Wayfarer (before battle)

Only a few days had passed since our last visit, but the place looked markedly different from what we remembered.

The sight of the hollow, frigid atmosphere and the endless stretch of Corridors hadn't changed,

but Callisto's so-called "artworks" were now covered in white sheets, and unfamiliar devices were affixed all around the Backdoors.

Prithee, who might those people thither be?

.......

Looks like some shady bastards moved in already.

Our guarded reaction prompted Hohenheim to step forward and gesture to one of the oddly-dressed figures.

It seems introductions are in order for both sides.

... This is Team Leader Alan from Wayfarer Company, who will be working with us on the investigation into the House's Backdoors.

<Wayfarer Company?>

A corporate entity partnered with Limbus Company, responsible for providing portal technology. It has, on prior occasion, been referred to as the "new" or "aspirant" W Corp. - though the name is an unofficial one.

Our employees also have taken to calling you the "new L Corp." Something we have in common, given that we're both chasing after the same horizon.

<Ah...! I remember. That company vying to take W Corp.'s place, right?>

"The same horizon." He's probably talking about getting recognized as a Wing.

After all, the old L Corp. has already fallen, while W Corp., from what I've heard... is free-falling at this point.

And these are the Manager and the Sinners of the LCB Department, our field operations unit. Frequently deployed to deal with on-site matters firsthand.

They have more personnel, but the rest are tied up with other duties elsewhere. Only a handful will be joining this investigation effort.

I understand. Field operations units are almost always understaffed, anyway. The support you've provided is more than sufficient.

Alan gave an understanding nod. The man slipped off his bulky helmet before extending his hand in greeting.

Pleased to make your acquaintance. The name's Alan, Leader of Doorbreach Team 4.

<L-likewise...>

Before Faust could even relay my reciprocal greeting, words spilled out of Alan's mouth in a strangely uneven rhythm - as if my ticking didn't bother him at all. Like he was sticking to a script he had rehearsed.

I've heard great things about you, Manager Dante of Limbus Company, and the Bus Team's performance.

You capitalized on the suppression of Distortions at T Corp. as leverage to push your products... and the profits were nothing short of staggering, I heard...

<Oh yeah, we're supposed to be Distortion-resolving specialists to the public... But what's that "product" part about?>

... The Manager says it was merely a matter of luck. They also look forward to working with you on this task.

Oh, are you the interpreter? In that case, I'll be sure to consult the manager only when both of you are available.

... Sure.

Faust didn't seem particularly pleased with the role Alan had pinned on her, but she nodded anyway.

She quietly came to my side and answered my earlier question while Alan carried on with Hohenheim.

He is referring to the Monolith sales project. The credit was attributed to the LCB, at the express request of Mister Herbert, T Corp.'s Executive Director.

<Oh... So that's how the rumor spread, huh.>

We've reviewed the agreements. Now, I understand you'll be assisting in verifying what lies beyond the Backdoors.

I'd appreciate it if you could share any prior knowledge you have about where these Backdoors connect - as detailed as you can make them, if you don't mind.

Hohenheim fixed Kira with a pointed look.

Though Kira responded by defiantly cocking her head in a show of irritation, she still gave up a sliver of the information she had.

Honestly, I've got pretty much nothing if it's about robo-unc and his room.

I mean, I've seen Albina hit up that door and the other one over there when she was popping out to farm stuff, but...

"Farm"...?

Oh, it's, uh... gathering material.

I see. What kind of material?

Human guts and all that. She'd come back hauling piles of 'em.

So they're prolly connected to some Backstreets area.

The Backstreets... Hmm. Any more details?

Can you stop prying? You're lowkey pissin' me off.

.......

What? That's literally all I've got, for real.

For a moment, Alan leveled Kira with a stiff expression...

... and even before I could register what had happened, Kira's head jerked to the side from a sudden punch by Alan.

Ungh!

I thought Kira was nimble enough to dodge a surprise attack easily, but this one seemed to have caught her completely off guard. She stood there blinking, eyes round in rude surprise.

Actually, it wasn't that he caught her off guard; it was the motion of the punch itself that somehow felt off. The fist being raised, the arm being extended, the blow making contact... the chain of actions was there, but it just didn't look... normal.

D-did you just hit me...?

What the hell's wrong with -

As Kira reeled from the unexpected strike,

Don Quixote spoke up in a cold, sharp tone.

... Thou. What manner of discourtesy is this?

... Ah.

With all that whining, I thought the brat could use a lesson to remind her of her place.

I had no intention of damaging your company asset, of course. I simply assumed the level of warning would not be inappropriate in this case.

.......

Team Leader Alan.

That sort of conduct may not be an issue in your organization, but it is here.

Should it happen again...

Do understand that we may choose to terminate today's joint engagement without delay.

My apologies. I will keep that in mind going forward.

Alan stood down without arguing back, but Kira looked far from satisfied with how Hohenheim handled the situation.

He gets to sock me in the face and walk off scot free?

So frickin' annoying...

Fortunately enough, her grumbling didn't escalate into her lashing out at Alan.

<That punch just now, though... What was that?>

... It exhibited a behavior that defied the standard laws of physics.

Presumably a form of technology utilized by Wayfarer Company.

... Let us resume the task at hand.

Sinner Ryōshū. Give Team Leader Alan whatever information you have.

*puff*

That door... should lead to one of the Ring-protected turfs.

The other two on the left... I remember they were marked with an X painted with blood...

... but I H.N.I. where they actually lead. It's all blurry. Tsk.

It seems that's all the information we can provide. Will that suffice?

We now know that the doors likely connect to a perceivable area. That's already a big improvement in terms of intel for Wayfarer Company's Backdoor mapping progress.

Which means there's less chance of us encountering a space beyond human perception past those doors.

All right, then... I'll proceed with connection verification. Which door shall we test first?

.......

We'll start with the one Sinner Ryōshū mentioned.

Hah! Ya don't trust me at all, huh?

Then why even bring me along?

Ignoring Kira's jab, Alan began setting up various devices on the door, and soon, an elegant white door opened before us.

Shall we?

Art thou joining us as well, Young Hohenheim?

Just this once. There are procedures for handing over field operations.

<Okay. Let's see what's in there.>

.......

<What the... Is this some kind of wildlife exhibit...?>

The moment we stepped in, the lights hit us all at once, drawing squints and frowns from the Sinners. Thanks to my lack of physical eyes, I could make out a room filled with statues or, perhaps, taxidermied animals.

It felt like a gallery of sorts... but it was so quiet that the air itself seemed to carry a strange, somber weight.

After a moment, someone shattered the silence - but it wasn't Don Quixote, our usual suspect.

Holy shit... The scale is just insane! Th-that's the Whale from "Eight Association: Great Lake" special issue!

Kira, who'd seemed beaten-down all along, exclaimed with a bit more energy in her voice.

Man, seeing it in real life sure hits different... And the Indigo Elder solo one-shots these monsters with that harpoon of his, huh?

<... It's a Great Lake Whale. Doesn't look like the one we've encountered, though.>

Organisms of various sources can be identified here - Singularity-modified, Outskirts-born...

<Th-they look almost alive... They're not, right?>

No, they're not alive, but -

Duh. Though robo-unc did say that the Ring has these zoos where they put monsters on display alive...

Man, this would've been way more fun if we could see the moving ones. Everything here's dead... meh. Still looks crazy sick, though. The vibe really hits.

Even though she was trying to play it cool, Kira kept sneaking glances at the massive horned display off to the side, clearly surprised in a way she couldn't hide.

That said, I felt a distinct shortage of hyperactivity, given the presence of a certain someone in our party...

.......

<Don Quixote?>

The eye of a Second Kindred... of House Tepes. What is it doing here...?

At the mention of the word "Kindred," I couldn't help but follow Don Quixote's gaze.

Opposite the Whale was another kind of exhibit - it contained items leaning on the more gruesome side of things, starting with a crimson eyeball that caught Don Quixote's attention, and body parts like hands and bones that looked as though they had been stripped from the human body.

It's a Gallery...

... of the School of Fauvism. Probably a Main Studio, at that... which comes with a Maestro's atelier and an auction house.

... Alan.

We will be making our exit shortly. Prepare to initiate lockdown sequence.

Before Hohenheim could even finish his urgent transmission...

... numerous footsteps closed in from somewhere nearby.

Turning toward the sound of shoes clacking on the floor, we found strange figures wearing animal masks, staring directly at us.

.......

That presence... it's kinda like papa's...

Ain't no way... That's not a raid boss we can clear at our level! We gotta get out of here!

... It's not that simple. Retreating is not a viable solution here.

This door is connected to the House of Spiders. Escaping without installing a security system will invite pursuit.

We must stall them until Alan is ready to initiate the lockdown sequence.

As tension thickened, one of the strangers, who wore a peculiar bone mask, stepped forward.

The voice that spoke to us carried equal part curiosity and delight.

You came through that door...

Then the House's fall... wasn't just a baseless rumor.

A stray little spiderling, fallen from her parents' web. How many years has it been?

.......

You... Who are you?

Ah, right... It makes sense that you would fail to recognize me. I used to wear a different mask back when I used to visit as your tutor, didn't I? A wolf, if memory serves right.

Yes, that must've been when I was quite captivated by the sensation of tearing into the raw, still-thrashing flesh of living prey... and the predator's ferocious yet cavernously resonant howling.

... Rings a bell.

You're that Maestro whose whole lesson was a 3-hour sermon praising the intensity of primary colors and the strength of living creatures. Benoît, was it?

That's right - Émile Benoît. And they say you can't hatch a phoenix from a chicken's egg... Doesn't always apply, I see.

Looks like that mind of yours is still sly as a raven... unlike your Nursefather's.

Tch. Don't presume.

I only remember you because the tactility of hides and guts... made for a passable A.W.

At first glance, it looked like Ryōshū was casually taking a trip down memory lane with the Maestro...

But I had a feeling she was, in fact, dragging this out on purpose to buy us time.

<That lockdown sequence thing, how much longer 'til it's ready?>

Young Hohenheim, the lockdown sequence...

Don Quixote, who had been shooting the Ring members an incensed glare sparked by the discovery of a Kindred's eye, swiftly relayed my words to Hohenheim without even a hint of her earlier shenanigans.

... I'm afraid the progress and speed of the lockdown sequence lies in Alan's hands, not mine. It is, by its nature, a time-consuming work - we cannot expect haste.

Perhaps... that does make this a suitable juncture to trial Plan A.

<Plan A...?>

... Any suggestions that involve Don Quixote removing her shoes will not be dignified with a serious discussion.

Instead...

Maybe what Hohenheim had in mind had nothing to do with Don Quixote's shoes, because he opened his mouth as though he was about to retort to Faust's categorical rejection.

But the moment he followed Faust's eyes and saw what she was looking at, he quietly shut his mouth and said nothing further.

Faith in potentiality is not something I dislike.

As for this, however... This seems more like grasping at straws.

At the end of their gaze was Ryōshū's blade - Arayashiki.

Hmph. I was going to try using it anyway.

I've long wanted to see if a Maestro's death is any different.

<Telling her that we were just leaving... won't work, will it?>

No, it won't. Every individual present here would be quite the fascinating specimen to the artists of the Ring.

We are practically a windfall of inspiration and material that has so conveniently been delivered to them. Is it improbable that they will allow us to return unharmed.

Faust is right. She and Hohenheim are geniuses, and Ryōshū is the wielder of Arayashiki.

Don Quixote is a Kindred of a higher generation, and I happen to house a Golden Bough in my head.

I have no idea how much information the Ring has on us...

But even if they knew nothing, they wouldn't let us go easily.

<... Are you sure about this, Ryōshū?>

Doesn't matter if I'm S.A.T. or not, Clock.

... Think of that woman as Lei Heng, and do as you did in H.C.'s mansion.

I'll take care of the rest.

<... Right. That's probably our best shot.>

What Ryōshū meant was quite clear.

Resonate with the Golden Bough, secure an advantage to fight on equal footing, then catch them off guard by slowing down the flow of time.

A cut from the Arayashiki, even if it doesn't give us a real fighting chance, might at least stall the Maestro long enough to give us the time to get away.

This floor of the exhibit only houses submissions from Students and Docents...

But if you look closely enough, there are some passable ones that show the promise of excellence.

And above all, this is the gallery of the School of Fauvism...

... and mine. The gallery of Émile Benoît.

... Which is why I would've preferred to take you without an unnecessary fight, if possible. A shame.

Still, we're talking about a unique Relic here, a masterless one at that. Acquiring the Arayashiki makes it worth the cost.

*puff* If you want a taste...

.......

...?

Confusion flickered across Ryōshū's face as she tried to unsheathe her blade.

<What's the matter?>

How...?

The lock the House of Spiders used to bind the Arayashiki no longer exists. So why...

... why can't I draw the blade?

... Now that's unexpected.

So the rumors of you mastering that Relic... were they false?

...!

The Maestro only gave a loose swing of her arm, but it was enough to make Ryōshū recoil - a shadow of surprise crossed her face.

The wound looked like nothing more than a light gash, yet the Maestro's contemplative gaze shifted between the blood on Ryōshū's arm and her own as though the attack had been an experiment to prove a hypothesis.

... It wasn't hard to guess what she was thinking.

... Tch. Noticed, did you?

I had my doubts from the moment I saw you today.

Was the House of Spiders a success... or a failure?

Tell me, Yoshihide. What do you think a serpent's defining strength is?

What are you on about now?

Ask any Student, and they'll give the same, predictable answers: the deadly venom, the sleek scales... Why, it's lamentably disappointing.

The Maestro advanced toward us with an assured certainty...

... then seized a beige thread dangling from the ceiling - no, calling it a mere thread would be wrong. It was something that resembled a thread, yet felt much more disturbing.

I, for one, have a particular liking for the jaw and the spine.

The flexibility of the spine, linked like a chain; and the jaw, bound not by bone but by ligaments that allow the animal to swallow its prey whole... Perhaps I should've said that I admire their structural refinement.

The thrice-coiled ring on her ring finger gave off a cold glint, and the walls and the ceiling suddenly began to echo with the sickening squelch and crack of flesh and bones assembling.

<W-what the hell is that?!>

Which brings me to ask... What better way to claim this delivery of promising material with a single bite than a work of art fashioned from a snake?

The Maestro plunged her arm into the long, serpentine body of a monster.

Her sheer presence radiated a pressure as oppressive as that of the Nursefathers, only more primal and untempered.

Consider it a privilege.

This is the first time this piece has ever been exhibited to an outsider.

Hohenheim. Is the lockdown sequence still not ready?

1 minute to go! Step aside!

The attack from the E.G.O Gear Hohenheim hastily brandished didn't even last a moment - the weapon was knocked from his hand.

As I scrambled to equip the Sinners with their Identities, something abruptly stopped the beastlike appendage midway through its hurtling motion.

And the one who intercepted the blow...

Hah... Shit.

... was Kira, struggling to push back against the serpertine arm with her still-sealed blades.

<K-Kira?!>

Did she suddenly have a change of heart I wasn't aware of...?

Shit shit shit... This wasn't the plan at all...

... Obviously not. She couldn't have changed her mind that quickly,

because the look on her face couldn't be anything other than that of utter regret.

The Middle, hmm? ... For someone who doesn't seem to be a proper member, you've inked quite the quantity of tattoos onto yourself...

Aha, you must be the new kit Matthias took in.

Why do you stand in my way?

Fucked if I know... I'm already regretting it, alright?

Damn it... They're defo gonna ditch me here... Why did I even...

Heh. Must be instinct taking over. Couldn't fully shake off the opponent's killing intent, so the body chose to clash head-on.

So the behavioral facet of the psyche can be controlled with suitable training. Unexpected data, but useful to be sure.

Nnghh...! Shut it, Mister! Quit yapping and let me use my blades!

Authorized and ready. Lifting locks... Now!

Kira's thermal weapons emerged from their sheaths with a metallic clang. She used the recoil of the motion to skid back and assume a defensive stance.

Naturally, that broke Benoît's arm from the deadlock as well. The Maestro lashed out again with that monstrous limb, but...

Huh...?

'Tis a foul injustice to strike against an unprepared opponent in a duel!

Behold, for I shall allow thee a glimpse of the badass form that only the most renowned of Fixers have displayed through the ages...!

Seeing an opening, Don Quixote slammed into the arm with her full might, knocking it off its trajectory...

Predictably, however, the sheer force of the Maestro's attack instantly reduced her to a red sludge of flesh and bone, sending her remains crashing into the door.

Ready to initiate lockdown sequence. I will seal the door immediately upon your exit.

Everyone to the door! Faust, retrieve the... organic remnants of Sinner #3!

As Faust made her exit with what was once Don Quixote, the Students of the Ring surrounded Kira, barring her way out. A hollow chuckle slipped out of her lips.

Haha... called it for real. This is exactly why I didn't wanna get involved...

Taking Kira back with us would mean having a sizable force of the Ring trail right behind her through the door.

Kira, too, seemed to have realized the risk that no one in their right mind would want to take. She lowered her head in defeat, as though she knew full well the fate that awaited her.

I'm such a dumbass... What was I thinking, divin' in like that?

You! Don't just stand there! Get over here now!

Huh? B-but... these guys're gonna come floodin' in if I...

You T.T.M. Want to get cleaved in half again?

... You pin this on me later, you're gonna pay.

Blocking the Maestro's arm by a hair as it came down on her again, Kira hurled herself toward the door with every bit of strength she could muster.

More than a few Students rushed in through the doorway, chasing after the Sinners who had gone in ahead, but...

Lockdown sequence complete. All Backdoor links have been cut.

... fortunately, Alan managed to sever the connection between the two Backdoors before the Maestro could cross over.

*puff* ... Bowl cut. Think you can still use your arms?

... Am fine.

So she says.

Kira would be a strong enough addition to fight for us, but the Ring members that have managed to cross formed a rather sizable force.

Fighting them off with just the Sinners I have at my side would not be the best course of action.

In that case...

<Guys. I assume you're all available right now?>

As soon as I call out to the Sinners, their voices come through Hohenheim's radio one after another.

Huh? Uh... I guess so?

Ready for your order, Executive Manager! I, Outis, am prepared to answer your call whenever and wherever -

Eh?! H-hang on, I just need to finish this bite...!

<Everyone to me.>