tomte: I'm so glad you like it? Shall I do some whisking later? I'll take care of you!
Nomad: Sure, sounds goo--what's all that noise outside?
*Outside*
Benten: Hello everybody, and Merry Christmas! Viral Dreamers is here, enjoy our concert! (plays with Fenrir, Ifrit, and Typhon)
Typhon: Y'all I thought Benten was talkin' crazy again when she called about doing a concert outside in the middle o' winter, but we got some good friends here so it's all good! MC, this song's for you!
Fenrir: Ha. Which fool thinks this wintry chill and snow would trouble me? Behold my musical prowess and drown in the waves of the melody this eve!
Ifrit: Did someone say good friends? I ain't gonna back down from some hot words like that! Burn, burn to the beat!
Benten: All you police students, thanks for protecting the city! And everyone in Santa School, thanks for bringing everyone happiness! All my gratitude and more, from me to all of you!

Yule: Ahaha! This year's ceremony is a big success thanks to Benten and everyone.
Krampus: Yeah. I was surprised that this wasn't a real case, but it was a good experience... hey wait someone's in the sky (points at someone wiring down from the roof)
Jiraiya: Marry Krismas from this thief, everybody at Santa School! Farewell gifts for everyone! Doing this once in a while is pretty good. And everyone in the police school...uh, thanks for all you've done this year! Let's kick the butts of evil together!
Light Cop: What? Is he in the police?
Water Cop: Whatever, he must be some citizen helping. Thank you for the present!
The silver ribbons on Jiraiya's presents glitter when reflecting light from the stage lights as they fall.
Yule: Wow, they're so pretty Krampus! Like lights falling from the sky!
Krampus: Good sending off for us. We gotta put our all into it too.
Tanngrisnir: Want some stew on your way out?
Krampus: Where did you come from!?
Tanngrisnir: I just got here and decided to talk to you guys. Show time everybody, show time! The children await!
Yule: Right, let's go!
End of Episode half

Live A Hero Chapter 5 Episode 7: The Fierce Battle Begins (Abridged)

Huckle (narrating): Back then, I was like a bird in a cage. Far as I can remember, I've always been raised in the same environment...the only things I knew about the world outside came from my books. My world itself was restricted to the manor, the area around it, and what was in my books.
Huckle: This older man in this book is so cool! He walked the world on his own two feet, never gave up in the face of danger, and went on all sorts of adventures. I want to be like that when I grow up!
Butler: Young Master are you inside Sir's study again?
Huckle: Uhh...!
Huckle (narrating): The butler kept a calm poker face on as he asked me that.
Butler: The man written about in that book is an adventurer from planet Earth. He visits ruins from all over, investigates them, and explains their history. Do not be like him. You are far too rich and important to this planet to do that. We can't have you getting into danger and acting like a barbarian.
Huckle: But...I want to see the outside world.
Butler: ...no.
Huckle (narrating): The book was burned the next day, and they kept other such books away from me as much as they could, no matter how much I hid and secretly read them. In retrospect, I bet my father was trying to limit my choices. I bet he also never realized that just made me want to go outside even more. So once I got older, I ran away from home.

Present
The giant Monster is flailing around screaming, knocking over buildings, and attacking the party.
Mokdai: Oh my god! I'm glad I can see it now, but still!
Akashi: We can't attack like this! My whole attention's full trying to dodge!
Crowne: Lemme try! Maybe if I trace it like I did earlier...Crowne Wrench!
Crowne's attack bounces off, failing to do anything.
Crowne: What the hell!? My analysis isn't working either!
Mokdai: Crowne, it's coming! Get away!
Crowne: Wait wha--WHOA

Sui: ! Crowne!
Barrel: Eat space lead! Space energy! Whatever!
Giant Monster: REEEEEE
Gammei: Your peashooter isn't gonna stop it, idiot! There's another attack coming this way!
Barrel: Augh!
Victom: Our attacks aren't doing anything!
Furlong: Not even a full power water blast helps! What do we do!?
Melide: ...it fully awakened... the air in the city is shaking, and the flow of ether is being churned by the Monster.
Monomasa: Melide, look out!
Melide: Wha--ahh!
Monomasa picks up Melide and jumps away. The Monster crushes the building near where Melide just was.
Ryekie: This is awful.
The Monster keeps wrecking the city, and the central part of the city is totally getting ruined.
MC: Oh no...

Kyoichi: MC...don't look at it too much. It'll only give you pain.
Yoshiori: Yeah. The battlefield isn't the place for sentiments. Still, this is bad.
Crowne: Ow. I'd be dead already if I didn't have my Parallel Weapon. Really, what the hell do we do when nothing's worked!?
Toshu: ...if we keep fighting over here, the city will be further destroyed. It'll bury us in rubble sooner or later.
Shoen: ...in a normal mission, the plan is to aim for the Monster's core.
Exio: Yes. And the giant Monster's core looks like it's somewhere near the Invisible Mountain. So for lack of any better ideas besides getting chipped away like this...we should head over there.
Akashi: Is that even possible!? Didn't someone say no one can go in over there...!?
Melide: Well to be specific they disappeared, so people started believing no one had ever gone in to begin with.
MC: We're going THERE!? / Won't we disappear...?

Yoshiori: You can't worry about that now. The minute we came in here, it was do or die. We either not worry about any dangers and do what we can to beat the big ugly, or all of us get space nuked.
Ryekie: So, we have to gut up? Then the plan is clear! We're going to the Invisible Mountain everybody! We are going to directly attack the core!
There is some hesitation shown by some of the heroes, but in the end everyone agrees and looks determined.
Mokdai: We don't have much time left...! They might drop the HFCM on us while we hesitate! ...MC, will you come with us?
MC: ...yes! / I can't back out later. / We'll be together, wherever that takes us.
Mokdai: ...thanks for being resolved. It's really comforting.

Mokdai: (picks up phone) Hello, Director!? We're going to the Invisible Mountain! We might lose our phone signal, but...!
Huckle: ...I know. Be careful, and come back. I can't do anything but watch, but I won't ever look away. The city's fate is in your hands... good luck!
MC: Yes sir! Bye!
Huckle: Good. Take care of Mr. Ryekie and everyone.
Mochizuki Inn
Huckle looks slightly away from his monitor after the call ends, out the window and at the Monster now visible.
Huckle: ...all I can do is watch. This reminds me of when I was back at that mansion. If I was the way I was before, I could have gone outside and joined them. I could fight by Mr. Ryekie if I was a hero... could those days ever come back? This sucks.

Sometime later
The party has left the city area to go for the Monster's core, heading north through the mountain forest in the northern parts of Central Ward.
Kyoichi: God it's so bumpy! Driver! Isn't there an actual road to drive on!?
Yoshiori: It's Yoshiori, not Driver! And no! Everywhere around the Invisible Mountain is like this! The quickest way up there is this dirt path, so deal with it!
Mokdai: Isn't this like halfway up Mt. Ashitaka? I didn't know there was this much nature here.
Ryekie: Orient City's city area is huge, but building on elevated areas is hard so Raidark left these areas alone while building the city. That's probably why there aren't any real maintained roads out here.
Crowne: Huh, I didn't expect you to know that much about this.
Ryekie: A-are you calling me stupid!? Of course I'd know stuff about the city I protect!

Akashi: I haven't been somewhere like this since elementary school. We should be able to move though safely though.
Sui: Huh? Why?
Furlong: Is it because Monsters stick to urban areas?
Barrel: Oh, that'd explain things. We haven't been attacked at all since we got onto the mountain.
Victom: That can't be it. Orient City is empty right now, and we still got attacked there.
Gammei: Yeah, if anything they'll attack us wherever we are because they'd want to eat us. They still haven't though, so what gives?
MC: Yeah, weird / Maybe the tentacles can't get here?
(B) Gammei: Maybe, but is that really all to it?

Shoen: I sense something.
Toshu: Up here? So, boars or deers?
Shoen: No, wait!
Yoshiori: INCOMING (swerves away from something jumping out from the grass)
MC: AAHHH
Wild jellyfish Monsters appeared!
MC: What are those!?
Akashi: Why are there flying jellyfish!?
Mokdai: I've never seen Monsters like that on Earth before!
Toshu: Begone, new fiends!

Melide: ...! This presence... Exio.
Exio: Yes, these are clearly different from any other Monster we've seen before.
Monomasa: And they are clearly hostile.
Gammei: Nothing's ever easy, is it!?
Barrel: Get ready to fight!
Furlong: ...oh no! Behind us!
More jellyfish Monsters.
Victom: Somehow these things have surrounded us...
Shoen: We are between a rock and a hard place. Or in this case, Monsters and a cliff.
Crowne: So no retreating, and no moving forward without breaking through, huh!?
Ryekie: ...MC, to battle! We can't fall here!
MC: Right! Be careful everyone!
BATTLE START (more happens after)

Red Jellyfish: (blobs threateningly)
Barrel: Space Cowboy Gunfire!
Red Jellyfish: (blobs deflatingly)
Barrel: Okay, god! Does it really take a max charged shot to break through? I mean I'm glad we're getting somewhere, but I can't keep it up at this rate!
Gammei: These things are tough AND fast!
Blue Jellyfish: (blobs angrily)
Gammei: Eww these tentacles are gross as all hell! Just die already!
MC: These Monsters are strong...! / Creepy...

Shoen: Oh no, the truck!
Jellyfish: (blobs in vehicular destruction)
Furlong: They're trying to push the truck off the cliff!
Ryekie: I'll take care of it! Justice Chaaarge!
Mokdai: No, wait! Don't charge in all alone...!!
Ryekie: Thunder Daaaash--
Jellyfish: (blobs in bum rush)
Ryekie: AAAGH!
Crowne: Ryekie you idiot!
Sui: Oh no I can't see him under all the jellyfish Monsters!
Akashi: I'll save him!
Red Jellyfish: (blobs in chump block)
Akashi: Dammit, get out of the way!
Ryekie: I'm good, this is all according to plan! Step back everyone! SUPREME THUNDER!

A bright light starts shining from Ryekie.
Toshu: W-what? He couldn't be...!
Yoshiori: ...crap, hit the deck people!
Everyone drops to the ground.
Jellyfish: (blobs in truck explosion)
The wrecked truck falls over, and the Monster remains scatter and fade.
MC: I'M GETTING BLOWN AWAY!
Meanwhile at the Mochizuki Inn
Huckle: !! Mr. Ryekie!

Mountain path
Kyoichi: Oh my god that was insane!
Jellyfish: (blobs in melting)
Shoen: They're leaving? Are they afraid of what just happened?
Gammei: Who knows if Monsters have sentience.
Monomasa: Where is Justice...?
Melide: ...there!
Ryekie: Urgh...
Ryekie had fallen down along with the truck.
MC: Justice! / Ryekie!

Victom: Super move! Victom Rescue! (flings rope down and safely pulls Ryekie back up to the party)
Ryekie: Sorry Victom...ow...
MC: Ryekie are you okay!?
Ryekie: Ha ha... I really overdid it, but I'm still okay.
Exio: You really are crazy. You may have a Parallel Weapon protecting you, but if you messed up an attack like that you could easily have blown off your own limbs. Don't you care about your body?
Ryekie: Ha. I've always been this crazy. That's why I'm so tough now.
MC: That's still too much even with how strong you are! / Please take better care of yourself! / I'll be sad if you die
Ryekie: ...MC... (awkwardly smiles and brushes MC's face)
Ryekie: Sorry to worry you... but, you know? This reminds me of how Huckle did the same thing while he was a hero.
Quick aside at Mochizuki Inn
Huckle: ...Mr. Ryekie...

Mokdai: ...Justice, the director isn't here now. There isn't anyone else who can stop you directly, so...
Ryekie: Yeah... I know. I'll be careful with myself. Sorry everyone.
Kyoichi: I'm glad you're okay, but we lost the truck... so, what now? It's still a long way to go to reach the Invisible Mountain.
Yoshiori: ...we have to walk. Get moving, or it'll get dark out.
Shoen: ...what?
Yoshiori: You all got legs your mommies and daddies gave you. Put one foot in front of the other.
Toshu: ...of course it comes down to this.

Monomasa: Melide, I'll piggyback you. It's a long journey to be walking.
Melide: Okay, thank you.
Exio: Don't you think that's a bit much, Monomasa?
Barrel: MC, you okay? How about I carry you on my back?
Akashi: Wait what!? Don't spoil them so much! Why don't I carry them then!?
Barrel: W-what!? Why are you volunteering for that!?
Sui: Akashi maybe this a bit too honest of you?
Mokdai: Now now, Akashi being surprisingly open can be good too...
Crowne: Haha, sweet baby. I'm feeling more relaxed now.

Mochizuki Inn for more than five seconds now
Huckle: (sighs and looks away from the livestream) Wasn't the battle just now really dangerous...? He really is pushing himself too much...but...
Flashback
Ryekie: Man, Huckle would save my butt and lecture my ear off back when he was a hero too.
End flashback
Huckle: Oh...right. When that happened I'd give him some straight advice. We fought a few times because of that...didn't we? But that was something I could do because I was a hero too. (looks sadly at the monitor)
Huckle: Now that I became an Observer and then lost even that...I can't do anything at all. Isn't there...anything I could do?

Door knocking.
Huckle: ...who's that? It's open.
Enter Sadayoshi.
Sadayoshi: ...pardon my interruption, Director Huckle.
Huckle: YOU! (gets in the defensive)
Sadayoshi: I came by myself. I'm not here to arrest you.
Huckle: ...so why are you here then? Our heroes are fighting in the city you people have locked down.
Sadayoshi: (looking restless and apologetic) ...I came to talk about something related to that. I wanted to consult and propose something to you.
Huckle: What?
End of Episode

Christmas Showdown Episode 5 Part 2 (Abridged)

Nomad (narrating): Society taught me that people see dumb fools as idiots. Back when I was in a shipwreck calling for help and a ship just passed me by, I realized that the world was accelerating and leaving behind the stupid people. I realized that I wouldn't be happy even if I kept to the rules the world made. In Utopia, the ones who dump off the most old junk from themselves win. So past memories, kind thoughts, and other stuff, all so assholes backstabbing each other in this shithole of a world can live here. I cut off those who betrayed me so I can go faster than anyone. Gotta go faster!
Nomad (narrating): Hermes when I look at you, I feel like I'm looking at myself. You're always trying to abandon your past and struggling to move ahead. You struggle to keep yourself from being left behind by the world. But when I think of you, I wonder...what exactly is waiting for you up ahead? We both try to move on by abandoning our pasts, but if we also leave behind the reason we're running so hard to begin with...what's left?

Present
Hermes: Wait what's happening!?
Hermes is holding a simple reed pipe instead of Ded's bag. It looks normal, but Hermes is freaking out about it.
White: It seems you understand that Santa's bag is an item that can give you anything you want. My artifact has no definite form; it is just a vessel that gives an appropriate output based on what you input.
White puts out his own right hand, and a ball balloons up in it before it pops back up as his bag.
White: Sometimes it takes in children's thoughts and puts out a Letter from Santa. And the bag people usually think of can...

Hermes: ...you're saying this is what I want?
Yep that sure is a plain old reed flute that clearly means something to Hermes.
White: My power concept as Santa/Saint is Karma. Rewards for good deeds and punishment for bad deeds. You keep calling yourself a villain, but my bag didn't give you any punishment. That likely means that beneath what superficially looks like bad deeds is a dear wish you keep hidden in your heart. Which then means you didn't want my bag itself. Neither Black nor Tomte have sensed you to be naughty, which means you must have some sort of reason to have done all this.
MC: You want a pipe? / So what did you want? / You went for the bag for that? 

Hougen: ...complaining that people don't believe you implies you want people to believe you. Hermes, you've always wanted someone to help you, right?
Hermes: Shut up, you don't know me old man.
Hermes' glare looks different from anything else he's shown until now.
Hermes: Whoever said I wanted help from you guys? Not me! Gimme the bag!
Hermes blows his flute and causes everyone to sink into the floor. MC immediately attempts to cut at Hermes to stop it, but Hermes is already jumping in to kick Ded.
Nomad: No! Space Enfer Chateau d'If! (zooms in to block for Ded)
Nomad: No mercy for traitors!
MC: No, stop you guys!
Nomad: ...are you stopping him? Or are you stabbing me in the back MC!? Like I said, no mercy for any traitors!
Hougen: I'll take care of Ded! Tajikarao, you know what to do?
Tajikarao: Yes sir! I will capture him without causing harm!
Taromaiti: Hermes...

Some classroom again
Jiraiya: Let's finish this, Not Ose. You ready Benten?
Benten: Yeah. I dunno what your goal is, but you pulled a dick move on Hermes for it and you gotta be bopped for that.
Ose: Ooh, I'm getting that adrenaline rush! Sweet enjoyment of life! Showdown!
BATTLE START (more happens afterwards)

Hermes (narrating): ...there’s this guy who is the avatar of the sun, Apollo. He was my only friend in Olympus. You could say we had the worst first impressions of each other. He'd say I was that asshole stealing his stuff. I'd say he was an asshole who picked a fight out of sheer gut feelings. The fighting and yelling got so bad that Zeus had to step in. Somehow we became friends after that. Apollo had the power of prophecy, which he used to see through my tricks. My lies and power had no effect on him. Now that we're older, these are memories of fun times we can't go back to...

Present
The battle with Hermes is still ongoing despite the numbers advantage against him. Every time Hermes uses his artifact, MC immediately dispels it. But since it's hard to read him, Hermes keeps the upper hand in the battle flow. Nomad's super speed is the only thing that can keep up with him, so Hermes stays wary of him.
Tajikarao: Hermes, surrender peacefully!
Hermes: You really think I'll do that? But that aside I'm surprised at how calm you are. Everyone else here knew this case was a drill the whole time and never told you. You still gonna be a good dog for your bosses?
Tajikarao: ...it was a surprise, but that's all it is to me. Even if it was deception, Hougen does that every day, or rather it's small stuff. I'm actually glad he made it an as authentic a learning experience as possible!
Hermes: Well good for you jackass!
Tajikarao: Hooray!
Hermes: Oh my god how dumb can you be

Hougen: Hermes looks upset but his movements are calm! This is--
MC: Tajikarao, let's go! (synchs movements up with him)
Tajikarao: If people keep getting tempted to do crimes, I will do all I can to stop them! Take my sympathy, my justice, and all of my power! SHINING FING--(trip)--AAAAAHHHH
Hermes' use of his artifact on Tajikarao actually causes him to crash into him rather than bounce him away because he tripped. He slips out using his cape as cover, but Tajikarao's power still hits him.
Hermes: ...
Hermes: Sigh. You were holding back? What the hell. If you came out unscratched after my Reverse hit your power...well it is what it is.
MC: (Hermes seems different. Did Tajikarao's power work?)

Hermes: All I had to do was be the bad guy and people will start surrounding me from a distance, and usually that's easy peasy to handle.
Tajikarao: (surprised)
Hermes: My role hurts people the more they associate with me. I pretend to be a decent guy, but if people stick around long enough the pretense falls off. So what else can I do but keep people away? How can someone like me ask for help?
Taromaiti: ...Hermes. We knew that you always kept your distance because you didn't want to anyone with you to be hurt by you. That's why you never got close to anyone, right?
White: When the role of an inhabitant of another world is known, there are times when people want it themselves no matter what. Was it the same for you?
Hermes: Why'd you have to be a dick and give me the flute Apollo gave me now of all times!?
Everyone else: ! (notices the manifestation happening in the office)

White: Is that...?
Hougen: An overworld shift! Hermes is causing it!
Nomad: So we need to kick his ass to stop it? MC, stand back and don't look!
MC: No, wait!
The shift distortion fluctuates back and forth.
Nomad: Out of the way, or I'll crush you too!
Taromaiti: ...
Hermes is starting to transform to how he looked back in Olympus.

Some classroom
Ose: Okay something's happening over there, so we better finish this.
Jiraiya: What, you know what's going on?
Ose: Yep! I know the correct answer to just about anything! That's why I can eliminate stupid choices and set things up to go the smartest way possible. Which means life is about going through the motions for me...
Benten: That means you'll never win against me.
Ose: Come again?
Benten: You said before that thrills are the only things you can enjoy. But I can enjoy everything! I've got one life and I'm not throwing it away!
Ose: ...even if you fail miserably?
Benten: Yep! Nothing's gonna stop me, ya hear!? So even stormy days can be more fun than sunny days...life rocks!

Ded's office
Taromaiti: Hermes, wait! Don't lock yourself up in your past! (steps forward)
Taromaiti: You haven't given up on the future deep down, haven't you? You really do want to be with people, somewhere inside you. That's why you kept telling yourself to know your role! In which case... (takes a deep breath and readies her sword)
Taromaiti: I have my own role too! I will save you as the knight that protects Paradise! Noble Phantasm activate! Class: Opposer! Concept: Corruption! I will break the chains that bind you!
Taromaiti stabs Hermes. Hermes' fixated thoughts on the things Olympus established for its world order and the ideas other people in Tokyo put in him shatter and disappear into light.

Hermes: T-Taromaiti! I-I--!
Hermes regains his senses, but it seems he's too late as his past memories start taking over the area.
Nomad: Super speed activate! (rushes in to punch Hermes one more time to stop the shift distortion since he can outrun the memory overwrite)
Taromaiti: Hermes, Nomad! ...MC!
MC: Sword, I call upon thee! (slides in between Hermes and Nomad)
Nomad: !? Why are you getting in the way!?
MC manages to barely deflect Nomad's attack and cut off the shift memories.
Nomad: How'd you catch up!? Oh never mind that. You think you can go against me!? Then you--
MC: I don't know how I did it, but I did it because you looked to be in pain. Like you were hurting yourself.

Nomad: ...
Nomad: But we still need to stop Hermes to stop the shift. (holds Hermes' artifact in his hand)
Nomad: It isn't enough to cut the thoughts tying Hermes down, so that's why I tried to punch him out and make him drop this...though you did stop the first part. I admit that there wasn't a need for me to punch Hermes since Taromaiti pacified him.
The overworld shift but not really was caused by Hermes' Reversal power and his thoughts tying him to the past. Now that the power causing it is off, the world moves towards the future... The Olympus shift disappears, the Santa School is covered in light, and Hermes' home world memories return.
Hermes (narrating): After Dad stopped our fight, I made an instrument to give as an apology to Apollo. He loved it, and somehow that made me happy too... it was fun. Oh yeah. I just wanted to have a friend with me. Someone to do dumb crap with, someone to fight with sometimes, and someone to laugh with...
The shift finally lifts.
Hermes: That's why it came out of the bag. I forgot about that while I struggled to survive here in Tokyo. (flops onto the floor on his ass)
Classroom
Jiraiya: Hey they're done. Got anything to say, Not Ose?
Ose: Heh, no. I totally lost. It was fun.

Ded's office
MC: ...Hermes. (approaches and takes Hermes' hand)
Hermes: ...let go. (makes no attempt to shake MC off)
MC: No / Stop acting tough / (say nothing)
Hermes hesitates. Even though he remembers what he wants and will try to be more honest with it, it doesn't cancel out what he's done so far.
Hermes: ...hey MC? Why didn't you ever get pissed with me? You already know when I helped you in Shinjuku I was--
MC: You still helped me. You could've done something else if you just wanted to use me, so you had helped me first.
Hermes: Oh, you're like him. My tricks (re: power) don't work on you either. If I knew that to start with, I--
MC: Let's be friends. We'll be on even ground.
Hermes: ...yeah, it was a good, fair fight. I don't have to let go, do I?
MC: Nope / You say thanks at times like these / (squeeze as hard as you can)
(A) Hermes: ...
(B) Hermes: R-right. Thanks...
(C) Hermes: OW what the hell man!? Weirdo...hehe.

Hermes squeezes MC's hand back, remembering the time he made a vow with his best friend. He cries as the emptiness in his heart since summoning fills up. Tajikarao walks over.
MC: Tajikarao? / (watch silently)
Tajikarao: ...I understand the full situation. Everyone has the right to live the way they want to in Tokyo, even Transients. But there are still laws and rules to follow and punishment for breaking them. Hermes, you are under arrest.
Nomad: Okay guys I wanna get the last word in. Case closed!
The special training drill and the extra incident have been solved, and it is finally time for the Santa Sendoff Ceremony.
To be continued in the Epilogue!