Wayfarer (after battle)

It's only the first door, and the impediments are already beyond expected levels.

I swear, I thought that was it for me back there...

Events of this nature... *sigh* won't be frequent. We were merely beset by ill luck.

If you'd just listened to me and picked another door, we wouldn't have gotten cooked like that in the first place.

Like, why even drag me into this if you weren't gonna trust me? Weirdos...

We would've opened them all at the end of the day. S.D.

S.D.? What's that?

Same difference.

Again, why shorten it like that? Just say "duh" or something. Or just spell it out and say it was anticipated.

That's "W.A."

...?

Good work, everyone. Wayfarer does have a team dedicated to this sort of task... but the mortality rate is quite high. Honestly, I was bracing myself for the worst.

The odds of completing the first door of an expedition without any casualties are under 15%. This, by all measures, counts as a flawless expedition.

Tapping away at his device, Alan addressed us with an amicable smile. He seemed totally different from the same man who had manhandled Kira with a fist to her face.

<Those Fauvists won't be able to cross over anymore with the door completely locked down, right?>

That... cannot be asserted with certainty.

<... Are you saying more might come?>

The Corridors and Backdoors have always been the Ring's turf, Clock.

And those Fauvist beasts... have endured as a long-standing faction within the Ring.

If they've got that much history...

They must know many Backdoors - both the origin and destination points.

Alan clarified what Ryōshū was hinting at.

Yes. Compared to them, we lack sufficient knowledge of alternate routes, which makes it difficult to prevent infiltration.

Hm. No need to concern yourselves overmuch.

Even if that were the case, it is unlikely they would move on the House of Spiders so soon.

Eh? They could always rush for a surprise attack, though.

Even that Fauvist Maestro seemed to lack clear intel on the event that took place at the House of Spiders.

If so, it follows that they will need time to assess and deliberate about the situation.

The situation...?

The logical scope of their concerns will be identifying the organization that has secured the House of Spiders, the possibility of additional traps beyond the Backdoors, and the like.

Once all Backdoor-related procedures tied to the House of Spiders are completed, the resulting security framework should be able to preempt and block any infiltration attempts.

<This operation is more important than I thought...>

*puff*

That aside, why couldn't I draw the blade?

Is it the new scabbard's fault?

Ryōshū lifted the sheathed sword with an irritated frown...

... and that's when I felt a faint vibration - the blade was twitching ever so slightly.

Th-that quivering most faint... 'Twas seen by all, indeed...?

Damn, I saw it too... Is it possessed or something?

... Looks like I wasn't the only one who saw the sword twitching as though it wasn't pleased at all with how Ryōshū was talking about the scabbard.

…….

Ryōshū's gaze lingered on the sword before slowly shifting toward the Backdoors.

Could it be... that seeing the scabbard brought back some memory of Araya?

<Ryōshū... Do you - >

Is it an S.S.?

A demon edge? An enchanted blade? Which is it?

<…….>

<It's... probably neither of those. Nor is it a sentient sword.>

Hmm. This presents a fine opportunity to conduct another examination of the sword. Excuse us for a moment, Team Leader Alan.

Please feel free to go ahead. The attack just now damaged some devices, so we're going to have to perform some maintenance before continuing. There's plenty of other work for me to do while you're away, too.

Are we to return to the Headquarters Research Facility, then?

No, that won't be necessary. There is a facility here that should prove more than adequate.