Drenched Gossypium (before battle)
Uh, hi, my playmates! Looks like I'm one room away from finding you guys!
Kinda like that hide-and-seek song papa used to sing me when we'd play!
... Okay! Donezo. She should be coming into this containment unit any minute.
*huff* *huff* Detective! We drew the escaped Peccatula this way! Apparently they've got Stage 3 Peccas, too!
Do we have everything we need for our stratagem?
Sooo~ Are ya sure about this? I mean, we did explain everything we know to you, but... the whole plan came from your head.
If you're talking about cross-validation, you'll be pleased to hear that our review of the Observation Logs has already verified the efficacy of this plan. I see no reason to make any last-minute changes.
Okay, but what if it doesn't go according to plan? What if something goes wrong, or... Y'know, didya prepare a Plan B in case that happens?
I did not.
... Eh?
That's some impressive confidence. Don't most people prepare a Plan B when they have even the slightest misgivings about their Plan A?
Why would there be a Plan B when this isn't even my Plan A? There is no Plan B.
We are outnumbered and outgunned; this just happened to be the only way we could buy time.
Was the War any different? You should know perfect planning seldom leads to perfect execution.
... Hm.
Well~ I guess Moses doesn't have lives to burn through like we do. She wouldn't dare wing it in this life-and-death situation.
... Voila.
What's this thing supposed to be? Ooh, it looks super weird...
Is this a flower...? I don't remember chopping up anything that looked like this earlier...
Doesn't look like it can talk either, so... Oh, are ya like, waving at me to come over?
Ooh~ I know what's going on here! You're trying to buy time -
Huh?
…!
Nngh... What the hell are you doing? Tryna jab me and suck my blood dry, huh?!
In your dreams, dumbass! Hah, piece of cake!
She just... cut it off?
Wait, you can just cut it off?
We must quickly make adjustments to this plan to -
No, that development is a part of the plan.
Every time the crushing loneliness set in, she must've endured it by burying herself in comic books and videogames.
And that is her only connection to her so-called "father"... She obsessed over games not as mere "entertainment" - for her, it was survival, it was what kept her going. Then...
Hmm... if that's true, then she'll fight the Abnormality like she's playing a videogame.
As a rule of thumb, when running blind into a "boss fight," the go-to strat is usually...
... Dealing with the mooks that get in the way.
But that rule doesn't apply to this "boss." She can cut down the mooks all she wants, but that'll only get her covered in more gossypium.
You've fought it before, haven't you? Once you're covered in its gossypium...
... It becomes nearly impossible even to parry the Drenched Gossypium's attacks.
It'll have built up too much power.
…!
Is this like an invincibility phase? You're jabbing stalks into the adds to give yourself some kinda HoT buff, aren'tcha?
Then I gotta take out the adds first - !
Agh, dangit...!
…!
W-what's going on?! My sword's not - When'd that monster turn red...!?
This plan would not have worked had her Nursefather joined her earlier than expected. We got lucky.
... This Abnormality presents the kind of challenge that is difficult to overcome alone. We could deploy the same strategy against the Middle Nursefather later.
We're not out of the woods yet, but this was quite the clever -
There you are! Been cooped up in here all along like a bunch of scared chickens, eh?
…?
Aw, didn't ya watch papa put together his plamo kits? When the model kit's got way too many pointy sprues like these...
... Get down!
…….
... you gotta chop 'em off before you get building.
... He destroyed every Peccatulum and vine in the vicinity with a single swing...!
And totally wrecked the ceiling, too...
Yo~! Papa's back~
Gonna sit on your butt all day, princess?
... To cleave through the Gossypium before any of its blossoms could even land...
Why work with your brains when you've got the brawn?
Thanks for letting my kid play with you folks. It's hide-'n-seek, right? Mind if I take over for her for a sec?
*exhale*
Looks like... we've managed to buy ourselves some time.
Nngh... This is it! We're gonna have to fight this guy!
Bus team, you guys ready?
Of c -
Huh...? Ishy -
They both fell unconscious. What -
…….
Huh...?
Huuuuh?
Hey... hey! What's wrong? Guys?
…….
You asshole, what the hell did you do to them? Why'd they all suddenly -
What? I didn't even lift a finger. Alright, you're getting written up in the book for trying to frame me for this.
... This has naught to do with that man, nor with the Distortion...
Well, what else can we - What - I'm frickin' losing my mind here, guys! Get up! C'mon!
Ezra, shaking them hardly seems to be the solution to bring them back to consciousness.
... Got it. Then I'll try to draw that bastard's attention, while -
Calm down. I think we can... I think we can all survive this.
*exhale*
The standard method of defeating this Abnormality... is to chip away at the pearl gradually. But if one destroys the "pearl," and only the pearl, in a single strike...
Aeng-du. How are your arms?
I shan't rest until they are physically torn from my body.
Ezra. Remember that room packed full of Peccatula?
Yep!
Very well. Then...
…….
Phew! Wasn't that fun? Looks like my little girl's learned a lot, too.
Glad to see you nerds are not all talk. That first stunt you pulled on me sure had some bite - those galvanized corpses were, well... electrifying.
Got any more toys to throw at me, or are ya all outta stock?
Gonna have to close up shop soon, but... let me get you an extra something on the house.
Oh?
We'll be back with the stock, so... enjoy this in the meantime.
Ezra, open it!
Got it...!
What an absolute monster... Just how many augmentations has he gotten? This is overkill, especially for the Middle...
The Abnormality covered him in paralytic, corrosive venom... and dumped a bucketful of crawling larvae to eat into his skin...
... and yet, none of them managed to hurt him.
Venom? Was that really supposed to be your cherry on top? You're terrible at choosing toys.
*sigh*
What a troublesome brat you are. Were you this much of a menace with your toys as a kid, too?
Sorry, I get tired of things rather easily.
And when I get tired of something, I smash it. And now that I'm tired of everything... I've no reason to hesitate.
…….
What about... Model Kit Iron Host Mk4?
... Lady Team Leader? This is hardly the time to be going off on a tangent...
Shh, just let the magic happen...!
... How do you know that legendary series?
The Mk4 series was the last product ever released before that toy factory closed shop. Naturally, its stock was extremely limited.
And the only person who understood the true significance of that was... tragically, none other than a certain little boy.
…….
No one, no one cared how much this mattered to you, did they? The world would never see such a toy again - it was a singular release, leagues apart from what you already had at home, and yet...
... He has assumed an odd expression. Perhaps a certain recollection consumes him.
The Detective saw right through him... and found the Distortion lurking in his heart.
... Ezra, now!
Gotcha! Another round with the powered gauntlets, right?
Charge at him, frontal assault! I'll chain him up with my pipe!
*exhale*
What in the... What's this purple thing?
You did all that brain screw just to put me in these... toy cuffs?
Nothing so fancy - I simply verbalized what I saw within you... in a convincing manner.
Hah!
Tsk... trying to break free only tightens it, eh?
We gotta capitalize on this chance as much as we can... Aeng-du!
Sword of the Homeland... Valorbound Acupunture Dive (勇躍一刺).
If this blade be so swift that it overwhelms any effort to steer its path...
... then an unbending trajectory like that of a loosened arrow shall strike true - !
…….
Graah...!
Miss Ezra!
The gauntlet distracts... while the swift sword goes for my head. That your game?
... How... did he unbind himself...?
Ngh... That leg of his...
Weren't expecting to see Moonlight Stones, were ya?
I just needed to free this one leg. It's too bad my hand isn't free to open the book, though...
Agh... dammit...
But forcing me to live through that day again is a crime that... doesn't even need to be written down in the book.
Your death ain't gonna be pretty, lady!
Even deep purple didn't work... Dammit, that Moonlight...!
Was that trick... supposed to mess with my head, too?
Impressive, really. You turned one of the finest Moonlight Stones M Corp. had to offer... totally opaque.
Agh... *cough*
... The blade snapped... I failed to even make a scratch.
As for you... You lunged at me knowing that both of your arms would be ripped off at that speed?
As that is... how a Salsu must carry herself...
... Y'see, while I'm easily distracted, I often find myself earnestly captivated by shiny new releases.
So, I think some commendations are due.
You are, truly... the image of valor. Look at how your torn arms are still clutching the hilt of that sword!
Man, you guys actually got me kinda winded... I'm a big fan of these gimmicky fights.
And thanks to that, we managed to buy ourselves enough time...
Hah, that so? I can hear something coming this way. Got me some more monsters, eh...?
Were... were there more... Abnormalities or Distortions... *cough* remaining?
... Heh. We've got something even worse.
…!
Apologies for the delay, Team Leader.
They took their sweet time with the paperwork.
…….
Of course they did. Business as usual for the Hana Association, especially for something like this.
I assume you passed the evaluation?
I have. And was designated a Color.
Baby bee! ... Don't - *cough* - tell me.... You weren't stalling behind that wall for a dramatic entrance, were ya?
*sigh* Why would I do that? I beelined here as fast as I could, cutting through every wall between me and your position.
... No one's ever bested my strength, even when I was active in the biz.
This is fun. What's your name, my man? I don't think I've heard of anyone like you in my prime.
Aren't you a talkative piece of Finger trash? A rancid one, at that...
Hngh...!
I won't give you the honor of learning my name, Middle scum.
Hey, Junior~ *cough* Didya... did my uber-recommended name get pushed through...?
... It did. There were... other options, but... *sigh* Yes, that's the name.
Heh heh... That's rad~ Then - *cough* - monster dude, prepare to go on the record as the Yellow Harpoon's first kill!
I'm sure you can tell from the way it sounds, but I'm the one who came up with that name!