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>>38370000
QUADS START THE REVERSE ALL KILL

We have a Fusion Beamer equipped.
I would suggest giving it to Kazuya. Let's see how ordinary Hollow Sun weapons are affected.

>>38370000

(Gentlemen, be aware that you've selected LIMITER II for your level-up. You now have a 35% reduction in the Essence required to gain a new level; In addition, you automatically Assimilate the Essence of the last Player defeated. EXEC_VERBATIM has been removed from the list, but Cybele's Relic - HARMONIA - has been added to your inventory.)

The hall is in flames. Huge fires blaze across the auditorium - Sections of roof collapsing, the entire structure terminally undermined by TRIACH BEHEMOTH's entry wounds. Black Lachryma has spilled across the stage, alight like a field of bright corn; Hungry, leaping fire that sparks across Player armor, the flickering cross-light lending everything a lambent hell-glow.

It glitters off Daegal's gilded pectoral eagles and his gleaming faceplate, from the Condemner's humming containment field. The dense framework of machinery and gantries above casts a criss-crossing lattice of shadows across blood-red carpet and shattered seating, molten metal raining - sparks hissing, flaring - from the overhead girderwork. A great pylon cylinder breaks free from its ceiling mount, streaming smoke and flames-

The crash it makes when it hits the chamber floor shakes the balcony you stand on, a deep, tortured groan echoing from the buildings foundations - Even as energy crackles and sparks like ball-lightning, random discharges that sent bursts of static writhing through your HUD. The numbing echo of the enormous impact revebrates through your armor, as it inhales GREY JAEGER's death - Emerald light becoming molten red, radiating forth from the Athame like flaws through glass.

Darker than ruby quartz, shading to carnelian. A crimson glow, a bloody glow, like the light from hot iron.

(Continued)

>>38370117
>you automatically Assimilate the Essence of the last Player defeated
Aw fuck

>>38370117
You forgot to link the thread on Twitter, by the way

>>38370117
I;d encourage we get Limiter III as well. That means that it'll only take two guys dead for us to upgrade and now, we automatically get essence out of each kill anyway. Thanks to Limiter II, this battle alone should be enough for us to get the next upgrade.

Also, be wary of the Athame upgrade. I just read that our current form is only a partial transformation...Though, rereading the description makes it clear that, no, the Joker HAS no Corrector parts. We're still made of entirely Player materials.

>>38370188
The first upgrade lowered essence requirements by 20%, the second by 15%.
Number three would likely give us 10%, for a total of 45%.
I'm not sure if that's worthwhile.

Also, the guide description makes it clear that the bonus is simply granting us the "assimilate" option of the last player that we killed to level up.

>>38370206
Fair enough. Canker Eater/Iron Ogre are my next calls then. Or, SURVIVAL. Maybe Athame...I still feel we need to get the Old Joker's heart, asap.

When at the Hollow Sun, I suggest the Communicator upgrade.

>>38370231
I say we go for Reconstruction first, then Athame and then Canker Eater.

>>38370242
Definitely reconstruction first, just like we discussed last time.
If it grants us healing, we go for Athame.
Otherwise we get something else defensive.

>>38370231
>communicator
Abso-fucking-lutely.
Also, we need to ask Kazuya if he has a Hollow Sun connection.

>>38370242
I think Survival gives us all of them? Athame and CE could be vad. IE will make us a Lightning Bruiser

>>38370249
Totally does. We should bring him back though. Call everyone we know to the Hollow Sun as well.

>>38370117

Below, the blast from Daegal's Immolator - A brilliant line of something not quite fire, not quite lightning - goes wide. A huge section of the roof gantry, the edges of the cut glowing molten, falls away; it glances off a tangle of girdes on its way to the hall's floor, barely missing SYNAPSE GUILLOTINE - the crash kicks up sparks and a blizzard of burning scraps, the scorching white heat of the singular blast lapping across the ceiling of the hall, and down the walls...

-as the Condemner collides with AZAZEL's blade of rushing black flame. The impact sprays fire in all directions, sparks showering as Daegal lunges his sword sidelong at Black Azazel's hooded helm; forcing him to give ground, forcing Azazel to block and block again as Daegal *hammers* at him, the Condemner's bright sweep cutting distortion lines in the bleeding air-

"-What do you *think* you're trying to accomplish, Joker?" Grand Magus's words come in a hiss, now - his featureless, faceless mask angled in your direction, screaming faces warping and melting across the shifting surface. He hovers before you, the spitting blade of EXEC_DIRECT angling from one gloved hand, his robes sulfur-yellow and dusty grey - a sceptre gripped in the curled fingers of his fist, a twisting length of black metal capped with a sphere of mercury.

"There are *hundreds* of us. *Hundreds* - Is that your *plan*, Joker? To fight *everyone*?"

Grand Magus's fingers twitch on his weapon.

"Are you *listening* to me, Joker?" His voice is this close to cracking, now - "No-one's coming to *save* you. You're going to die here, with the rest of the cattle-"

"What do you think about *that*, Joker? Eh?"

A silence looms. The hovering figure - Born aloft by the sickly light that engulfs him, the corospant that crackles across his robes - trembles with pent-up rage.

"-Why won't you *say* something, you asshole?"

HP: 98.8%
COBALT BOOSTER: 113%
ASSAULT SHROUD: 64%
METER: 67%

YOU HAVE CONTROL

>>38370272

> "Because you're boring, Magus. You're boring, and I've heard it all before."
> "I'm going to start the killing now."

>>38370272
"Daegal and me at half strength are enough to outnumber five of you.
What do you think will happen once I meet up with my allies?

We will eradicate you lunatics and prevent something like this from ever happening again."

So, let's remember the current situation:
- Synapse Guillotine is down
- Behemoth is down
- Jaeger is dead
- Azazel is being murdered by Kazuya
- Grand Magus is monologuing

Move quickly. TAU gun Synapse Guillotine.
Is Behemoth outside or inside of the building right now?

>>38370312

(Guillotine is actually back up, but he's been damaged by your attacks. He's attempting to close with Daegal, but is hampered by the collapsing structure.

Behemoth is still outside the building.)

>>38370272
Fire off some missiles, them supplement the meter usage with Rubicante and Cagnazzo. I'd like to take down Magus now, his Codebursts have been really annoying.
Can't think of any witty/terrible one-liners, unfortunately.

>>38370272
Send a Chain Mine at Guillotine to finish him off and have Level 2 Sinistral and Exec_Barrier ready to protect ourselves from Magus.
"Wasn't I saved just a minute ago? Who's to say that can't happen again?"
"And only hundreds, Magus? This might be easier than I expected. After all, I've prepared thousands."

>>38370321
Good.
Then kill Guillotine.
One hand Vulcan, (Obviously the one that isn't damaged) one hand Tau.

Send missiles at Magus to distract him.

Afterwards we'll get some chain mines on Behemoth.

>>38370355
>Afterwards we'll get some chain mines on Behemoth.
I think a fully-charged FA will do a better job.

>>38370357
Fully charged FA beheading of Behemoth.
Sounds perfect.

Also, never forget to keep moving.
Keep Aquila active. Use Booster when necessary.

>>38370272
>"What do you think about *that*, Joker? Eh?"
"I think if they're all of the same calibre of yours, my buddy here and I wouldn't even crack a sweat."
Then shoot him. Don't really a preference for the gun, though.

>>38370406
Joker is faster on foot than with Aquila, so it's not worth keeping it active while on solid ground.

>>38370431
Huh?

>>38370310
>>38370312
>>38370326

> "Because you're boring, Magus. You're boring, and I've heard it all before."
> "I'm going to start the killing now."

"JOKER-"

There is a desperate fury to that single utterance, as your targeting sensors lock on. The air blossoms with the twisting track of missiles, a flurry of rockets erupting forth from your Triskelion launchers - their exhaust flares burning with crimson thrust as they burn towards him, the floating figure forced to lurch backwards; a odd humming chime fills the air, silver filaments uncoiling from the mercury sphere he clutches in one hand - they expanding in invisibly fine lines, glittering threads half-glimpsed by their shimmer in the choking smog...

Your missiles explode, as the weaving lines - impossibly sharp - shear through them; of the five you launch, only one passes through that razor barrier. The plosive blast that follows sends plumes of hooked sharpnel ploughing through the air, zinging from Magus's mask - His fluttering robes rather more ragged, now, trailing smoke as he reels back from the impact-

-As with his other hand, he brings EXEC_DIRECT down.

The blade of fizzing light carves the air in a burning track, in a blazing sweep - where it passes, matter ceases to exist. An entire segment of the upper rows slides away, sheared through - It makes a sound like a landslide as you break into a sprint, twin jets of thrust pluming from your Tempest Scrander; the mere passage of the blade-field makes your armor glow red-hot, wisps of vapor curling away from the edges of your cuirass, feedback warnings flickering across your altered sensors...

(Continued)

>>38370463

You glimpse Guillotine racing towards Daegal - the great gash in his leg reweaving itself, filling with tarry black muscle that expands to seal the ragged edges of the wound - and you fire the Nova Cannon with one hand. The lurching figure staggers, as the hissing beam of the targeting ray slashes across him - He hurls himself into an impromptu dive as the antimatter blast erupts with a blunt, brutal concussion, missing him by a hand's-breadth; so close, so *close* that the ionized field sends sparks crackling across his charred armor, pelting him with chunks of banister and marble-

> "I think if they're all of the same calibre of yours, my buddy here and I wouldn't even crack a sweat."

Magus's response is as inarticulate as it is furious.

"You think you can *hurt* me, Joker?"

A surge, a leap - You hurl yourself forward, as the slashing track of filament lines scour deep slashes across the walls; The boxy launcher of the Chain Mine shimmers into existence, and it rockets towards him with a roar of burning thrusters-

And then the mercury lines intercept it, and shear the Chain Mine in half before it can even close.

"I can turn the floor to *lava* beneath your feet-"

Metal shrieks. A great bite shears away from your left arm - sparks flying as armor plating slides away, shorn clean through. You duck, and the crest of your helm is bisected, too - A few inches lower, and it'd have been your head.

"Run, then! Run - And I'll take you apart *one joint at a time*-"

(Continued)

>>38370482
Well, our priorities went horribly wrong.

Side question, OP: Are our Axel Grips permanently depleted unless we manage to somehow log out?

>>38370482

fucking wizards.

>>38370482
>"I can turn the floor to *lava* beneath your feet-"
I like how un-intimidating this guy is, despite how hard he's trying.

>>38370506
Right? Poor fucker couldn't even threaten a kid off the playground.

>>38370506
... Bet you that's the point.
He sounds so non-threatening it makes us forget he's a fukken wizard.

>>38370482

His words are cut off, by the thunderous boom of Rubicante - the single shot stitches a whirling scarlet vortex across the distance, the slashing lines of the filaments unspooling from him; they encounter the ravening entropic wake of energies...

-And disintegrate.

"I'll - No-!"

You don't stop. You blast shot after shot at him, Cagnazzo's tracers spitting burning lines of blue fire; A warding gesture deflects your shots in a wild spray, bullets twitching aside to smash into wood and stone-

Then Rubicante's next round howls past him, and takes his hand off at the wrist.

The light of EXEC_DIRECT stutters out. Magus's keening shriek - tattered robes shedding flecks of fabric, gusting into the air around him like burning scraps of paper - is all outrage, as he reels back; the heat-haze around him thickens, as the smoke billows closer - his figure receding into the swirling smog that engulfs the upper halls, momentarily lost from view-

As Daegal's sword severs Azazel's entire arm in a single sweeping cut. The Condemner's blade rips up and across, and you hear the crackling blurt from Azazel's speakers as he staggers - Black flame gouting from the stump of his shoulder, rippling waves of fire pouring across gleaming oriachulum armor-

"Anon-"

(Continued)

>>38370564

The hissing shriek of Daegal's heat-gun sounds again, as the weapon discharges - It punches a wake through the onyx flames that engulf him, the holocaust that chews through his Assault Shroud as he staggers in the inferno that pours forth; the golden figure reeling, flailing as he's immolated - his arms across his helmet, his cloak crisping to ash...

"But the fearful and the unbelieving - the abominable - the murderers, the whoremongers; the sorcerers and idolators and all liars - their share will be the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone, the second death!" Azazel's exultant shout rises about the crackling roar - Even as Guillotine *leaps*, with a force as blunt and brutal as a grunt of pain. His blades pincer the air as he drives down towards Daegal from behind-

HP: 91.6 (+14.8%)
COBALT BOOSTER: 125%
ASSAULT SHROUD: 79%
METER: 41%

YOU HAVE CONTROL

>>38370571
Abruption Jets. Cobalt Boosted move.
Go in and punch the fucker with full force. Punch him out of the air if possible.
And once he's down, don't give him time to recover. He can regenerate, so we have to put him down permanently.

>>38370571
>His blades pincer the air as he drives down towards Daegal from behind-
Well, we should probably do something about that.
Punch him away with the Crisis Arm. Try and swat him down.
Then focus our fire at him. Don't stop until his regeneration does.

>>38370571
Interceptors would have been really useful here.
>>38370586
Cobalt Boosted Crisis Arm, if we can get it up in time.

>>38370571
Use the remaining Axel Grip to cut Guillotine.
"Don't be afraid, Kaz! You can't feel pain while wearing that armor, so keep fighting."

>>38370609
"Do you think that's pain that you are feeling?"
...Then again, Daegal might have a sense of pain.

>>38370625
That'd be one hell of a glaring weakness for the Ultimate Armor to have.

I'm baffled that Chrome Cypher apparently doesn't have a Joker icon.

>>38370571
"Enemy at six o'clock. Strike with the sword, follow up with a shot. Ignore the flames, they can't hurt you."

>>38370586
>>38370595
>>38370598

You don't think. You *move*.

Your Abruption Jets fling you forward - Hurling you high, in a short, vicious arc - in the heartbeat before the Cobalt Booster flares with pellucid blue light, a hissing jet of thrust spewing forth; the wrenching acceleration makes the burning sky and the ground a blur, for the briefest span of a second...

-As you come down on Synapse Guillotine like a rogue meteor.

For what it's worth, Guillotine sees you coming. He tries - Tries - to twist aside, mid-leap; bringing the scissoring blades of his namesake up, with just enough time for one explosive obscenity as the Crisis Arm ploughs towards him-

WHAM.

Guillotine's blades shatter. His arm is next - His armor is build for speed, for agility, not bruising physical impact. Even though he pitches forward, even though he contorts his form to roll with the blow, so it hurls him back rather than punching *through* him-

Flaws skitter across the limb. It compacts, crumpling inwards - You hear the *snap* of the titanium-analogue bone beneath sundering, pressurized hydraulic fluids jetting from the rents, flashing to steam where they strike your armor as the Crisis Arm breaks his guard...

And the *snap* of impact swats him down, drives him down into the floor so hard the stones beneath crack.

Guillotine manages a gagging, agonized sound - A pain-reflex, from the feedback that spikes through him; You can feel mechanisms rupturing beneath your blow, folding upon themselves, giving way beneath that merciless impact.

(Continued)

>>38370672

It drives him to the ground as though he's been hit by a piledriver.

>>38370625
>>38370669
>>38370609

"Are you - aaarggghh - *absolutely sure*?" Daegal's voice is almost drowned out by the greedy roar of the flames - "Because this *really fucking hurts*-"

A peripheral *flicker*, at the corner of your vision-

A backup. A last-ditch. A tiny bit of treachery, unfolding forth from a sub-arm; A simple manipulator claw concealed within Guillotine's torso, tipped with a crackling shock blade. It *stabs* at you, as your Assault Shroud stiffens to take the impact - Sending blue sparks scaling across the nanomaterial, the fizzing charge dispersing across your cloak of ash-

"Shit-" Guillotine blurts - His remaining weapon-limb snaps out, the blades pincering open; they bracket your helmet, about to vice close, about to shear your head from the stump of your neck. The motion is practiced, proficient, trained to the point of insanity-

But you're fast, too. Faster - the oversized crushing claw of the Crisis Arm already vising around his wrist.

You *wrench*. Metal squeals, acutators giving way beneath the terrible pressure; Guillotine's arm snaps like a twig, the shriek of tortured endosteel giving way to the dull crackle of systems shorting out. The shock blade impaling your Assault Shroud, cising serpents of electricity still writhing across the interlocking hexagons of the surface, withdraws to piston into you again...

And then you punch the tines of Guillotine's own blades through his helmet.

(Continued)

>>38370746
>"Because this *really fucking hurts*-"
So either he's got phantom pain or the sensors feed directly into his mind.
I'd guess the latter. I wonder if he even has a HUD.

>"Shit-"
laughingface.jpg

>>38370746

The pincer-blades drive up - through the protruding jaw of his helmet. Through the tangled cluster of circuits and wires that communicate thought-impulses through his form. And then they drive out through the top of his skull, coolant and sparks crazing across the blade-

-Until your Essence accumulators flare open, inhaling the flood of green motes that spiral up towards you like iron filings towards a magnet.

Black Azazel turns. His focus wavering, the shrieking mouths on his palms widening further, about to spew black flame-

Just an instant of distraction.

For just long enough.

The Condemner whirrs out of the flame - Turning end-over-end, like some great, gleaming bird - as it leaves Daegal's hand. It is already diminishing, the baroque lines of the hilt receding to a simple matte-grey crossgrip; the growl of the containment field fading from a great arc of severing to a crackling line of cohered photons. Golden light bleeds from it, unravelling-

...but it's still locked in blade mode.

The Condemner takes Black Azazel's other arm off. And about a third of his torso.

(Continued)

>>38370825
...He needs a talk about throwing swords.
We'll also need to give him the Fusion Beamer, so that he'll have some more ranged options besides fire.

Also, nice to know that the enhancement requires physical contact by Daegal.

>>38370856
>He needs a talk about throwing swords
That it's fucking cool and that he should do it at every opportunity, assuming it wouldn't put him at a disadvantage somehow?

>>38370825

And Azazel crackles-

"-"

Daegal comes through the smoke. Through the fire, the tatters of his Assault Shroud still burning with eerie black flame. As Azazel lurches back - begins to tumble, unbalanced, like a puppet in high winds - he has the Immolator levelled, the ruby eyes of the lion-mouth barreled glowing with inner heat, about to unleash a death-blast as Azazel sinks to one knee, the great gash in his side revealing whirring, spitting mechanisms - Sparks spewing forth from the ruins of his gyro, as he finds himself looking down the muzzle...

A finger tightens on the trigger, but doesn't pull it.

And then, hoarsely, Azazel rasps-

The lens of his helmet smolder with malevolent light, as if caging the fires within - Fires that bleed from the stumps of his arms, weaving in and out of the great rents in his armor.

"-You got the stones for this, boy?"

You hear - A sound. A tic in the forearm musculature - Spindle lock.

Daegal's dark silhouette is a fixed point in a moving world, amid an ocean of flame.

And you realize-

Kazuya's never killed anyone before.

HP: 137.2
COBALT BOOSTER: 110%
ASSAULT SHROUD: 46%
METER: 56%

YOU HAVE CONTROL

>>38370902
No, that he should only do it with disposable weapons, not with his expensive relics.

I wonder if he can empower the arsenal beacon to call in Hollow Sun weapons despite the shield.

>>38370496

(Also, yes. Same for your Scrander's discharge ability.)

>>38370904
So do we encourage Kazuya, or do we kill the preacher for him?

>>38370904
"Don't worry, I do."
Shoot him with the Rubicante until he's dead. Use a supercharged shot in necessary. Have the Sinistral on Level 2 just in case.
"Keep Magus occupied, Kaz."

>>38370944
I think we should get him to kill the guy himself.
He's going to need to get used to this shit fast. Bit too tired to think of any write-ins, unfortunately.

>>38370904

Watch out for the wizard.

>>38370957
Also get the Railgun ready after that. I want to see what assimilating Grey Jaeger gave us and use it to shoot down Magus.

>>38370904
"Kazuya, mercy is not given lightly in this world. Let the wrong person go and they will use the opportunity to come back and pay you back with an assassination attempt. Possibly after commiting a few atrocities.

You have to make your own judgement. But remember that he considers people without armor to be worthless 'cattle'."

Keep the Argus active and keep track of the enemies around us. Especially Magus.
If Kazuya can't do it, we do it for him.

>>38370985
>I want to see what assimilating Grey Jaeger gave us
Nothing.
It would have been described, had it happened.

>>38371010

(The Assimilation upgrade only applies from your next level up onwards, unfortunately. My apologies - I should have clarified that.)

>>38370904
"Kazu--Daegal. Look him in the eye. He's chosen to live and do evil by the sword. He's made his choice, and now one way or another he'll pay for it. Remember the horror of this, and never be like them."

"Azazel. Exec_Reap."

Look for codebursts and information about the Diadem.

>>38370996
Alternatively, don't do the kill for him.
Instead, we battle Magus while Kazuya is occupied with Azazel.

Rush him after making our little comment. Now that he's lost his silver filament, we can use a few missiles.
Don't get into melee range. Use our Vulcans on him. They should be doing good damage.

>>38371040
>Look for codebursts and information about the Diadem.
Azazel doesn't have codebursts. Magus is the guy we want to Reap.

>>38371048
Yeah. I'd rather save Reap for Magus, too.

>>38371035
Oh. That's too bad.

>>38370904
Walk to Azazel. Then practice clawing his face off the way White Joker did for the Carnifex.

Then Argus Scan for Magus while moving to cover Licorice.

>>38371048
Why not both? We'll have the booster for it.

>>38371109
> Then practice clawing his face off the way White Joker did for the Carnifex.
Yeah, the best friend to help our hesitating friend is to make the murder into a torture murder in front of his eyes.
What the fuck?

>>38371109
>Why not both? We'll have the booster for it.
Because Magus and Behemoth aren't down for the count yet and I don't want to waste Booster right now.

>>38371136
Pure practicality. There's only so many faces until it's time to try it on White Joker. If we don't practice, how can we hope to return the favor?

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>>38370957
>>38370996
>>38371040

> "Don't worry."

"Wha-" Daegal turns. You hear the hiss of his breath, turned into a static blurt through his speakers - His hand trembling, even as you thumb Rubicante's hammer back.

The flames that dance in Azazel's eyesockets - they narrow, diminishing.

"Yea, though I walk through the vall-"

Rubicante booms painfully in the great hall. The brutal noise of the shot makes Daegal flinch, wincing aloud - the single whiplash buck of the revolver marked by a halo-splash of scattering ceramite, as your shot hits Azazel in the side of the head. His helmet comes apart; Pieces of shattered cranium splinter free, as his headless body rocks back, rolling over-

And even before he hits the ground, he combusts from within. Liquid flame spews across the tiles, as he becomes a fireball - His form consuming itself in a ferocious, dirty fire, a column of filthy black smoke rising into the still air - Long tongues of sickly fire shooting up and out of the chest cavity, thick flames enfolding the headless metal ruin.

> "Look him in the eye. He's chosen to live and do evil by the sword. He's made his choice, and now one way or another he'll pay for it. Remember the horror of this, and never be like them."
> "Let the wrong person go and they will use the opportunity to come back and pay you back with an assassination attempt. Possibly after commiting a few atrocities."

"I-"

There is a new note in Daegal's voice - His baroque facemask never changes expression, but you can feel his eyes on you; Staring, discreet whirrs and clicks echoing from your sensors as they hunt and probe. The deep, metallic grate to his words belies the way he looks down - The Immolator lowering, slowly, to his side.

(Continued)

>>38371228
Shit, we used the most assholish approach possible.

>>38371262
Nah. We could've tortured him, like that one anon suggested. This was pretty merciful.
What else would you have us do?

>>38371290
I wanted Kazuya to make the step himself.

I seriously hope we have time to talk after this encounter. There are a few things that need to be clarified.
Hopefully, he can empower the arsenal beacon to work in this situation.

>>38371290
This is actually worse. Any justifications we use after the fact sound lame, whereas anything we'd said before could have helped sound him out and acclimate him.

There seemed to be a pretty clear majority for letting him make his own decision. Boo to that I guess.

>>38371303
I feel like that would've resulted in Azazel getting away, though.
And yeah, I counted the votes, and it seemed like there was a 2-3 vote for us or Kazuya doing the killing.

Anyone else watched Gundam The Origin? It's pretty good.

>>38371228

A shuddering breath, coursing through his form. His shoulders slump - His voice low, muted, as if meant only for himself.

"...Yui's dead." There is an infinite bleakness in each word. "I thought - If I tried, if I made it in *time*, I could have..."

He looks away - "-But she's dead. Everyone's dead. And now..."

Another breath. The tremor begins again, in those golden gauntlets.

"I didn't think it'd be - so horrible. I wanted to *kill* them, but..." His voice falters - "...Only, I didn't mean it. Not really." When he lifts his head, the sheer scale of destruction seems to impress itself upon him; the burning horizon, the damnation swarms that swirl in the bloody crimson skies - glimpsed through the smoke and the fog-

Daegal moves his hand - the weight of the Immolator turns his wrist, and he stares at it as if he's never seen it before. He doesn't say anything, but you know - somehow - that his gaze has gone to the crumpled form of Synapse Guillotine. Grey Jaeger's half-crushed shell. The pyre that marks Black Azazel's form - and the stains, the horror of those last, frantic moments that you've only glimpsed.

"Anon-" Searching, now.

"Is this - all this while - *all* of this..." Words fail him. "-what do we...What is-"

"...What the hell is going on?"

[ ] Free

YOU HAVE CONTROL

>>38371367
>Gundam The Origin
No because I'm still mad it's not a full series. I'll watch once I've finished Unicorn.

>>38371328
When we talk afterwards, we can tell him that we hate this world and want to end it.
And also that he should never hesitate, no matter how much he hates killing. His armor might be very powerful, but a good opponent will use any opening to hurt him anyway.

And ask him if he really does feel pain. It should be good for him if he knows that he's the only one who does.

>>38371381
"It's a long story. Let's talk after the other two are taken out. You don't have to deal the killing blow if you don't want to, but please never hesitate during a fight. It might be your end.

To make it short: I've been fighting in this world for a really fucking long time. Our enemies are called the Smilers and believe that this world - The Red, as you can see from the sky's color - is somehow key to their "salvation", whatever that means.

A few of our friends are also players - people like you and me - and I want to search for them after this encounter."

>>38371448
"Oh, and you might be the only player capable of feeling physical pain."

>>38371381
Track Magus. We need finish him before he takes a hostage.
"These guys are from the same group as the ones that attacked Nara Dreamland. Explaining everything will take a while."
"First of all, we need to meet up with my allies and Natsumi. After that we'll think of a plan."

>>38371381
"This is the origin of all the insanity occurring in the natural world; the unexplained deaths, the suicides, and a good majority of the large scale destruction can be attributed to this. I've been trying to stop it, attempting to minimize it and save people, but it's only gotten worse. Shit is going dow- has been going down for a long time. The amusement park, Hecate disappearing, was just the result of something darker. Just as this is a world parallel to our world, there is a world that is parallel to this one, and something breached the gap. That world, the Black, has poisoned the Red World we stand in now, which has consequently begun to corrode the barrier between here and the normal world."

"I'm trying to stop that, at all costs."

>>38371491
>We need finish him before he takes a hostage.
True.
He needs to be taken down.

Fire the missiles. He can't defend against them anymore.

>>38371518
Too long.
We need it as concise as possible.

And with no personal information. Magus does not need to gain knowledge and then magic himself into an escape.

>>38371381
"You used to like to say that I looked like I'd seen the war. Truth is I've been fighting it... for last six years. Welcome to the Red World, realm of the soul and so utterly inimical to life that the visitor builds armor around theirs just to survive. We damned few call ourselves Players in the greatest game, and it's winner take all."

"I am Red Joker. Public enemy number one, since the person who kills me gets a ticket to the finals in the form of being the next Red Joker. I'd be the bad guy in any other setting, but here I'm just about the only person trying to keep that out there from getting worse. You are Daegal, the Red World's golden boy. Anything you want is yours for the taking if you're willing to pay the price. But take it from someone who's lived a hundred years here--it's never worth it."

"You know the really sad part? This is STILL better than last time."

"Now take this. It'll let you keep track of me. Not everyone's dead yet--I want you to meet Chrome Cypher. I think it'll explain a lot.

"And get my sword back, dammit."

>>38371448
>>38371491
Guys, Magus is already dead.

>>38371471
Not true.

>>38371541
>Guys, Magus is already dead.
Huh, guess I can't read, mistook Azazel for him. Argus Scan and make sure Licorice hasn't been dragged off.

>>38371541
>Guys, Magus is already dead.
Where the fuck did you read that?
Azazel got burned.
Magus got damaged and then went into hiding.

>>38371541
Is this some kind of movie quote?
On the one hand, it has style.
On the other hand, it's fucking edgy.

>>38371520
We can also shoot him with the Railgun for style points. Argus lets us shoot right through walls.

>>38371385
>>38371471

> And ask him if he really does feel pain.
> "Oh, and you might be the only player capable of feeling physical pain."

He flinches, as if only now remembering that he's been struck - His hand going to his cuirass, unmarred by the punishment he's taken; even the flames have guttered out, ash trailing from his limbs - A kind of belated realization to Daegal's words.

"Wait-"

"-It doesn't *actually*-"

>>38371448
>>38371491
>>38371518
>>38371541

> "First of all, we need to meet up with my allies and Natsumi. After that we'll think of a plan."

"Natsumi-? She's part of this, too?"

It's not that he doesn't believe you. It's that he's not sure this is actually happening - As if part of him believes he'll wake up any moment now, in a world that makes sense. There's a rather unsteady note to Daegal's voice, now; His train of thought thoroughly derailed, struggling to seize onto the only things that can bring any certainity.

> To make it short: I've been fighting in this world for a really fucking long time. Our enemies are called the Smilers and believe that this world - The Red, as you can see from the sky's color - is somehow key to their "salvation", whatever that means.

There's a pause. A long, damned pause.

Then - with slow-dawning realization, Daegal says, finally:

"...*How* long-?"

"Anon, *how* long have you been *doing* this?"

>>38371541

He's working through it, now. Not all of it, not all at one; Merely that parts that make sense to him, the parts that he can understand. It is too much for anyone to take in, at one time - Even as you kneel to retrieve the Condemner. When you toss it to him, Daegal catches it - barely - clutching the hilt to his gleaming breastplate like a lifeline.

"You're saying - all this time - everything that's been *happening*-"

There's a kind of wonder to his words - A wonder shaded with a kind of horror. Expanding to fill his world.

(Continued)

>>38371651
Shit man, completely forgot that feature.
Yeah, we need to do that.

File: joker giant2.jpg (106 KB, 442x609)

106 KB JPG

>>38371594
>>38371557

Where is Magus? Your vision probes the smoke - Somewhere in the fury of the last clash, his presence has diminished to nothing. Like a shadow, slipping through the smoke and the flame. Shrouding himself, perhaps? Or maybe he's fled, left the others to die-

And you think:

No.

Not *all* the others.

And in that moment of hyperawareness - Calmly, without any particular haste - you put your hand on Daegal's shoulder, and *shove*.

"Wha-"

The blurt of astonishment pulses from the golden figure's speakers, as he topples backwards - His arms windmilling for his balance - unfamiliar with the gyro that struggles to right him, trying to keep hold of the Condemner and the Immolator at once-

-and you duck, the floors and stairways collapsing below and above you in great dusty waterfalls, as Triach Behemoth's mace rips the building in two.

(Continued)

>>38371799
OP, use argus to look for Magus. We can't let him live

>>38371867

(I'm aware. He fled while you were killing Synapse Guillotine and Black Azazel, however.)

>>38371799

It is a grand, cleaving swing. The noise of the demolition is extraordinary, as the wrecking-ball begins at one end of the hall - Barreling across, with ponderous unstoppability, trailing clouds of debris - A racing line of destruction dragged through the building, the entire balcony folding upon itself, sliding into the orchestra pit, a landslide of debris pelting you with bounding chunks of rubble as support pillars give way with rending shrieks. Brickwork, stone blocks and reinforcing girders spew down into the street outside, bouncing and tumbling, swirling with flames; the searing fires gusting across you as giant hydraulics hiss, vast gears engaging, massive metal joints groaning and clanking.

Above, a single, burning eye-

The roar of the collapse is drowning out all other sound, but - Over the channel you share - you hear Kazuya say, quite clear:

"-Oh *shit*-"

Behemoth looms in the sheeting flame. Still in the rough shape of a man, a man magnified until he is over twenty, thirty meters tall. The ground quakes, as the giant pauses, seeming to stoop slightly - as if listening to a silent voice...

-And *then* he - it - swings down his smouldering right limb, the furnaces within flaring higher, an awful hell-light gathering...

HP: 120.7%
COBALT BOOSTER: 130%
ASSAULT SHROUD: 18%
METER: 64%

YOU HAVE CONTROL

>>38371934
Boost our movements, activate the Abruption Jets to dodge, send a few Missiles at his face and start charging the Fusion Annihilator.
"Distract him for a bit. I'm going to need to use a bigger gun for this guy."

>>38371934
"Kazuya, I'll get his attention. Can you do this bull thing again?"
Go into the air, then use our chain mines, Tyrant Burst 3 and boosted Tau gun.
If that's not enough, continue with Rubicante and Cagnazzo.
Use the Argus to help the mines.

Keep out of reach of Behemoth's fists.

>>38371934
Shouldn't there be more assault shroud than that? I don't think we were hit.

Well anyway. Exec_Disrupt. Six charges to the Annihilator and repeat until he's dead.

Unless we want to Comet this? He's too big for anything other than the fully charged Annihilator.

>>38371934
Use high octane, high Cobalt boosted movement to grab our lord and saviour get him to safety, close in on his face and Fusion Annihilate his shit at max

>>38371934
Guys, starting to think we don't need to buy regain/regen. Leech + Scyalla are proving more than effective.

>>38372013
...Now I wonder if we could hang off his back and leech his life force.

>>38371934
Addition to >>38371993
Lock on with the Argus and have Leukocyte start charging the Maser again. Left hand Argus and Annihilator, right hand Vulcan out just for meter gain.

>>38372021
Let's rodeo, guys! Can't go wrong!

>>38372030
And don't forget to pay for the Argus with Booster. We're going to need Andvaranut before long anyway.

>>38372021
I'd prefer not to waste all that delicious Essence.

>>38372021
Yea, we can.

>>38371934
I suggest dragging Kaziya into cover and then using the rail gun to bury a bullet into this prick's skull. Either that, or fully charged and boosted Fusion Anihilator

>>38372013
That combo only works on Players. On Correctors we've got Scylla, and the gauntlet.

>>38372062
It was just a thought experiment.
I also think that essence is currently our major interest. Too bad that Magus pissed off.

>>38372030
Wasn't our right-hand Vulcan damaged?

>>38372103
>Wasn't our right-hand Vulcan damaged?
I'd wager it got fixed after we ate Guillotine and Azazel.

>>38371993

(Not directly, but the building collapse was pretty damaging.)

>>38372013

(Mostly because you've been killing Players in rapid succession. That's been keeping your HP up.)

>>38371976
>>38371981
>>38371995

> "Kazuya, I'll get his attention. Can you do this bull thing again?"

"I-" Still dazed from the utter collapse of the building - the spoil heap of debris cascading around you, like water from a broken dam - Daegal tries-

The taurus icon on his shoulder flickers with a fitful inner light, a blue radiance that gathers in the eyesockets. It stutters, fighting to cohere-

"I can't-"

Triach Behemoth opens fire. You're not sure what the weapon is - Some kind of rapid-fire energy projector, firing full auto - but you hear the accelerating shriek as you grab Daegal by the collar, the Abruption Jets flinging you across the distance; In the instant they cut out, the Tempest Scrander flares, blue flame boiling in the air around you as you surge skywards-

A hailing, incandescent blast pattern rips through the collapsed hall like a storm of needles. The walls explode, as if they're being sand-blasted; the rolling blitz of gunfire disintegrating the wreckage beneath mass laser discharge, so many overlapping shots that the hissing shriek of the blasts merge into one.

Target lock - As the chasing fire-wash sweeps towards you, you stab out the codeburst-

The flash of Behemoth's great weapon demateraliizing - It splits the heavens like a thundercrack. You hear the air wail and crackle as it rushes in to fill the void, forcing you to bank hard to stay in the air; You're hauling Daegal after you, his gauntlets scrabbling for purchase on your armor as your Fusion Annihilator sketches itself into existence, with the weaving crimson lines of the Vector Trap's hypersphere...

(Continued)

>>38372082
He is a Player, though. Assuming you mean Behemoth, at least.

>>38372157
I meant after this. We're not going to be fighting many Players all at once after this, if only because the balance swings too far in our advantage once it starts leaning this way.

>>38372195
Eh, I think you have a point. Just clearing it up.
Anyway, we really need some more health. Our playstyle hasn't changed at all, but clearly our HP totals have.

>>38372232
...Sinistral upgrade? Shroud upgrade?

Anyway, I really want to give Adamant to Kazuya.
The shield of a total bro given to the living bro.

>>38372249
He doesn't need it. Like, at all. He hasn't taken any damage this fight. He'll benefit from the counter attack, but it won't be on the same level as Aegis's.

>>38372355
He might be able to use it without the drawbacks that normal players would have.
We need to try.

>>38372375
He'll still need to dedicate an arm to it. Just like it was for us and Adamant Aegis both. It probably will get upgraded by Daegal, but taking up the whole arm is a feature of it, not a bug.

>>38372355

(My apologies: To clarify, Daegal does take damage. He does, however, have a high armor rating that does not degrade.)

>>38372149

One charge-

Six missiles. The warheads bang off, at all one, towards Behemoth - Their streaking, curling heat washes trailing away across your sensors - erupting into four abrupt flashes, squalls of heat that show up as orange-black blooms, stark against the red sky-

And as the wind whips the smoke away, you can see the plating glow like a neon sore, flakes of armor billowing away like burning leaves-

...To reveal more. A *lot* more.

Two charges-

"*Behind* y-" Daegal's shout of warning wrenches your attention away from the blasts - Behemoth's mace swinging across again, a one-handed swing that sends the jagged chunk of concrete and girders and rebar whistling across in a pulverizing blow. You have to dodge, *have* to-

You almost make it.

Almost.

It clips you. The brutal tangle snares your leg, enough to send you tumbling - Sky and earth whirling, the ground rushing up to meet you. Daegal's form is ripped from your grasp, your Tempest Scrander spitting sparks at your back - Vanes juddering, whirring with the warning tones of damage, damage...

And a great hand closes around you. The impact sends micro-fractures skittering across your armor, in the heartbeat before it vices shut-

A black blur, whipping across your field of vision-

(Continued)

>>38372409
Is there a reason that we didn't Leukocyte him? I feel that would make a big difference.

>>38372441
It takes a long time for Leukocyte to charge I'm also not sure if it still acknowledges us as its owner.

>>38372474
First off, just because it was made by the Hollow Sun doesn't mean it automatically belongs to Kazuya now. Secondly it's still in the equipment guide. Of course, so is the Midas Gauntlet, but OP would mention if Leukocyte stopped working as he has the Midas.

Man, people are taking "Kazuya is more special than you" really badly.

>>38372506
>Man, people are taking "Kazuya is more special than you" really badly.
I really don't see how many mental gymnastics you had to go through to come to that conclusion. I'm actually happy as hell that Kazuya survived and became a hero.

>>38372506
>Man, people are taking "Kazuya is more special than you" really badly.
Are you projecting?
Keeping track of our equipment is completely sensible.

>>38372409
Tyrant burst

>>38372409
>A black blur, whipping across your field of vision-
I think know who this is.

>>38372617
Akira?
Bishamon?

>>38372441

(Taking time to lock-on and charge.)

>>38372409

A shape - violet and black - like a monstrous bird. A delta-winged nightmare, trailing streamers of fluid darkness - Like branches of bone, forking and dividing, glistening black liquid muscle expanding, contracting for maximum lift. A raptor's great claws, cising with charge-

-Not a Corrector. Not quite. For in that glimpse, your sensors register an Essence signature - Only distantly familiar, like a scrambled echo. The hum of gravimetric implants, the gleam of metal in those fractal wings - And a helm, swept forward, the prow outthrust in a crescent curve, like the beak of a great bird of prey. There is flesh in it, too dark to truly be myomer muscle, where the high-collared armor doesn't quite meet; Armor that may once have been white and streaked with neon lines, now threaded through with a darker shade altogether.

When it rakes across Behemoth's helm - a slashing, rending attack across that lone cat's eye - the giant recoils. You hear more than see the lens shatter, a monstrous howl - a bellow of frustration - ripping across the tortured city...

>>38372602

As the brilliant flash of your Tyrant Burst bleaches all color to nothing. Armored fingers spasm open; the shriek that answers Behemoth's howl - that blitzes the air with sound - is something else entirely. It is - somehow - amplified rather than muted by the keening howl of the not-Corrector's thrusters, shedding shreds of flame like feathers-

And you fall. Your Tempest Scrander sputters at your back, half-crushed - Turning your plummet into an uneven descent, as you skid and tumble, trailing sparks.

(Continued)

>>38372617
Unless you knew it was Palladium Rook mk.2...

File: joker rook.jpg (69 KB, 736x1273)

69 KB JPG

>>38372800

The Fusion Annihilator is cradled close to your chest. The telltale lights flicker-

Six charges.

The giant staggers. One great fist swats at the darting shape - It banks, standing on one blade-wing, pulsejets screaming as it goes into a deep dive; Reactive jet nozzles flaring with counter-thrust, the blurred flyer nearly falling out of the air. Something about it *changes* as it descends, landing with an impact that sprays dust and shattered stones a heartbeat before you come to a stop-

It looks up. Something like recognition stiffens that half-avian, half-machine form.

And it says-

"Joker-"

A red light wells up within that swept-forward helm, in time with a low, dirty chuckle - A chuckle that is almost a caw, optic sensors taking you in with a single glance-

"-You're uglier than ever."

[ ] "Rook-?"
[ ] "-You look like Bardiel, now."
[ ] "What *happened* to you-?"
[ ] "Thanks for the save."
[ ] "You can *fly*...?"
[ ] Free

YOU HAVE CONTROL

>>38372834
>[ ] "Thanks for the save."
Let's not kill the moment, here.
Introduce him to Daegal. Not Kazuya, Daegal.

>>38372834
>[X] "Rook you wonderful motherfucker, I could hug you right now."

Looks like we're finally assembling the party. Chrome Cypher next, right?

>>38372834
>[X]"And here I was thinking it wasn't possible for you to get even uglier. But you know what they say, birds of a feather flock together. Let's move."

>>38372834
"Says the mutated crow mech.

Glad to see that you recovered. Hell, you seem stronger."

Bisect Behemoth.

"This golden guy is Daegal. Best buddy of mine.
Daegal, this is Rook. I got Akira to save him from a nasty infection. It looks like the old saying holds true - What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger."

>>38372834
"I thought I'd try a new look. Besides, you're one to talk, it looks like the cat dragged you through a few thousand hedges. Damn."

"-It's good to see you alive, Rook."

>>38372834
>[X] "Thanks for the save."
>[X] "You can *fly*...?"
"You only wish you were as pretty as me, Shuya. In either world.

"Keep an eye on the golden boy. He's Argent's successor, the fifth finalist and my best friend."

"Speaking of, I wonder if you or Isao is going to be more surprised? I didn't hurt him. Permanently. Hey, don't look at me like that."

"Alura's dead. You can thank me at your leisure."

>>38372852
Either her or Akira.
Or our radioactive boy. He might have a few good tips for Kazuya, considering that he was in the same situation just a while ago.

>>38372939
Love this post.

But I'm not sure if Alura is really dead.

>>38372852
Doubt it. It's going to be Steppenwulf and Geist after this if they're alive. Akira should show up not long after. If we encounter Chrome at all it'll be near the Sterling compound.

>>38372834
Shoot Behemoth, add a chain mine if necessary.

>>38372939
>"Alura's dead. You can thank me at your leisure."
She isn't dead, anon.

>>38372959
The thread where Cybele died said she was the last Hyades. Since Alura was a Hyades herself and probably didn't magically become a player, she's dead too.

>>38372968
Dude, he's too big for a chain mine. He's the same size as the Red Comet or Caliban.

>>38372988
>He's the same size as the Red Comet
Shit, we can't use the Arsenal Beacon.
This means that the Teleport Homer likely also doesn't work.

>>38372988
>Dude, he's too big for a chain mine. He's the same size as the Red Comet or Caliban.
The FA should melt down most of his armor, and the Mine is armor-penetrating. All we need to do is aim for his essence core or head..

>>38373054
Unless the Annihilator melts all the way to his core it's not going to work. He's just that fucking huge. Plus we'd have to get the chain mine to hit the core--not likely given the distances involved--AND the individual mines are attracted to armor. Metal, not essence cores. Boosting it would switch what it's most attracted to, but it won't lift its arc, and it ruins the armor penetration.

>>38372834
God damn, I missed waay too much of this quest. I have no idea who Rook is.

Also, where the hell is White Licorice during all this? Did we fail to save her?

>>38373003
I'm really regretting ever getting the Red Comet, TBH. We get all those upgrades, but end up never using it.

>>38373347
We used it three times. Also, it would be a damn good time to summon it after we finish off Behemoth.

>>38372846
>>38372852
>>38372872
>>38372891
>>38372899
>>38372939

> [X] "Rook you wonderful motherfucker, I could hug you right now."

"-Better not."

> [X] "Thanks for the save."
> "-It's good to see you alive, Rook."
> "Besides, you're one to talk, it looks like the cat dragged you through a few thousand hedges. Damn."

"-Hnnh."

Rook's voice has changed - It is harsh, dry like a vulture's caw, despite the real amusement to it. The flickering red light swells within him - the effect is eerie, organic, the straked pieces and nerve matrics resembling sinews, tendons, sheets of muscle. Like an anatomist's diagram, left bare by the hard ridges of his armor - A twisted column extending down the length of his spine, like a scorpion's tail, the vetebrae smoldering with liquid blackness.

> "Alura's dead. You can thank me at your leisure."

"Not yet." Rook rasps. "Not until *I'm* done with her-"

"Anon-" Daegal arrives at a lurching run - He has the Immolator gripped in one fist, the weapon primed but lowered; His head swivels, his gaze darting between you and Rook. Kazuya's sharp - you note that he never even tries to level the weapon, some sense of self-preservation keeping his wary.

> "Keep an eye on the golden boy. He's Argent's successor, the fifth finalist and my best friend."

Rook looks him up and down. It's a rather critical look, one that says everything and nothing.

> "Daegal, this is Rook. I got Akira to save him from a nasty infection. It looks like the old saying holds true - What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger."

"*Akira's* here, too-?" Daegal shakes his head - A violent back-and-forth, hydraulics whirring. "Never mind that - We have to get *out* of here, before-"

The ground quivers, as Behemoth takes a step. Masonry debris scatters, like shingle off a foot with a ten-meter girth.

(Continued)

>>38373345
>I have no idea who Rook is.
He's the guy who got infected by Alura. (The entire "betray them" thing)
We tried to get him into the Hollow Sun, which caused its defense systems to attack us because of the corruption in Rook's body.
And then we gave him to Argent Prominence, where he was kept alive.
And then we got Akira to get him out of there, because Akira actually understands the corruption.

>>38373345
He's the guy who set the raid up.

>>38373347
The Comet is useful in three situations. When you need to kill an army, when you need to kill something of similar size, and when you need to move a handful of players together through heavy fire. The problem is that all of those situations are so rare that we don't get to put it to proper use. It's NOT a waste, since it's been exceedingly useful in the times we've used it for those purposes, but it is a very situational weapon.

If you're going to talk about wastes and regrets, Adamant is a much better example since we're never going to use it and it cost us an early level.

>>38373412
>Adamant
>cost us an early level
No it didn't. The shield is just a left-over relic. We didn't use the essence grinder to get it.

>>38373371

"Hnnh," Rook crackles. "Joker?"

And then you fire.

The first line is like a rod of molten glass - Blue-hot, there and gone again in the span of a second. Just a small, impossibly bright flash - A tiny dot of the purest light, incandescently bright. It grows bigger - expanding into a white line - brighter and longer and *closer*, until it becomes the flaming edge of a huge expanding blast-

Sunfire sears the covetous heavens. A huge wind rears up, as the earth begins to quake - the strike accompanied by a vicious atmospheric decompression, sucking in debris like a bomb-blast running backwards. It is the light of annihilation, shot through with writhing lightning; An expanding column, a beam, that carves into the heavens at an angle - Searing upwards, searing across the city, until it encounters the vast, translucent umbrella of field-energy that extends from the Diadem, that unfurls itself in a grand dome that cuts off the tortured city of Arcadia from the rest of the Red World-

The micro-climate clouds part - Wounded, suppurating light.

All of that white-hot fury - the full force of your Fusion Annihilator, fired at maximum yield - meets Triach Behemoth head-on.

Unlike the Players you've fought before, Behemoth does not rely on the *quality* of his armor - But on the quantity of it. Overlapping layers of ablative protection form a shell almost two meters thick, constructed from ambient material - Rubble, steel beams, concrete - turned to a new and lethal purpose. Before this, the resistance of Behemoth's host-form has never truly been put to the test.

When the light begins to take him to pieces - Vaporizing tonnes of masonry, shearing through compacted stone and girders like a hot knife through butter - he is utterly surprised.

And then he is simply dead.

(Continued)

>>38373412
>>38373375
I see, I see. The other question stands: Where the hell did White Licorice go?

>>38373449
>We didn't use the essence grinder to get it.
Actually, Aegis was SO swole that he's the fist player we leveled up from who left essence over when we did. We spent it on Adamant.

>>38373467
J E S U S. This is the first time we've fired the upgraded Annihilator with six charges.

>>38373467
>Sunfire sears the covetous heavens. A huge wind rears up, as the earth begins to quake - the strike accompanied by a vicious atmospheric decompression, sucking in debris like a bomb-blast running backwards. It is the light of annihilation, shot through with writhing lightning; An expanding column, a beam, that carves into the heavens at an angle - Searing upwards, searing across the city, until it encounters the vast, translucent umbrella of field-energy that extends from the Diadem, that unfurls itself in a grand dome that cuts off the tortured city of Arcadia from the rest of the Red World-
I'm now thinking of Samus' final smash.

>>38373467
>Sunfire sears the covetous heavens.
Shieeet. That's amazing.

>>38373487
Pretty sure Grand Magus took her. We'll probably find her tortured or dead, if he doesn't upgrade her a la Rook. Maybe she's around, but we didn't get a warning about it when we scanned for Magus.

>>38373494
>J E S U S. This is the first time we've fired the upgraded Annihilator with six charges.
Did we ever even use six charges?

I wonder if we could have killed Behemoth by finding his essence core, using Argus to lock onto it and then firing the railgun. His armor wouldn't do shit against that attack.

>>38373467
... I love how Rook is so.. 'Meh'.
And Holy crap that Annihilator.

File: 1414204870059.gif (1.31 MB, 400x400)

1.31 MB GIF

>>38373467

>>38373526
>Did we ever even use six charges?
At the Spire against Rust Kaiser.

>>38373526
>Did we ever even use six charges?
Yeah, but not since the Tower upgraded it. We blew up tw different fields with it, and IIRC Pazuzu managed to tank it head on once.

File: 1346346465542.jpg (81 KB, 500x421)

81 KB JPG

>>38373467
Goddamn, that is satisfying.

>>38373526
We've used six charges before, though lately the meter's been being drained so fast (going quantity over quality) that we hardly ever use any higher tier weaponry.

>>38373467
Did... did we just level up?

Actually wait, did we breach the Diadem's defenses at range?

>>38373467

Hammer-blow. Blinding light. Shock-wash.

The impact creates an explosion akin to an artillery barrage. All of that matter, vaporized - Huge chunks of armour playing eject, some spinning high into the air as they disintegrate. It hits Behemoth square, just under the collar of his armor - For a moment, he resembles a wicker man, a wood-and-canvas giant, the painted outline and edges twisting up the hem of the cover tarp as it billows off the underframe.

And then the internal blast comes, sudden and bright and hot and vast, and his form ruptures.

It's unclear what his reactor was. A standard fusion reactor would lack the yield to power a form this large - Perhaps an antimatter engine, or something with equal ability.

Either way - when it overloads - it makes a sound like the end of the world. The expanding cloud of his death mushrooms upwards, gusting high into the air over the cloud cover - the oscillating scream of energy and pressure burning half his structure away in that first sweep, secondary heat-sear causing a crater effect. The center cannot hold, crumpling onto itself; You glimpse burning sky on the other side of the blast, as vast chunks of rubble fall from Behemoth's limbs, already succumbing to the inevitable.

All of that mass and energy, dumped into the microclimate beneath the Diadem's shield. The overpressure, the rapid air displacement.

And for the second time today-

-At a Joker's hand-

It begins to rain.

(Continued)

>>38373618
>It begins to rain.
Haha. Oh wow. We need to do this more often.

>>38372149
>>38372013
Actually, going with this anon said. Think about it. We get health based on how much damage we do, right? We've already got two (three if you include the Gauntlet's CONSUME ability) methods of getting more health so, here's what I think we should do.

Upgrade our ability to do damage. It lets us kill other Players faster, get more health per a hit and will give us a new ability compared to a reclaimed version of Cybele's power. (really happy we got an artefact of her. It's nice for the sentiment.)

So, I suggest Meter (if that's the one that gives us new meter gear), Assimilation of Canker Eater or Iron Ogre or, Synthesis Athame and complete our transformation.

OP, can we still try and get the Joker Heart? I'm thinking we regroup our forces once we get Daegal to the Hollow Sun and improve the communicators and then, go get the Joker Heart ourselves.

>>38374079
Canker Eater assimilation is #1 on my list. The thing was really, really fast, strong, and ate damage like it was nothing.

>>38374079
If we don't go for Reconstruction, I'll be in favor of Athame and then afterwards Oblivion's Husk.

>>38374137
Let's see what assimilation does before doing that. We'll know with our next level.

>>38374079
What Joker Heart?

Extra gear is Force. If you want new meter weapons then get 3.5.

Also, Canker Eater and Ogre are going to be gone. We've used up their essence in the level up. That's why the Limiter II is so awesome, we're effectively getting two level ups per level.

>>38374149
That'll probably be a while, though. I mean, how long ago was the previous level? I honestly can't remember.

>>38374156
>What Joker Heart?
Something Old Joker left us.

>>38374156
Yeah, t2.5 weapons would likely serve us really well.
It would grant us some major versatility.

>>38374169
You mean the Joker's Memory? Or the core? There's no Joker heart.

And last level up was Adamant Aegis in the early 100s.

>>38374169
>I mean, how long ago was the previous level? I honestly can't remember.
Are you baiting?

>>38374188
Yeah, those. Just got a bit confused.

>>38374197
No? I couldn't remember. That's not bait.
I don't see how it could taken as such, either.

>>38374212
>I don't see how it could taken as such, either.
Because this thread literally started with our most recent level up.

>>38374149
Eh, I don't think Reconstruction is a good idea. We've got plenty of ways to heal now that suit our style better.

>>38374156
The Joker's Heart is the source of the Red Joker's power. Remember how we have like, a ball of black corruption at our core? That's where the Heart SHOULD be. Instead, its in the Black World, the place the Black Joker comes from with the Correctors. It's the key to the powers of the Red Joker and we don't have it. Personally, I think its related to relics and the generation of them, like the Black Joker can make Correctors and White Joker can make Players. Also, we still have the essence of CE and IO. Assimilation is a unique thing.

Actually, thinking about it, Assimilation is probably only possible because we're in an in-between state. Either we use Athame Synthesis (terrible idea) or assimilate IO/CE/GJ.

>>38374232
>We've got plenty of ways to heal now
Again:
ONLY AGAINST PLAYERS

I really hope we can still unleash our hellion army sometime

>>38374219
I think it's pretty obvious I meant the previous one, anon. I apologize if I wasn't clear about that.

>>38374278
Yeah, I only realized afterwards. Sorry.

Sometimes I forget that not everyone is retarded.

>>38374276
Don't forget about Caliban

>>38374304
No prob, mate. I know the feeling well.

>>38374276
I was under the impression it was Kazuya's now. He has Daegal and therefore the HS acces, after all.

>>38374156
Wait, are you certain that's how it works?

>In addition, you automatically Assimilate the Essence of the last Player defeated

Implies that we assimilate only the player we defeated last when we level up. The essence that we have kept back (Canker Eater, Iron Ogre) stay where they are until we choose to use them.

I would still opt to assimilate the Canker Eater on our next levelup.

>>38374212
>Yeah, those. Just got a bit confused.
The memory is in Joker's equipment. We don't know its intended purpose, though it's activated twice. The core is somehow even more of a mystery. We don't know how they interact.

>>38374232
>Assimilation is a unique thing.
Bet you $10 it works like the Daegal. Use the essence to get a thematically appropriate upgrade. Now that the Essence is gone, we won't be able to integrate them.

>>38374304
Yeah it's just you.

>>38374340
>Implies that we assimilate only the player we defeated last when we level up. The essence that we have kept back (Canker Eater, Iron Ogre) stay where they are until we choose to use them.
No, anon. Those are consumed when we level up. I know because I asked about it before.

>>38374257
So? We can still consume correctors fine.

>>38373618

RED JOKER LEVEL UP

http://pastebin.com/NYWfNY2s

It is a small thing, against the light that twists against the false horizon. Your Fusion Annihilator is - of course - not enough to destroy the Shield; But it makes ripples race across the roiling surface as the effect disperses. It is like the turn from summer to autumn, in the wake of that catastrophic blast - New energies, new chemical interactions.

The green glow of Behemoth's Essence is a dispersed thing, like fireflies winding their way through the storm. Your Essence accumulators glow only briefly, the radiance muted by the after-flare of the Annihilator's discharge; It filters down to your arms, your charging elements glowing with death-heat as the Fusion Annihilator unmakes itself, the backwash of energy flashing the rain to steam, a hissing mist that fades as quickly as it comes.

The flare can be seen all across Arcadia. The echoes are - only now - beginning to die away, the clouds reduced to sifting gilt and vapor.

And now-

And now, at the end of all things-

-Now they will know you.

JOKER QUEST

EPISODE 124

TO BE CONTINUED

>>38374373
Only at melee range.
We are a ranged character.
Do the math. Hell, remember the Corrector that threw us around the building.

>>38374381
>Now they will know you.
Still won't stop them from thinking: 'We can take him.'
Sigh.
... Also, what're we upgrading, then?
Athame?
Reconstructor?

>>38374381
>http://pastebin.com/NYWfNY2s
>no Canker Eater
Damn. Guess I'm voting for either Reconstruction, upgrade for Rubicante & Cagnazzo or Athame.

Also, we should try to reattach the severed Scylla.

>>38374381

(Gentlemen, I have a confession to make; Upon reflection, my initial idea for Behemoth's Assimilated ability was not entirely balanced. I'm going to have to take it back to the drawing board - Ideally, those abilities should not be significantly more powerful than the appropriate bonus, or too underpowered.

I'll have to give this a lot more thought before I implement it, to avoid breaking the system.

I'll also confess that I'm entirely exhausted, and I'm afraid it's affecting my writing quality. Good night and God bless, for now - You've been a wonderful audience, and I hope to see you again soon.

As an addenum, White Licorice is still present in the scene, but currently incapacitated.)

>>38374381
I'm eager to see what Behemoth's assimilation will do to us.

Looks like there's only two Limiter upgrades in total.

Hey, guys, "Codeburst unlock" got replaced with "Codeburst affinity".

So, this is totally off-key, but I want Oblivion's Husk.
It seems like the mystery box option.
Mystery boxes never disappoint us.

>>38374340
When you level up you lose all the essence used to do it. When you repurpose the essence, it doesn't count for your level up. That's why we can't go back and make Relics of Bardiel, and why Helix Gigas didn't count for us leveling up.

>>38374381
Oh look, no Canker Eater or Iron Ogre. Gee I wonder why.

OP, before you go can you tell us the effect of Behemoth's assimilation? Also, what's "Codeburst affinity"?

Voting for athame.

>>38374370
>>38374381
Oh, damn.

So we can't assimilate Canker Eater.

Wait a sec, JQOP, did we assimilate Behemoth with that level up? I don't see his essence in the assimilate option list. What is the effect of that?

>No more Limiter option

Well okay then. I will vote for

>- [X] SYNTHESIS - ATHAME

>>38374381
Voting for athame synthesis

>>38374440
Thank you for putting so much thought into it.

And I like the current developments.
For once some happiness. And Kazuy's confusion is funny.

>>38374458

(It was initially 'Codeburst Unlock', but I think the title may have been misleading. The intention was for it to be less of unlocking a specific Codeburst, and more of improving your ability to use Codebursts in general.)

>>38374475

(You did - He's not in the list because you're automatically granted his ability. I am, however, revising it. Upon reflection, the initial idea was not a good one.)

>>38374438
It's already fixed, it just never came up.

>>38374440
>my initial idea for Behemoth's Assimilated ability was not entirely balanced
Just make it an HP boost. People will be perfectly satisfied with that.

Can we see what the athame upgrade does? It looks like it's going to landslide.

I seriously hope Athame isn't just an option unlock.

Personally, I'd say that Oblivion's Husk is the better choice. It is, after all, apparently an Athame affinity ability.

>>38374501
>(It was initially 'Codeburst Unlock', but I think the title may have been misleading. The intention was for it to be less of unlocking a specific Codeburst, and more of improving your ability to use Codebursts in general.)
Figured as much.
Thanks for changing the wording to make it more understandable.

>>38374381
Okay, so since we have apparently maxed Limiter (Hah!) and unlocked the capstone for that (Automatic assimilation, so we essentially get a free bonus option whenever we level-up, which is really nice and means I no longer regret selecting Limiter so many times), I am going to suggest we choose either Reconstruction or Athame Synthesis, with my personal choice leaning towards the latter.

>>38374532
Yeah, it really does look like Athame is favored by most people.

>>38374517

> Can we see what the athame upgrade does? It looks like it's going to landslide.

I'll have to think about that. There are a lot of new upgrade possibilities, and I'm worried about how they might interact with one another in unforeseen ways.

>>38374458
Damnit.

I guess you were right. This is really upsetting. I wanted Canker Eater...

Okay, voting for Synthesis Athame and Oblivion's Husk. I think Oblivion's Husk is our unique power. We're the embodiment of Destruction and its connected to Meter, our key trait.

>>38374501
OP, what ability did we gain? Do we have Iron Ogre, Grey Jaeger and Canker Eater's powers now?

>>38374501
>The intention was for it to be less of unlocking a specific Codeburst, and more of improving your ability to use Codebursts in general.
Dear guy who said this unlocked Joker exclusive codebursts last thread: LOL.

>>38374501
>(It was initially 'Codeburst Unlock', but I think the title may have been misleading. The intention was for it to be less of unlocking a specific Codeburst, and more of improving your ability to use Codebursts in general.)

Ah. That was definitely the case, yes.

>>38374381
Jeez, JQOP. I just said I'm not sure when we got the last level, and you give us two in one thread?

Also, voting for
>- [ ] SYNTHESIS - ATHAME

>>38374501
Will it still be some form of armour integration from consumed matter?

Because I would be extremely satisfied with that. Can never have enough healing options.

>>38374552

> OP, what ability did we gain? Do we have Iron Ogre, Grey Jaeger and Canker Eater's powers now?

Specifically, Behemoth's ability as he was the last Player you killed to level up. You don't - and can't - have access to the other three; their Essence was expended in your last level up, the one where you received the Limiter capstone ability.

>>38374381
>http://pastebin.com/NYWfNY2s
- [ ] VITALITY BOOST NEVER AGAIN

>>38374586
Dang. Can you tell us what they were then?

>>38374551
Man, you really put a lot of thought into this system. How large are the documents for it? Any plans to publish it?

Oh hey I didn't actually think I'd make a live on--
>>38374381
>TO BE CONTINUED

I really don't know what I was expecting. Anyone willing to fill me in on the last two or three threads?

>>38374611
After it's done, he's always said.
Wata apparently has some details, though.
And I'm beginning to suspect him and JQOP actually are the same person.

>>38374624
Let's see...
Yui died, Kazuya got Daegal, we just killed a bunch of Smilers, two level ups, we're gathering our band back together.
That's it in a nutshell.

>>38374611

It's unlikely, because this is a very specialized system meant for solo play. It would fall apart if I had to deal with the upgrade trees for multiple characters, and isn't suited for group play.

The draw of a Quest is that I can do things that are usually impractical in a tabletop RPG. But beyond that, the use is limited.

>>38374624
Everything went far better than expected, and things are actually looking up for once.

Kazuya is now Daegal, Joker now absorbs players super-efficiently, Rook is Bardiel 2.0.

Oh, and Yui and Cybele are dead.

>>38374629
That's retarded. Amusing but retarded.

>>38374671
You can be assured it will be reworked OP. This idea is too cool not to use. Also, mind telling us the abilities we could have had from Grey Jaeger, Canker Eater and Iron Ogre please?

>>38374629
Can confirm not true.

If it were I wouldn't make so many mistakes, entertaining as they usually turn out. I've got guesses that seem to turn out to be more correct than less and that's about it. And if I were running the quest it'd be space opera and the suicide shield maneuver would probably have been fatal.

>>38374652
Poor Yui. Hope Kazuya doesn't beat himself up over that. And it's been a while since we got two levels at once. What'd we get?

>>38374671
'llo OP. Looks like this is going to be about as early as I can manage for the foreseeable future. Best of luck.

>>38374624
Just like Nara Dreamland, the entire festival is practically kill.

>>38374696
>Rook is Bardiel 2.0
Hang on what. Can he turn into the gunship?

>>38374754
Is anyone surprised?

>>38374765
He's basically half Player half Corrector bird.

>>38374735
Limiter II, absorbing all essence in the area. 3-4 kills is all we need to max out and we take it from any and all Player deaths. And correctors I think.

Next, we upgraded the Athame. For our next upgrade, we should get Oblivion's Husk.

>>38374765
Unknown.

>>38374700

Grey Jaeger: Enhanced optics for greatly increased accuracy and criticals (Especially when aiming), with the option for targeting drones.

Canker Eater: The ability to utilize a Consuming bite - the benefits of Consume without having to sustain contact. (i.e. the equivalent of ripping a chunk off your opponent and devouring it on the run) Also, further mutation options.

Iron Ogre: Greatly enhanced resilience and damage when charging into melee. (When using your Crisis Arm, for example.) Also, calling down crushing spheres.

>>38374806
>Oblivion's Husk.
What does that do again? It's listed under Meter upgrades, but the name doesn't tell me that much.

>>38374624
>Cybele died, Joker gets tortured by the backlash of contract breaking off
>use the Athame, which turns out to be a Relic weapon crafted by the previous Red Joker
>it activates the Joker Memory and we get corrupted by the Lachryma
>got upgrades to the Shroud (regens 10% per turn), Argus (basic functions are now passive), Leech (we now regen health by dealing damage to Players), Slake (turned into Scylla - two eyeless Hydra heads that can extend to 8m, are fucking strong and can channel Exec_Consume)
>Joker is now somewhat organic, has better reaction speed and can run fucking fast (easily supersonic while enhanced by Booster)
>entered the Concert hall, killed a few correctors and Essence-less Player husks
>found Kazuya, blinded, with broken legs, severed spin and stabbed in the stomach
>the guy killed a corrector with a prop sword, a what a badass
>Yui is dead in his arms
>want to save him, the Midas Arm acknowledges him as the host
>incased in a golden cocoon
>hear someone smash into the concert hall
>leave to fight them while Kazuya awakens
>5 Smilers, tortured White Licorice to track us
>manage to fight them on equal for several rounds despite having 1/5 of the original Max HP thanks to new Regen
>get cornered eventually
>enter Deagle, the golden hero
>team up, fight the bastard
>insert Protoman reference, Kazuya broest of bros
>kill 1 Smiler, get level up, get Limiter 2
>kill two other Smilers, give Kazuya a short explanation
>Rook appears

>>38374823
Canker Eater would have made us part Corrector? Also, Iron Ogre and Canker Eater are as good as expected.

>>38374842
Meter's the key trait of the Red Joker. Ergo, I think Oblivion's Husk is our unique ability, like the White Joker's own Player creation.

We really need the Joker's Heart.

>>38374553
Go fuck yourself.

Sincerely, that anon.

>>38374765
Dunno, but like Red Joker, he had some whacky interaction with the Lachryma and turned into a avian based player-corrector hybrid.

I doubt he has gunship functionality.

>>38374823
Damn, Canker Eater would have been amazing.

>>38375008

He's basically become something that's a lot like Bardiel, though.

>>38374671
Damn shame. Either way, I would really like to see the system, because it sounds interesting as hell. Even if you don't plan to publish it, I mean.

But there is some serious potential there. I haven't seen a setting and theme as cool as this in a while.

>>38374794
That's unexpected.

>>38374806
>And correctors I think.
Always have, though sometimes Essence yield comes with side effects.

>>38374877
So what I'm taking from this is that the Athame was an upgrade spike that integrated half of Joker's Relics and opened up new ways to upgrade Joker's abilities, Kazuya is become all powerful, Rook is Birdman, and the Limiter gives us two level ups for the price of one. Awesome.

Honestly though, this doesn't read much like it's corruption so much as hijacking Black Joker's portfolio. Which makes me wonder what happens if we kill him. Might you speculate, OP? Do we all become one?

Which reminds me, I remember you saying something about the Terminus Scanner and Players at the apex of their development...

>>38374976
Hahaha, what's that about?

>>38375033
Bardial had Relic wings. Rook's wings are part of him and he can freely switch between avian and humanoid forms without going through an absurd transformation.

>>38375074
>Hahaha, what's that about?
I speculated that "Codeburst unlock" would unlock a Joker-specific codeburst instead of something generic.
The other guy called me retarded.
Now OP corrected the phrasing to "Codeburst affinity" and explained that it enhances Codeburst usage and is not a Codeburst.

>>38374696
>Everything went far better than expected, and things are actually looking up for once.
And to think there was one anon bitching it was all over and our only hope for survival was becoming Gold Joker.

So, remaining party members we have to gather are Haze, Chrome, Totenaz, and who else?

Though with those three we have a perfect six man band as it is.

>>38375074
Yeah, the integration is pretty pimp.
Argus now doesn't use a charging element anymore in its active mode, Shroud always regenerates (even in fortress mode) and muleta does not count as a module anymore and there's now poison damage and a "poison spike lance" attack option, and leech module grants health every time we damage a player.

>>38375108
Every single person with a Joker Icon, you dummy.

>>38375074
>Kazuya is become all powerful
Kazuya has an extremely high armor rating that doesn't degrade no matter the damage, but he still takes damage, so he isn't invincible. He also seems to be capable of feeling pain in his Player form.
At the same time, he is now The Lord of the Hollow Sun and any HS relics get massive upgrades when held by him.

>>38375108

Maybe Natsumi or Armaros for the last one? Remember, Armaros is stronger than her.

>>38375074
How do you mean hijacking it's portfolio? And what's your take on what's going on/what we do next for great victory?

>>38375108
Now to go full TVTropes:
>The Hero: Daegal
>The Lancer: Joker
>The Smart Guy: Haze
>The Chick: Chrome
>The Sixth Ranger: Totenaz
Makes me wonder who'd be the Big Guy, though.

>>38375168
>The Lancer: Joker
I see what you did there, you bastard.

>>38375168
>Big Guy
Iron Ogre. ;_;

>>38375168
Joker isn't a Lancer and you left out Rook.

Joker's pure Anti-Hero/Poisonous Friend.

>>38375168
Actually, Chrome would be the big guy, now that we don't have Ogre anymore.
Totenaz is the smart guy.
Haze is the Chick.

>>38375220
I thought the Lancer was all about being the Anti-Hero as a contrast to the actual Hero. And I don't know who'd fit the bill of Hero more than Daegal.
Therefore, Joker's the Lancer in my eyes.
Also, I didn't know where to put Rook.

>>38375190
Wasn't intentional. What did I accidentally refer to? Our horrible luck, like F/SN Lancer?

>>38375286
>Our horrible luck, like F/SN Lancer?
Yes.

Also, that meme about Matt getting the girl.

Guys, in case you missed it:
[ ] SYSTEM UPGRADE - EMULATOR MODULE

>>38375304
>Also, that meme about Matt getting the girl.
Eh, Natsumi and Kazuya tried, it didn't really work out. Maybe it will now both know of the Red, but who knows.

>>38375286
>Also, I didn't know where to put Rook.
Rook as anti-hero as fuck. He's edgy, gritty, somewhat assholish and his appearance is based on Scrooge from Guilty Crown: Lost Christmas, who is basically Alex Mercer with the ability to turn people into crystals instead of mutant monsters.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15ksrLHwI6c

>>38375378
>Alex Mercer with the ability to turn people into crystals instead of mutant monsters
One of Alex' main character traits is that he does NOT infect other people and that he will prevent any of the infections from ever breaking out again.

>>38375398

Not in Prototype 2!

I'll like to pretend Prototype 2 never happened. Fuck that shit.

>>38375378
Joker is all of those, but more so.

>>38375431

Joker is actually extremely well-balanced for someone in his situation. He's functional, while Rook was clearly an angry maverick who didn't play well with others from the very beginning.

>>38375090
So, the usual then?

>>38375145
It sounds more like he's still treating his Player body like his real one. Joker feels pain in the armor, but knows how to ignore it. He's too new to have the right focus, like Haze.

>>38375166
Take off every zig.

But seriously, based on what >>38375132 was saying, it sounds like the Athame borrowed lachryma's horrible fusion powers to upgrade Joker in a... still probably horrible but pretty cool way.

As for what's going on, you've successfully traded wealth (Midas) for victory (Kazuya alive) so you still have to trade fortune for love and one who loves you for your heart to get the good ending.

Fortune for love seems to refer to using the Nihl Sphere to reach Mio. Remember that in the play the main character chose not to use the dimension jumping ship (the Diadem) to reach Etoile, so doing that properly is probably your next big objective. Whether or not that's right, if you see her again try telling her you'll do whatever it takes to be forgiven. Try and be forthright.

The reason I say that's Mio and not Hecate is that Hecate is probably the one who loves you. When we saw her last something went dark and we heard the sound of a heart. I strongly suspect that to get back the heart you're going to have to give up on Hecate. Or something. I admit everything to do with the heart is where I have the least idea of what's going on; I thought this would be Cybele. It could also mean giving up on the Red Joker armor, since it's "withstood trials and tribulations at your side" for sure.

>>38375108
Five finalists. The proper final party is probably going to be split between Joker/Daegal/Totenaz vs. White and Black Joker (possessed Chalice Queen).

>>38375326
That should let Joker copy organic weapons. Pretty sure level 3 is meter weapons.

>>38375479
I guess 100 years of surviving non-stop in Hell, plus constant murder makes someone well balanced. Look at Naoya; he's also extremely functional.

>>38375479
He did play well with Hisao, though.

>>38375431
Joker is more often cheerful than not.

>>38375494

Naoya is so dysfunctional that he's looped around to being sane again. Sure, he looks all right, but inside he's baying at the fucking moon.

>>38375492
>It sounds more like he's still treating his Player body like his real one. Joker feels pain in the armor, but knows how to ignore it. He's too new to have the right focus, like Haze.
We really need to give him a primer.
And test if he can empower the arsenal beacon to get past the shield that is currently cutting us off from the Hollow Sun.

>>38375492
Yeah, no. Mio isn't Black Joker. She's her own thing. And Black Joker isn't a finalist.

>>38375517
That makes no sense whatsoever.

>>38375537
Just bring him to the Hollow Sun and upgrade the Icons.

>>38375492
>I strongly suspect that to get back the heart you're going to have to give up on Hecate.
Is that all? Good. She's given up already.

>>38375494
Superficially. Once he's free to act he starts plotting world destruction to be with his waifu. Hell, I honestly think the world destruction is the point and the waifu is his excuse.

Compare Joker who, once he's free to act, chases pretty girls and goes to high school in the absence of immediate or near-term danger.

It's the difference between a high functioning mass murderer and a very jaded survivor.

>>38375567
That's what I mean. Black Joker is getting in to the finals by piggy backing on the Chalice Queen. Though he did gatecrash the party last time, so that's something.

>Just bring him to the Hollow Sun and upgrade the Icons.
The upgrade's already in progress. Track down the shield array and reestablish the connection and it'll probably be done.

>>38375567
>Just bring him to the Hollow Sun
Did you just miss the mention of the FUCKHUGE SHIELD SURROUNDING THE AREA?

>>38375567

Naoya is a complete sociopath. He's slit a man's throat and casually walked away, and he can lie with a smile and with an utter lack of guilt. There is every sign he was fond of Mio, but he's completely okay with doing horrible things to her.

>>38375582
I wonder if it'll be that straightforward.

>>38375623
... is it possible he's in love with Black Joker? He doesn't differentiate between Mio and Kotone, and is equally awful to both despite claiming to love them. That explains that, and why he's spreading the lachryma. The girls are its vessel and the oil is its presence in the world.

>>38375623
You can't be a Joker and not be extremely mentally fucked up. Joker is too, but to a lesser degree.

>>38375816
I think we can thank Old Joker for that.

>>38375746
>Love Black Joker
He is insane... Does madness run in that family? Mikogami, Hellebore, Naoya.
Even Mio was kinda... possessive? And Kotone is dead/Black, so she's technically exempt...

>>38375816
>>38375873
Old Joker probably saw how nuts everyone was last time, and thought: 'Fuck this shit.' And then he sees this noob of a kid surviving in a literal hellhole, and drags him out, keeping him alive and sane, then giving him his legacy.
... Probably should have warned him about the nutcases, if he knew about em.

The current Aldnoah Zero episode has an appearence of what is basically Legion Armiger.

>>38375991
>>38375613
You idiots. He doesn't KNOW Black Joker is made up of more than Kotone. Hell, he might not be fully aware how Black Joker she is.

It's clear what happened last time. White Joker (The Black Cardinal's) attempt to fuck with Kotone's dead body meant she and the rest of the city's dead were fused into the Black Joker armour. This meant that the Black World was able to take control of the armour and there's no actual Player piloting the Armour/Presence that is Black Joker. It's an amalgamate controlled by the Black World itself.

>>38376448
I think that's the case for the Cardinal. I think Naoya knows what Black Joker is and doesn't care. He was in the cathedral. If we could see it, he could.

Probably turns him on.

>the BBEG decided to end the world in order to fuck the avatar of Cthulhu
I'm not sure how to feel about this.

>>38376672
This is that cockblocking the elf campaign all over again.

>>38376672
Not just the avatar of Cthulhu, the avatar of Cthulhu incarnated in the corpse of his daughter.

>>38376448
>White Joker (The Black Cardinal's)
So assuming you mean Naoya, how did he change his body so much, then? Unless he never did, but that'd require some more bizarre reasoning.

>>38376599
No, because Black Joker isn't Kotone. It's never been Kotone. Look, normally, the Black Joker is just an armour. A Corrector Joker to match the two Player ones (not necessarily a bad thing).

But it's clear something is different this time. To me, it seems clear that the Black Cardinal tried to keep Kotone sustained by making her the "Player" of the Black Joker Corrector. We've seen it happen what with Players fusing with and integrating Corrector parts.

He fucked up. Instead of fusing just her with it, he fused every single person who died in the disaster with the Black Joker Corrector. It's never been stronger, as can be seen by how much the Black World is encroaching on the Red.

>>38376771
Naw, see. Black Cardinal made it to the final last time by being the White Joker because he thought making Kotone a Player would save her. He was wrong, so instead he tried to fuse her with the greatest source of sustenance in the Red, White and Black Worlds short of the Black World itself; the Black Joker.

>>38376771
>So assuming you mean Naoya,
He meant the Black Cardinal.
Kotone's father.
The prior White Joker.
NOT NAOYA.

He was the dude that Naoya quoted during our encounter.

So, what kind of information did Magus overhear?
Did we use Kazuya's name while he was nearby?

>>38376856
It doesn't matter now. Until the Game is over, the Red World is all there is. And, most likely, we still have a good while to go. The End Game still isn't in sight yet.

>>38376814
>Naw, see. Black Cardinal made it to the final last time by being the White Joker
>>38376816
>The prior White Joker.
>NOT NAOYA.
For some reason, I always assumed the Red Joker's armour was the only one to be passed on. My bad.

>>38376905
Here's what I've been thinking...

There's four worlds. The Red, the White, the Black and the Real.

The Red is associated with Destruction, the White with Creation and the Black with Continuation. The Real is connected indirectly to all three of them.

The Game is something created through a union of the three worlds, situated in the Red as its the only one that's completely unpopulated. If you've noticed, its like a world of pure destruction, everything broken down and fucked up that isn't Player and Corrector made.

Now, each World contributes things to the game. The Red contributes its land and Relics, the White contributes Players and the Black contributes Correctors.

>>38376991
If you go with four worlds, I'd say the three are aspects of the Real.
Creation, Fight for survival/feeding, and Evolution.

But my guess is that there's three worlds. Red, Real/White and Black.

>>38376991
>The Red, the White, the Black and the Real.
Isn't the Real the White?

>>38376991
My take is that there's the real world(s) and the Red World. The real worlds are parallel universes that the Red attaches itself to in sequence. Players are procedurally generated from data in the souls of people from real worlds, Correctors are animals who undergo the same. The Black Joker is basically the Beast from Homeworld Catacalysm, a flesh/metal merging monster of unknown origins, the Black World its last victim still attached to the Red.

>>38377041
The real isn't the white. The colours have each shown that they have actual locations they're connected to. If there's a Black World, there's certainly a White World.

>>38377058
I'll add that the White Joker is a creature of the Red World, not the real or any other world. It's part of the finalist system while the Black Joker is not.

>>38377088
I'm not sure that the White Joker is meant to be a finalist. I get the feeling that Mikogami was originally the White Joker and then snatched the finalist spot by taking the Crux and becoming the Cardinal.

>yfw this quest was about Daegal saving the world all along and the Red Joker was there just to set the perfect world-ending catastrophe scenario

>>38377058
IMO the Black Joker/World is the leftover data that the Red accumulates, that sometimes spontaneously forms into Correctors.
I also think that the 'finals' are the Red's rebirth, and the finalists wage war over how exactly it's shaped, sort of like most SMT endings.
Again, the scraps (old players, and such) are absorbed by the Black.
That'd explain why there are no previous contestants besides Argent left quite neatly.
You could also argue the Red is actual hell, where you toil to earn better Karma, but I'm not a big fan of that approach.

>>38377088
>>38377058
I don't think so. I think the Black World is its own separate World, equal to the Red World in importance. Look at when Kotone is first seen with the White Joker. There, its clearly implied and shown how he doesn't gel with the Red like the Red Joker does and the Black Joker doesn't. He's something added to it.

You see, each of the three worlds is needed to create the Game. The Real is just where contestants are picked from.

>>38377088
The Black Joker isn't a Player, its a Corrector. It can't be a finalist.

>>38377198
No, the White Joker is a finalist. It's one of the perks of being a Player Joker. Also, makes more sense than some bumblefuck artefact and it wouldn't explain why Pazuzu had it. In fact...Do we know if Mikogami ever actually had the Crux or the two Nihil Spheres?

>>38377198
When we asked Imago about the Crux he started talking about White Joker. It's not solid evidence, but it does imply that the Crux is what makes the White Joker.

>>38377208
More like Red Joker's there to hold the line for Daegal. If not for Joker, things would be many times worse. It's hard to see it since we're too close to events.

>>38377289
Correctors are from the Black. It's hard to say what that is but they use Essence. He's made of the dead though.

>>38377301
>Do we know if Mikogami ever actually had the Crux or the two Nihil Spheres?
He had all three, yes.

>The Black Joker isn't a Player, its a Corrector. It can't be a finalist.
In our single encounter with it, it apparently registered as a Player.

>He's something added to it.
Not according to Imago. The White Joker is supposed to create things that the Red Joker destroys. They're two parts of the same system. It's been horrifically perverted since.

>>38377301
>Pazuzu
Do we even know who that guy is yet?
He's been kind of shoved into the background, compared to Calamari (who Naoya killstole from us, IIRC.)

>>38377301
>No, the White Joker is a finalist. It's one of the perks of being a Player Joker.
The problem is that Mikogami never lit up as the White Joker, even though Naoya does. How did he fake his Player name?
>>38377303
>When we asked Imago about the Crux he started talking about White Joker.
He said that the Crux is supposed to belong to the Black Cardinal and considered it strange that the robes concealed a white armor.

>>38377303
>More like Red Joker's there to hold the line for Daegal. If not for Joker, things would be many times worse. It's hard to see it since we're too close to events.

>inb4 we have to die and give Kazuya a final upgrade by having him deal the killing blow

>>38377366
>The White Joker is supposed to create things that the Red Joker destroys.
That sounds like White Joker is just a mechanism to empower Red Joker.

What if it's more like, White Joker selects candidates to become players and Red culls the undesirable ones?
The entire system is about accumulating luck, after all. The two might be the moderators.

>>38377387
God, I hope that's not the case.
I think Daegal wouldn't allow it, though.

>>38377375
Pretty sure it's coffinbox.

>>38377380
I thought he was commenting ironically that the robes hid the armor. IIRC Hellebore said he achieved the power to create Players too late for Kotone.

>>38377416
>The two might be the moderators.
I remember talking about that with Wata before we knew there was a White Joker. But I don't think it's about culling "undesirables". Quoting Hellebore again, what if the Essence Players get is only a small amount of what people release on death? What if the entire game is about propagating the Red World through human souls?

>>38377521
>propagating the Red World through human souls
The Red has already engulfed the entire world. Where's there to propagate?