The Spiders' Thread (before battle)

Prep-prepare for battle, immediately...

I am... no longer able to operate, as you can plainly see... I need... your help.

Saude collapsed to the floor before we even had the chance to ask her if she was okay or what had happened to her arm.

Immediately after rendezvousing with Mister Vergilius... I was... ambushed...

And the attackers... the attackers'll be here any minute.

Where once her resolve had not faltered even in the face of death...

... a grave look of despair now filled her eyes.

How many hostiles?

... Two.

While Mister Vergilius was dealing with one of them, I...

Verg was?

Color returned to Rodya's face upon hearing Vergilius's name.

Well... Then maybe Verg's already on his way back after wiping the floor with both of them?

N... no. I don't think so...

It's Charon...

I... I lost her.

They tore off the arm I was holding onto Charon with...

I never should've let go, I never should've let that happen...

Thou couldst not hold onto young Charon? How, what...?

Saude grimaced, her expression an amalgamation of guilt and confusion.

It was a far cry from her usual, collected self.

... Did they take Charon hostage?

Yes. I... could not stop them from taking... Charon.

What about Pilot...?

.......

Pilot was heavily wounded, but... the last time I saw him, he was conscious.

... We should prepare for battle. Now.

At least our current objective is clear, Executive Manager. First, take out the pursuers, then rescue Charon. While the exact motive of the perpetrators is yet to be revealed...

We may be facing multiple fronts. I briefly picked up a transmission from HQ while running this way, and...

*tzzzzzt*

A sudden buzz of white noise breaks through the truck's silence.

...!

Ah...

Any station, respond... respond...

Saude froze up, staring at the radio's speaker.

Gregor was the first to act in her place.

This is LCB, I read you. What's your situation? Over.

HQ Research Facility -

Research Facility?

U-und-under-attack -

My darling daughter. I hope you've been doing well for yourself out there.

But don't you think it's about time you stopped playing and came home?

Utter silence descends as a kindly calling cuts off the bloodcurdling scream from the other side.

The voice that came through the radio was nothing short of affectionate.

And... it was easy to guess who the "daughter"... was.

... Hah.

The Spiders have spun their web, Clock.

<Web?>

And it's woven so intricately that there's no way around it.

That's when I recalled something Lei Heng had mentioned - "The House of Spiders."

Thinking back to how intensely Ryōshū reacted then...

<Do... do you think these attackers have something to do with that, uh... Lei Heng guy from earlier?>

Unlikely.

He was just one of my many passing tutors.

Th-then who could've - It's the headquarters, for crying out loud...!

I don't know. The HQ, it's... it's not the kind of place someone can just force their way into...

Breaking into a place like that...? It's completely unthinkable...

<…….>

What now?

Usually, I would use my intuition to choose the best course of action and lead the Sinners during a mission.

But who would've thought that the HQ, which was meant to brief us about that mission in the first place, would come under attack... especially while we were left without a guide?

*puff*

Fine. I didn't expect them to come find me themselves.

Once the spiders have spun their web, they tend to wait for the prey to stumble into it, after all.

The plume of cigarette smoke lingered for a moment before scattering into the air. When I looked at Ryōshū's face, what I saw...

... was an expression of strange euphoria.

…….

Ryōshū, is this all just...

... some amusing diversion for you?

Saude shot an incredulous look at Ryōshū, who was nonchalantly puffing the rest of her cigarette to ash.

Sure is.

The long-awaited moment has finally found me.

Why wouldn't I be excited?

That's just -

But... don't presume.

My excitement for the coming pleasure... will not interfere with my effectiveness.

I've never once... let enjoyment get in the way of taking the job seriously.

Not ever, not now.

<……>

You said the assailants'll be here soon. Is the one who took the driver coming, too?

... Charon -

If anything happens to Miss Charon, I...

... I wouldn't be able to bring myself to face the Red Gaze.

Tsk. This isn't going anywhere.

The Spiders won't hurt the driver.

She's just their bait to lure out the bigger prey.

So stop panicking and set us up. It's unsightly.

... What?

The Backdoor of this truck. Can it connect us directly to the HQ Research Facility right this instant?

W-wait. It can, but...

To use the Backdoor portal that leads straight to the HQ, I need to verify the security code written specifically for each coordinate. It's... going to take some time.

Heh. Gives us enough time to deal with your pursuer.

As Saude navigated through the vehicle's machinery with her remaining arm...

... the Sinners all began to keep watch on their surroundings, weapons at the ready.

So, are we sure it's a good idea for us to head to the HQ? I feel like we're walking ourselves into a trap here...

... What if we requested assistance from Daguanyuan instead?

That can be a solution, yes. However, as this concerns our HQ, resolving this crisis with help from a Wing, even one whose leader we are on good terms with... will require an enormous favor to be repaid.

Your decision, Executive Manager?

<……>

<... We'll head straight to the HQ Research Facility as soon as Saude opens the portal.>

It wasn't hard to intuit that Ryōshū's turn had arrived, given her evident excitement.

If so... the backdoor leading to the HQ, which Ryōshū intends to use, should be the path we're meant to take this time.

Better prepare yourselves.

What awaits us, without a single shred of doubt, is hell...

... and there in its depths... lies something that has always been waiting for me.

…….

Aught strums above us, walking the vehicle's roof... we have been found.

Oi, then shouldn't we get out of the truck before it caves in over our heads?

No. P Corp.'s Singularity protects this truck, remember? Something that's supposed to keep whatever's inside safe. We should just lie low in here until -

Y-ya sure about that? I can see a teensy crack in the ceiling!

A crack? That... makes no sense. The ceiling should be elastic enough to bend under most physical impacts instead of cracking.

... It is true that the exterior of this vehicular transportation device utilizes P Corp.'s Singularity.

That is why this truck is more spacious inside than it appears from the outside, and has good defenses against external forces.

However, unlike the experimental model we boarded in P Corp., this vehicle appears to be a more... affordable model used flexibly as a shuttle for the Before Team's deployment.

<...?>

That is to say that for a Singularity technology to perform at a competent level, a higher level of investment is required. Budget models - even those of Singularities - can still end up being countered.

So they cheapened out.

Then the assailant is not one of the Nursefathers from the House of Spiders.

If it were one of them... the first shock would have shattered this wall into pieces.

I suppose kicking off with the top dogs would've made for a rather bland story progression.

The Nursefathers...? Wait, you mean the same people Lei Heng -

... We'll have time for speculations later.

Executive Manager, the ceiling's about to cave in!

<... Go for the kill the moment they get inside.>

…….

At the ready, men!

<...! Wait, don't engage!>

Though we were readying ourselves to skewer the intruder the moment he stepped inside...

... we had to immediately backtrack on that idea when we saw who he was carrying.

... Charon...!

She is only unconscious - and breathing still.

I see. You cut Saude's arm off so that you'd have something to track her down with.

And she has gone straight to seek help from her comrades...

It was indeed a correct decision for us to wait and see how she'd react.

The intruder continued, glancing toward Saude.

As if in response to that, Ryōshū placed her hand...

... on her scabbard.

<... Ryōshū?>

*puff* B.D.O.K. They won't dare hurt the bus driver.

So don't make a fuss, Clock.

Huh?! What do you mean she's okay - Ryōshū?!

Ryōshū ignored Sinclair and rushed toward the intruder, her scabbard cleaving through the air.

Oho... parried that, did you?

... Have you no regard for the hostage's life?

You won't dare let her die unless you're planning to incur the red guide's wrath.

Like Ryōshū said, the intruder was only defending himself against her strikes without harming Charon.

Just as the other Sinners were stepping up to join the assault...

I had intended to face you one at a time, as the propriety of honorable combat dictates, but...

... unfortunately, since I cannot let you take her back until my master arrives...

The intruder gestured with his hand, and strange, bizarre things dropped through the ceiling with a thump.

... I must resort to using some... borrowed weapons.

Are those Distortions or... monsters of some kind?

<No...>

<I think they're... people...>

His "master"... Vergilius is supposed to be handling whoever that is, yeah?

The Color most illustrious must be deterred from wielding his full might, on account of young Charon's capture...

Then we rescue Charon and book it to HQ or wherever - that'll let the guide go all out.

Yeah, that seems to be the best shot we have at this moment.

<... Still, let's be careful and prioritize Charon's safety above all else.>