Shinjuku, Kabukicho, the Outlaws Portal. Kresnik is waiting for someone.
Kresnik: This is supposed to be the safest place...
Pazuzu: Hi! You the Outlaws messenger?
Kresnik: Yes, I'm Kresnik. You must be from the Beast Tamers...?
Pazuzu: Yep, Pazuzu from the Ueno guild.
Kresnik: ...thank you for coming all the way here in these trying times.
Pazuzu: It's cool, we're allies now! I mean, there was that time when you guys helped Leib and the others.
Oh yeah, remember that part of Chapter 8?
Pazuzu: Back to business! I reexamined that body remnant. How'd you get it past police security?
Kresnik: Old connections.
Pazuzu: Oh okay. Anyways, the thing is still alive. Not that weird since reptiles self-amputating is a thing.
Kresnik: What?
Pazuzu: Like lizards cutting off their tails. But anyways it looks like I was looking at dragon tissue.
Kresnik: Huh.
Pazuzu: BIG lizards! I guarantee that because of my specialty. Did you know dragons look different depending on who looks at them?
Hmm, just like MC.
Pazuzu: That still applies even if it's only part of them. We essentially can't tell who this belongs to. It's possible the ruling wrote down that the victim was the same as some dragon that just happened to be nearby, which would mean--
Kresnik: Sorry, could you just cut to the chase?
Pazuzu: Oh, haha sorry! Okay, the victim's identity has become unknown.
Kresnik: ...what?
Pazuzu: Wait, maybe cause and effect is in reverse. It's possible the case was fabricated and no one was involved. Here's the report, it's been risky sending things through mail.
Kresnik looks through the report and nods.
Kresnik: I see...that explains everything. Thanks Pazuzu, this has been really helpful. Rumors say the true big three guilds are looking for this info too, so it might be useful for negotiation.
Pazuzu: Nice! Okay, I'm gonna go now.
Kresnik: Wait, by yourself? In these times?
Guns and explosions in the distance.
Pazuzu: Nah, I'm not really alone. I got my Beast with me!
Ikebukuro
Balor: Kill them all!
Giants: YEEEAAAHHHH
The giants fight drone pilots.
Balor: Ugh, we're even. We're not getting anywhere like this. Did they put up drone pilots as a defense against my Mystic Eye? Are the other front lines any different? ...probably not. The Warmongers commanders are pretty much me, Teda, and Marduk. We'd be pinned if we didn't do this. Dammit, I could charge in if Avarga were here to take over leading.
Flashback
Balor: ...things have changed. Get going with your student, Avarga.
Avarga: Balor...
Balor: ...you're going to protect your student, right? And you have someone to settle a score with? Arslan, I mean. Don't worry about me.
Avarga: (frown)
Balor: I know why I came to Tokyo as an old man. I wanted to tell Them something at the end...depending on how this goes first.
Avarga: ...okay. Good luck.
Balor: Finish that fight you're looking for.
Present
Balor: Avarga, did you find a good place to die? Or--(bang!) Whoops, right, gun drones and all that. The South should be moving soon, and they should be fine against the East's drone pilots, but...
Elsewhere
Camoflagers: Use Presence Concealment to get past the drone cameras and ambush them!
Angels: Damn the Invaders and their tactics!
Camoflagers: Good! Now we--what!?
Streamers: Ayo chat, stream's starting with Presence Detection!
Camoflagers: What!? Oh no, our stealth!
Angels: There they are! Get them!
Yep, the battlefields in Tokyo are getting worse.
Akihabara
Agents: Oh my god the true big three guilds are going all in! They gotta end it quick before they destroy the city! The Rule Makers and Entertainers are recruiting, go go go!
Somewhere
Duo: Tokyo is now split between the West and South VS the East and Entertainers. No Switzerland in Tokyo here, and people will have to make a choice.
Yurakucho Opera House
Barong: Hey newbies! What's your name and what stage do you want to get on?
Amduscias: I-I'm Amduscias! And I want to be an idol! Except it might be hard because I'm so big!
Barong: It's okay! Stick with us and you can be anything! I'm Barong, your coach. Now come on up!
Amduscias: O-okay!
Barong: We can be anything if we're ready to give our hearts and bodies for it!
There's a certain shiver on Barong's face as he says that.
Elsewhere
Duo: The effects of that won't just stop at the individual game players.
Ueno
Angel: Nobody move, or you might get shot!
Fenrir: Curse you!
Cu Sith: HELP WAAAAHH
Angel: You, shut up! I know how your power works!
The Rule Makers mobs hold Cu Sith at gunpoint!
Leib: (Damn, they know about Cu Sith's NP.)
Angel: Now choose! Join the Rule Makers or...
Leib: (Die, right? Fiiiine.)
Leib: Cu, Fenrir, you can stop. We'll go along with it for now.
Cu Sith: Leeeiiiiib...
Angel: Okay then, hands up. There should be other members here, search their Portals!
Leib secretly turns on a phone in his lab coat before putting his hands up to share an emergency alert and news with the away team.
Angel: Gather all their war assets and send them to battle! We know what they can do!
Leib: (...do they know that sending a Beast alone is a recipe for pain for everyone? Pffft, we don't even know everything about ourselves. And there are some living things that are just walking disasters.)
Ueno Dorm
Angels: Come out with your hands up and surrender! We already captured the Ueno Lab! Resistance is-- w-why is there a cage here? Is that someone inside?
Yuma!
Angels: Get out here! Now--oof!
Yuma: GROWL
Angels: OH NO
Ueno Station area
Pazuzu: Hi, angels! Whoa, don't point your weapons at me all of a sudden.
Angels: Stop, you! We have wanted posters of Ueno guild members!
Pazuzu: Oh I know. You're with the Rule Makers, right? I hear you guys took care of our friends and know a lot about us. But then, there are things that just happen even if you know about them. Hastur!
Hastur: (glares)
Angel A: Oh god he's huge!
Angel B: I-it's okay, we already know their deals! First guy is Pazuzu, top dragon researcher and priority capture target! He's got a defensive artifact. The threat is the second guy, the Walking Biohazard Hastur! We have gas masks and biohazards suits to protect us, so if we--
Hastur: By order of the King in Yellow! Four poxes upon both their heads!
Angels: AAAAAA
Those gas masks and hazard suits turned out to mean nothing and Hastur bombs them with status attacks.
Pazuzu: Isn't he awesome!?
Angel: H-how can you be okay?
Hastur: What fool dares approach Hastu--
Pazuzu: (zooms in on Hastur) Secco, good boy! Good good good good good! Are you hurt? I can look ALL over you when we get back, my cute lizard!
Hastur: S-stop! I've told you a thousand times I'm not a lizard!
Pazuzu: It's okay! I have my warding charm that protects me from all the things you do, so I can touch you as much as I want!
Hastur: REPROBATE
Yurakucho
Bigfoot: MC, this soft serve ice cream good. Hope you like.
MC: Thanks / Feed me, Bigfoot / Stop that!
---
(A) Bigfoot: (smiles)
(B) Bigfoot: You, like baby. But...okay. Open wide...you, like?
(C) Bigfoot: What wrong?
---
MC: Bigfoot, please tell me already. What's the Entertainers up to?
Bigfoot: ...me, told protect you. No lies. Me, swear to Great Mystery.
MC: ...then let me go. I have to get back to everyone.
Bigfoot: ...can't. Outside Yurakucho, dangerous. Me, protect you. No one, hurt you.
MC: Why go so far?
Bigfoot: Me, have no persuasive argument. But, coming to love someone, wrong? You, end Great Mystery's pain. But, this different from gratitude. Me, love you. Me, always loved you since first meeting.
MC: Bigfoot... / (stare)
Later, maybe
Barguest: Barguest reporting. Guarding the VIP, nothing unusual. Yes, I know, don't get too close. (I have to do my Yurakucho work as well as my other thing. Ugh, so much to do.) Oh, uh, nothing. Continuing my watch...huh?
Beowulf: THERE YOU ARE
Barguest: Suspicious person approaching VIP! Heading them o--!?
Barguest: He just pulled out a sword and is running at MC! OOF, this is heavy!
Beowulf: Out of the way, chump! Get him, Wyrm!
Barguest: Wait, what is your deal!?
Beowulf: I'm Beowulf and I am here to cut me down a dragon!
MC(?) comes by.
Barguest: WHAT
Beowulf: Danish Smash!
Barguest: OH NO, MC!
losertrombones.wav
Beowulf: Dammit, it was another decoy!
Christine: Oh my you look especially young today, Game Master Beowulf.
Beowulf: Funny you should say that, Entertainer!
Barguest: Wait what just happened!?
Christine: Oh, that was a stand-in we put out.
Barguest: !?!?!?
Christine: Beowulf, we already knew you'd come after MC. Removing the trophy would be the fastest way to reset things and make the game go on, yes? The Warmongers and Invaders tried the same thing, but we're using admin privileges to hide them.
Beowulf: You put out decoys because we have admin privileges too, didn't you?
Christine: We don't want another rehash, so yes. Now then, show time!
Elsewhere
Bigfoot: !?
MC: What? ...an alert?
Bigfoot: You, hide behind. Something happening...someone coming.
MC: Wait where'd this fog come fr--
Kirito: ...
MC: ...what? / Kirito?
---
(B) Kirito: ...oh, you remember me? Gold star for you.
---
Kirito: Long time no see, MC. I wish it was longer actually.
MC: Arc's looking for you.
Kirito: ...yeah, I saw them. Do you ever worry about yourself? Why do you two care so much about the game? Are you just that stupid? Oh whoops, I'm sorry. You guys just don't know, so I shouldn't hold it against you.
MC: what
Kirito: ...you know Kyouma Mononobe, right? I heard so much from him around the time you first met him.
MC: wait WHAT
Kirito: Actually who cares. Work time. (pulls out knife)
MC: You here to fight!?
Kirito: ...no, it's nothing personal.
Bigfoot: Stop. MC, my guest. Me, protect.
Kirito: You poor little sap. Let's do this.
End of Episode
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