Hide-and-Seek (before battle)
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Ugh, seriously! Ya really gonna play dirty like this?!
I was trying to wrap this up so I'd be done right when papa finished his executions!
And y'know, it was a lot of fun playing hide-and-seek for the first time in ages... but I'm getting bored now.
We somehow managed to shake off that "Nursefather" too...
But this one chased us here all on her own.
... That smoking pipe you mentioned during the briefing... Your E.G.O, right? Is it not ready yet?
It needs some time.
Which is why we gotta buy that time she needs. What'd you think of my Workshop weapon collection earlier? I'll be generous this time and let you put 'em to use, how about that?
You mean that collection of too-tricky-to-be-useful weapons? You've certainly a talent for impracticality.
Perhaps it's an impressive assortment from a collector's point of view... But in terms of efficiency and effectiveness, you'd be better off fighting with bare hands.
Tch... Look, I had zero idea things would blow up into this bad of a mess, alright? Just wanted to show off a bit since we were finally meeting the LCA team... That's why I only brought the unique, hard-to-get babies...
Hmm...
That one there - what sort of sword is it?
Hnnn... Hmm? That? That's a Meztil Workshop broadsword... ever used one before?
Nay. I was not in a position to obtain and use Workshop-made gears... I am merely asking, for I am in need of aught to replace my broken hwando.
Uh... I mean, I don't mind lending you one, but that stuff's not easy to handle. See, compared to Allas Workshop, Meztil is...
I am aware. Oft did you speak of how their weapons dart around as though they have grown wings, dragging the wielder about.
Yeah...
Worry not - I am quite confident in the art of swiftblade.
A Salsu must never loosen her grip on the blade, though her very arms be torn away.
O-okay, okay, jeez...
Reinforcement... might be a bit of an overstatement, at this rate...
Hmm... I know Dante isn't here with us, but how about we step up ourselves?
My physical strength has gradually recovered throughout our journey with the Executive Manager... but my skills and prowess have yet to reach their original potential.
By the way, any word from the Golden Bough team yet?
... No response to the transmission, damn it. Even with the Executive Manager leading them, those unreliable troops have finally proved my fears right...
Hey, might just be a bad radio signal. Take it easy.
Ugh~ I'm gettin' sick of playing along with this kiddie nonsense. Dragging me into this hide-and-seek crap... You guys are the real bullies here, you know that?
*sigh* I'll count to 10 and not a second more. Got it?
... Eightnineten! Here I go!
Wh-what do we do now?!
Luring her to another Distortion or Abnormality would be the best bet. It was effective enough to stall the Nursefather, too...
A few hours ago...
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Huh. Would you look at that...
Oh! Papa, Papa! I thought you'd finished 'em all off! Or did you leave these for me?
Huh... Aren't these the guys you wrecked earlier? Oh! Is this, like, some kinda 11th-hour superpower awakening? I saw this on TV - "Impossible Comeback 3: Epic Return from Death"!
So what? It'll only take a single blow to...
Whoa... Eeeep!!
Neurosis, hysteria. Distorted pain tends to manifest in the form of electricity.
The Human Thunderbolt. I thought it'd be sufficient to buy us some time...
Oh...? These corpses, they're not moving on their own. Yo, Kiddo! You see that?
Huh? S-see what? I don't see anything!
Bwahaha! You don't? You really don't see it? Shucks, Kiddo~ Ya gotta work harder if you wanna be as sharp as Yoshihide!
Now open your eyes and take a closer look. See that purple flash? It's that thing there... bouncing around and pouring electric currents into the bodies.
... His instincts are just as animalistic as his appearance.
Moses! We've secured the escape route!
... Yes, in that case...
Whoa...?! Team Leader!!
Ngh!!
Heh. Got good reflexes, for someone who dresses that shabby. She actually blocked that.
It was wise... of me to take the time to observe his form. That aftershock had quite the force. Lady Team Leader... are you unharmed?
... Thanks to you, yes. Let me help you walk. Keep the pressure on the wound to staunch the bleeding.
Mm...! Let us fall back posthaste.
Hey!! Where d'you think you're going?!!!
…….
Ugh... clingy bastards... Looks like they'll keep comin' till I kill that sparkly bastard.
Tch... Princess! Go on ahead and chase 'em down!
Rad! For real? Can I really finish them off?
You bet! Papa's got some tidying up to do here.
Let's see... my little girl's hands are hurt. Rules of the Book... Special Clause on the House of Spiders, Article 1, Paragraph 12 applied in entirety...
... Wait a minute... Are these clowns with that jackass who snagged Ricardo's hair coupon? Man, just thinking about my bro running around rockin' some bristly-ass hairstyle cracked my heart in half...
Between what they did to my bro Ricardo, and the wound they inflicted upon my daughter's hand...
That's complete and total extermination!
Back to the present...
Judging from the ones freed from containment and the traces of escaped entities I saw on my way here... We're in no position to be picky about our options.
What other options do we have?
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I would much rather have formulated a plan around the Distortions delivered to the LCE with our own hands than use these Abnormalities, but that is not an option for us at this moment.
With that in mind, we are essentially down to one option: the current plan.
A hollow beckoning, nostalgia and constriction... and then, absorption.
Wait... you don't mean...
Yes. The Abnormality whose vines never release their hold until its pure-white body of cotton is stained blood-red.
We'll make them face the Drenched Gossypium.