>>41785274

The air churns with amber-threaded smog. A vile, swirling mist boils around you, in a hungry, expanding cloud - a seething haze that obscures the struggling figures in the swamp of nightmare, that drapes around the shattered pillars of the memory towers like a fog. It stains everything - distance is uncertain, here, as figures flicker in an out of the mist; like an old recording, running fast then slow, with jerks and jumps on the file.

-But not to you. Through the eyes of Auspex, Enfer is a storm cloud; glowing with hellish internal flame, building the rotation that threatens a tornado. Daegal is luminous, a transparent being shot through with calcifying stone - Until the Thief *moves*, a blur of swift motion that splinters the shrieking crystalline shafts that fill the air with their moaning internal vibrations.

Daegal crumples, like a man released from the rack. Stone shatters with the sharp, brittle report of rifle shots as he convulses - making gagging, choking noises as he claws at his mask, trying to find the strength to rise -

"-Get up." The Thief is in front of him, the crimson glow of his eyeslits the color of open flame. Staring through the smog, alert, covering every sector at once-

"-can't-"

"Kazuya. Get up."

"-Joker, where's-"

(Continued)

>>41785379

"-Smoke." Alura's voice dopplers in and out of the fog. "You think I can't see through smoke? You think I can't *hurt* you?"

There is a shriek of rending metal. Haze, blind, screams. His chequered armor *rips* - he convulses, stumbling back, bringing his arms up in futile defense - Motes of Essence boil out from the vicious slash that bisects one optic lens, that rakes across his form like razors. Deep cuts, defensive cuts, shear through his arms; augmetic lines, feed tubes, tear and split - there are cables spilling out of his ruptured plate, fluids leaking out through the seams in his welded bodyplate-

Haze falls on his back, twitching. He makes a subhuman noise through his speakers, as he writhes - a yowl of miserable and helpless agony.

She didn't even touch him. Somehow, somehow - Alura is able to make cuts like sword wounds, with the merest flick of her fingers. The smoke is dewed with aspirated molecules of Haze's Essence, ruptured tanks hissing their contents into the air; Around Alura, the roiling shimmer gathers, sketching itself into existence - You glimpse shapes, the echoes of shapes, and...

-Inox Fang. Inox Fang is, impossibly, there. The jagged lattices of matter converge into the hazy outline of her form, and the flare of her Essence Core infuses her remade shape - Tiny sounds of agony boil from her throat, as spined fists close around her klaive blades. She's not alone; the air coalesces into four slender, impossibly thin spies - each one coming to a needle point above and below, orbiting Alura in defensive velocities as they rotate about their own axis. Like murderous toys, like gleaming chromed tops - tiny lights igniting...

"Shizuka-chan~" Alura draws the words out into a purr. "-Do a better job this time."

(Continued)

>>41785479

Miniature weapon pods arm, with charging hums-

Rook makes a sound of the purest, rawest frustation. There is nothing human in his voice, now - He rears back, heedless of the chains that bind him, the ceramite of his raptor-helm splitting open into a razor-toothed maw...

-And fleshmetal tears, as he sinks his teeth into his own arm. There is a hideous *crunch*, as he worries at his own flesh; ripping, gouging, wrenching a mouthful of meat free. Lachryma gouts forth, a foul peristalsic motion warping his form, as he gnaws at his own limb with the mindless fury of an animal in a trap-

"She's killing him-" Daegal blurts - "We have to-"

There is a rumble. Stones rips from the ground, the tiled floor tearing itself up; Huge fangs of rock splinter free, great spikes that move with the ponderous unstoppability of titans - as if caging the whirlwind of stone within, a cyclone that churns around Calcite Arrow as he *rises up*; Alura's Emblem glowing with sickening light, a light that issues forth from the faceplate of his helm. There is a terrible momentum to it, chunks of the half-collapsed and broken memory towers ripping free to join the dance - the swirling vortex surging *forward*-

(Continued)

>>41785479
>He makes a subhuman noise through his speakers, as he writhes - a yowl of miserable and helpless agony.
Ffffuck.

>-Inox Fang. Inox Fang is, impossibly, there.
Ffffffuuuuuuck.

And I thought we were doing relatively well, at the end of the last thread.

>>41785571
>Ffffuck
He's still alive. As long as he stay down, Alura probably won't bother killing him.
>Ffffffuuuuuuck.
This time we'll really have to CONSUME the bitch.

>>41785571
>And I thought we were doing relatively well, at the end of the last thread.
Don't get your hopes up. We're probably going to die in this fight.

>>41785589
Or just CONSUME Alura. Should solve the problem handily. The problem will be getting that close to her, I don't fancy getting the same treatment as Haze.

>>41785608
I wouldn't risk it while she's less than half-dead. I'm also worried about that ANIMA thing. Should just Nuke her with Haze's bomb, really.

>>41785555

And all of that ceases to matter as Enfer's snarling chainfist swings towards your face. The Sinistral flares to life - the whirring teeth carving across the top of the ghost-steel field in a streak of red sparks. The ghastly shriek of the revving teeth changes pitch, as he hammers forward - bright chips of shield energy flying in the air, the blow passing a hand's-width from your helmet.

Missing the thumb and first finger, your mutilated hand bleeds sparks from the joints - with a weapon like this, every blow is potentially lethal-

The chainfist rakes across your chest. The *noise* it makes - it rips through your armor like it isn't there, disintegrating fragments spraying from the teeth; coruscating energies spill out from your Cobalt Booster. You punch the Sinistral's point into the joint of his leg - the spike finds a seam of weakness; vile fumes boil forth as you puncture the hydraulics, Enfer's forward lunge turning into a stumble-

As Enfer's myomer muscles clamp down around the injury, you jam the stabbing point deep, right into the joint. The Sinistral's blade splinters, snaps off - the field flickering fitfully as it loses cohesion-

...But as you reel back, Enfer crumples to one knee. His chainfist shrills as it begins to eat into the ground, the segmented plate of his legs whirring, cycling into new configurations, trying to compensate for the damage-

"Run, Joker," he rasps, hoarse with fury - A cold, controlled fury, his single eye glowing with lambent flame. "Go on, *run*. I can still catch you. I can still *kill* you."

HP: 84.3%
COBALT BOOSTER: 52%
ASSAULT SHROUD: 60%
METER: 55%
ENCROACHMENT: 1%

YOU HAVE CONTROL

>>41785666

(Gentlemen, I'll outline the damage you've suffered - the Tempest Scrander is no longer functioning, though you still have the Scrander Bolt option. Your Sinistral is severely damaged, and needs to be reactivated - the field shorted out when you stabbed Enfer in the leg.

Also, you're missing your thumb and trigger fingers from your hand actuator - preventing you from firing any weapons with your right hand, though it can still be used for striking. Your Cobalt Booster has also suffered some damage - the regeneration rate is now 7% a round, not 10%.)

>>41785649
I suspect he's out of comission at the moment.
Also, I want all that sweet, sweet Essence. Probably be a huge risk, though.

>>41785666
Nice trips, JQOP. Kinda prophetic, really.

Anyway, can we try and take out his remaining eye? I'd prefer we distance ourselves a little, maybe by way of Abruption Jets. Then just shoot at him with the Vulcans or something.

>>41785666
Can we use Draw Forth on Alura?

>>41785666
>>41785684
>I'd prefer we distance ourselves a little
I'd rather take advantage of it to do even more damage to him.
Use the first level of the Tyrant Burst to disorient him, then spend more Booster to disable/attack the arm he's got his chainfist on with Slake.
Re-activate the Sinistral and jam our remaining fingers into/through his eye.

>>41785666
"Haven't you realized it yet, Enfer? I can't run. I've never been given that choice. All I can do is move forward."
Dirac message to Daegal: "Distract Inox and Calcite, but don't waste power trying to kill them. Alura can just bring them back as it is."

Have the Scylla bite into Enfer, Cobalt-boost double Crisis Arm and follow up a hip-shot from the Railgun ortwo.

>>41785717
No, we have to in direct contact to do that. And I don't think she's using Lachryma in the first place.

>>41785725
Railgun isn't up for another 5%. Also it costs 15% Meter/Booster. Should probably reserve it for someone else.

>>41785682
Can we still use the crisis arm with our right arm OP?

>>41785684
>I suspect he's out of comission at the moment.
We just have to aim him manually.

>>41785736

(Yes, without noticeable loss of capability. Wielded weapons would suffer a penalty - the Crisis Arm is the exception.)

I feel like we should use the bolt on Enfer to stun him, so we can use scylla as well as EXEC_CONSUME to end him. Though using the crisis arms should take priority i think.

>>41785274
OP, I almost missed the thread because there's no notification on my Twitter.

>>41785768
Should make a habit of checking the catalog ~20 minutes after JQOP announces the thread, it's usually up by then.

>>41785774

(My apologies, I'll update it now.)

>>41785734
The Railgun was already unlocked back when we fought together with Kazuya. It doesn't just lock down because we now have less Meter and we haven't left the Red since this arc began. And though costly, the Railgun deal a shitload of damage and can penetrate his armor.

>>41785766
Enfer isn't linked to Alura, so using CONSUME on him would be a waste of Booster and XP.

>>41785786
>The Railgun was already unlocked back when we fought together with Kazuya
Oh shit, right. That completely slipped my mind.

>>41785786

(Gentlemen, I'll give it about ten more minutes before I lock in a choice. Thus far, it appears to be a combination of the following options.

>>41785725
>>41785720

i) Blind Enfer with the Tyrant Burst system.
ii) Attack him with Scylla.
iii) Fire your left-arm Vulcans at him.
iv) Close the distance with the Abruption Jets and strike.

>>41785766

(Alternatively:
- Fire the Longinus Railguns at him.
- Hit him with the Scrander Bolt.)

>>41785734
>>41785795

(Yes, the Railgun is currently available.)

Ok, we need to test the CONSUME method on the mote that will remain on Enfer, as well as killing Calcite Arrow to maybe have some effect from destroying his emblem.

My suggestion is that we kill Enfer with dual Crisis Arms, then try to Consume his remaining mote with Scylla.

Also, send out an Interceptor to annoy Alura.

We should also think about possible Code Burst usage.

>>41785803
>i) Blind Enfer with the Tyrant Burst system.
>ii) Attack him with Scylla.
>iii) Fire your left-arm Vulcans at him.
>iv) Close the distance with the Abruption Jets and strike.
I'm fine with this.
>>41785810
I thought it was only Fang and Arrow that had a connection to Alura? Though I could be mis-remembering things.

>>41785803
Option 1 doesn't sound like it would do much.

How about closing in and using the Plasma Caster and Crisis Arm to fuck him up?

>>41785819
I think that's what the 'and strike' part was referring to, actually.

>>41785815
>I thought it was only Fang and Arrow that had a connection to Alura?
If it's only them, this will be easier. But we don't know yet.

>>41785819
>Option 1 doesn't sound like it would do much.
What?
Blinding him, having Scylla take a bite out of him, riddling him full of holes, then punching him doesn't sound like it'd do much?

>>41785828
Two things:
- We used the blinding move a few times on him in the past. He'll likely have a defense
- The storm is blinding him anyway

>>41785810
Enfer isn't connected to Alura, anon.
>>41785803
>blinding Enfer
>the guy who uses fucking bombs and can maneuver through explosions
He obviously has protection. Shoot the Railgun instead. And The Vulcans won't do anything, so use the Plasma Caster or save this action for the Scander Bolt if he's still standing..

>>41785825
Yes we do? We saw Enfer through the Auspex too.

>>41785828
>Vulcans
>putting holes in Enfer's armor
Are you kidding me?

>>41785859
Thinking on it, Inox' revival might be due to the Orthus Crest.

>>41785852
Yeah, it should be pretty self-explanatory why the Vulcan is a silly option here.

I would save the Bolt for someone else.

>>41785864
Sounds better than "cause him slight discomfort".

>>41785803
Wouldn't the guy who works with explosives be able to cut out the flash of light?

>>41785881
We can spend more Booster on it, if you want.

OP, how many of our enemies are lachryma infused?
We have our special sense for that, right?

>>41785867
>Thinking on it, Inox' revival might be due to the Orthus Crest.
Not really. All it does is make her invisible. She was revived because Alura used the Essence she took from Haze.

>>41785893

(All of them except Alura - In varying quantities.)

>>41785895
>All it does is make her invisible
No, it's a paired relic. We have the other half.

They might have had someone figure out an upgrade to her half.

But yeah, Alura is definitely using our team's essence against us. This was what I feared from the beginning - She's a power multiplier of the nasty kind.

>>41785871
The Vulcans are relatively useless against heavily-armored foes. It's better to spend booster on meter to deal more damage, since more damage means we'll regain more meter and regenerate more HP

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39 KB JPG

The anticipation is killing me.

Please don't let us die.

>>41785815
>>41785819
>>41785828
>>41785852

The throbbing hum of the Tyrant Burst system - A brilliant flash, blinding in its intensity - strobes across the narrow distance, the crackling, fizzing hiss of discharge cutting through the smog; Enfer doesn't even flinch. "-Tricks. All you have, Joker. All you *are*." There is a sneer in his voice, as he pushes himself - gears grinding in his armor - to his feet. The chainfist roars, teeth blurring to killing velocities as schematics sketch themselves into existence in his free hand-

Whatever he's doing - whatever he's *planned* - is too slow. The snarling hydra-maws of Scylla unfurl from your shoulders, lunging for him; uncoiling, surging forward with mindless hunger-

And somehow, somehow, Enfer swings an arm up to intercept-

The crushing maw vices shut on his right arm, instead - fangs punching deep wounds in the ablative plating, wrenching *hard*; Hard enough to stagger him, to pull him off-balance. But then Enfer's chainfist comes up-

Shrieking teeth descend in a blur. Sparks fly, as the hideous weapon saws into Scylla's length - chewing, grinding, the unholy sounds melding with the scream of tormented metal - feedback spiking through your sensors as the buzzing, buzzing chainfist rips into the scything, thrashing tentacles, the hydraulic maw spasming with death-agonies, fighting to wrench-free...

And then with a tearing shriek, the trunctuated length *snaps* back, coolant fluids jetting from the decapitation.

(Continued)

>>41786026
>Enfer doesn't even flinch.
Sasuga.

>>41786026
I hope you're happy with yourselves. Bad End incoming.

>>41786026
Don't say I didn't warn you about trying to blind the bomb expert.t.

>>41786026
Guess I was right about the guy who uses explosives not being easy to blind.

File: 1314194533528.jpg (7 KB, 211x238)

7 KB JPG

>wasting booster and an action on something that we knew wouldn't work

>>41786026

It doesn't let go. The severed head locks to Enfer's arm, in the rictus of death - ichor gushing as he rips the chainblade through the alloy scales and myomer muscle of it's length - swinging wide, the roaring, chugging teeth mowing into the other hydra-maw that lunges at him-

"Choke on it-" he snarls, and plunges the chainfist into Scylla's convulsing maw - It carves through the primary jaw, right between the biter teeth; noxious white froth boiling from the wound, as if the augment frame has steam for blood. When he rips the blade free, Scylla's lower jaw follows - alloy teeth hanging free, half-severed...

But even through the feedback that squeals through your mind - through the agony that rasps simulated nerves raw - you spear Enfer on the crosshairs as your Argus System chimes with a lock-

You have one shot.

You take it.

A silvery blur streaks from the Longinus Railgun, the brittle *snap* of the report - outracing its own sonic boom - to smash with crippling force into Enfer's hip. The splintering *crack* of impact - Already warped from RUBICANTE's entropic field, the slug smashes aside nearly every ounce of armor shielding him - but fails to penetrate to the endosteel skeleton beneath. But the raw *force* of it-

(Continued)

>>41786116
>fails to penetrate to the endosteel skeleton beneath.
Fffffuuuuuuck.

>>41786051
>>41786052
>>41786089
>>41786106
The idea was to give us an opening. I did suggest spending more Booster on the action but no one replied, so. Could also have replaced it with Swarm or missiles or anything vaguely similar.

>>41786106
I'm kind of confused by how that happened? It seems like only only one of you was in favor, while everyone else saw the flaws coming, and yet it happened anyway? Did you guys just forget to create and support an alternative in time?

>>41786116
I fucking love that gun.

>>41786128
JQOP himself noted the alternative. I would've thought it was pretty clear the majority was against the blinding thing, but w/e, what's done is done.

>>41786116
Wait, we are in grappling range for Scylla and then shoot the Railgun, which is a weapon that needs travel distance to gain its full power?

I feel like Joker is panicking.

>>41786127
>The idea was to give us an opening
Are you an idiot? We already know from experience with Ogre and White Joker that using Tyrant Burst against someone who can ignore doesn't do anything. It doesn't distract them, it doesn't give us an opening. It's just a wasted action
>did suggest spending more Booster on the action but no one replied, so.
What's the point of wasting even more resources on something you know won't work?
> Could also have replaced it with Swarm or missiles or anything vaguely similar.
>what is Scylla

>>41786145
It seems like even though it didn't work that well, it may have worked just well enough to allow that railgun shot to connect, which is why he stuck with it?

>>41786158

(You're not. Scylla actually has a significant range - they're extendible tentacles. You're not at the optimum range for the Railgun, but it's still a pretty devastating weapon when there's a solid hit.)

>>41786158
Scylla has an 8 meter range dude.

>>41786176
>Scylla actually has a significant range - they're extendible tentacles.
Oh, nice.

That makes us even scarier.

>>41786173
JQOP shouldn't choose things himself based on effectiveness, he should let the playerbase choose. That's not a good reason.
Besides, it did jack shit, and we're considerably worse off now than if we'd chosen the other option.

>>41786168
>Are you an idiot?
Evidently. I also haven't re-read the quest in some time and so only vaguely remember half the shit that went on.
>What's the point of wasting even more resources on something you know won't work?
2.) A short-ranged photonic burst. (10-25% per blast.)
>3.) A focused particle beam. (25%-40% per beam.)
>what is Scylla
Something I suggested using. Something that doesn't take up one of our actions.
Currently useless.

>>41786116

The brilliant flare of Enfer's internal reactor becomes more brilliant yet, as support struts punch through the bulky shielding of his fusion engine. His internal temperatures spike, the internal breach opening up his side-

Already pushed to maximum capacity, the reactor explodes.

Sunfire gouts from Enfer's side, as protective plates crumple. There is a sickening squeal of tortured metal, as his warped armor *bursts* from within; Buckled plates glow red-hot, fighting to contain the breach as flame boils out from the hideous wound - secondary systems kick in, his oversized arm clamping down on his side, as if he can physically *contain* the explosion to come-

"-rrrrrraGGHHHHHHH-"

Enfer vents a guttural hiss - ruptured coolant gushing from the wound, flashing to steam. He convulses, staggering, gouting flames from his side; He lurches forward a step, the throb of his generators diminishing as the emergency cutoff kicks in-

-As the feedback from Scylla's destruction slams into your brain with stunning force, the squealing surge of sympathetic agony, agony you thought you'd forgotten, raking across your mind like claws-

(Continued)

>>41786219
Did he destroy one or both of the maws?

>>41786219
>Enfer himself is a walking bomb
Shit.
>-As the feedback from Scylla's destruction slams into your brain with stunning force, the squealing surge of sympathetic agony, agony you thought you'd forgotten, raking across your mind like claws-
SHITSHITSHITSHITSHITSHIT

>>41786219
>>41786225

(He decapitated one, and severely damaged the other. It can still strike, but it can't bite.)

>>41786219

Wispy gray-black smoke trails up from the ragged gash the Railgun slug has torn in his side, boiling up from the rents in his armor, his joints. With Auspex vision, Enfer's form glows from the heat buildup - A fiery red-orange blossom at his heart, his remaining reactors fighting to compensate, spreading out to still-dangerous yellow in the head and limbs-

He's burning alive. From the inside.

"JOKER-"

B̛̹U̡͕̖͖R̲̩̝̘̩̼̮͞N͇̰͉͎

With a grinding shriek, his flamethrower aligns, and-

Hellfire boils forth. A torrent of acid flames, swelling to engulf your world.

There is nothing natural about the fires that pour forth, that swirl around your armor, that swallows you in a flickering second skin of liquid flame. All you can hear is Enfer's laughter - Awful, hideous laughter - as if he's glimpsed some cosmic joke, as he continues his lurching, stumbling shamble towards you-

(Continued)

>>41786276
Well at least we're probably going to take him with us into death.

>>41786276

The blowtorch howl of it sears your Assault Shroud from your shoulders. Nanomaterial disintegrates, blasted apart like ash in a gale. The Longinus Railgun *melts*; the barrel slewing away in a waxlike sheen of melted control surfaces, liquid metal drizzling down as the flickering field of the Sinistral holds the hailing flames at bay - Until your left arm begins to *melt*, the armored shutters of your Vulcan warping to uselessness, the ports clogged with slag-

You have to-

There is a crack of thunder. A mighty, fluctuating blast. Even through the flames, you glimpse it - a single, impossibly bright point, a point that expands into a sphere of crystalline distortion - the concussive ripple of that eruption flinging Enfer from his feet. Reality is so scarred, so tattered by the blast that a noxious, infernal unlight shines through the tattered punctures of space and time.

It is Armaros's last act.

It costs him everything.

(Continued)

>>41786383
>It is Armaros's last act.
Oh for fuck's sake.

>>41786383
RIP Armaros, Even though you started out as a dick I really started to like you. Grab his sword.

>>41786383
Not sure what the point of that is, since right now Joker is out of... Everything.

>>41786192
I hope you're happy.

>>41786402
We have the essence.
We can be rebuilt.

>>41786383
Fucking bro. I hope his sacrifice will not be in vain.

>>41786414
>We can be rebuilt.
Meanwhile, Rook is zerked out, Haze is down, I can't remember what Totenaz and Daegal are doing but they're probably not doing so hot, and Armaros is now gonna be dead.

>>41786408
You guys somehow let it happen though? Still not clear on how, but...

>>41786402
Thanks to the leech module we'll be healed by his death.

>>41786435
The Power of Friendship saves the day!

>>41786435
Only if his death counts as ours. I'm afraid that Alura may just swallow both Armaros and Enfer.

>>41786449
I think it's any death since it doesn't use the essence used for levelling.

>>41786470
So we'll heal, but lose a chance for a level-up? Bummer.

His duel with Rust Kaiser is a singular one. In the blind instance when Rust Kaiser staggers back, as EXEC_CASTIGATE eats into his soul, Armaros has drawn his neutronium blade. Ascalon purrs in his grip as it comes up - the glyphs on the surface blaze with vengeful light. It is impossibly heavy - so heavy that only the gravimetric distortions of his halo allows him to lift it.

His first blow is a terrible, scouring one that rips part of Rust Kaiser's visor and face-plating away. Cables tear out, fizzle; the blind impact of the blow forces Kaiser back a step, checked, the side of his head mangled beneath the ruptured visor-

One blow is all he has time for, as Bell Zephyr's scourges crackle across the distance, the razored points plunging through the plated armor of his back. They carve through superheavy plate without slowing, punching deep - their sizzling helix pattern crackling with discharged electricity as they impale him. The wounds puncture myomer fiber, gnaw through augmented musculature...

-And then a vast, brutal surge of electricity roars through the twin channels, and gut him from within.

Armored panels blow out. Systems rupture. He reels.

His guard is down.

Rust Kaiser plunges his sword into the gap. The jagged, serrated blade ploughs through Armaros's torso - driven by immense, inhuman strength - and shreds out through the back plating of his armor. Hydraulic fluids spatter onto the churning ground, black as pitch; shorn servoes short out. It crunches through plate, through augmented ribs, through layered endosteel structure - Impaled, Armaros twitches. He shudders, head flopping on his neck with a whirr of servoes...

Ascalon falls from his spasming hand, and rebounds off the deck.

(Continued)

>>41786536
He didn't roll well, I take it. Makes it less of a 'died because he saved us' to 'saved us from our own stupidity while dying'.

>>41786536
I hope Rust Kaiser doesn't take the sword. Maybe Daegal can pick it up once the fight progresses.

So has Alura even taken any damage yet?

>>41786628
Nope.

>>41786628
Well, her sides have most certainly left orbit.

>>41786653
And she isn't even the final boss is she?

>>41786536

CICATRIX's insect mandibles chitter, as - like a magician's trick - the air fills with burning crimson blades. The first one punches into Armaros from behind; the three impaling stakes that follow are merely punctuation, raining down on his unguarded back - breaking plate, breaking shoulder blades, breaking spine.

His plated fists reach out - one agonizing effort - as he drives himself *forward*, all the way to the hilt. His plated fists convulse around Rust Kaiser's helm, as he *pulls* - *wrenches* - putting all his strength into the last defiant motion. If he can *pull his head off*-

The roar of Enfer's flamethrower - a flash of green flame -

One vital instant, a flare of unlight as his Distortion Halo moans at his back-

And then Rust Kaiser's maw gives vent to the shriek of the fastest wind. A splayed column of corroding air roars forth - a devastating horizontal cyclone that envelops Armaros. Threads of rust - entropy in fast-forward - crawls across his silver armor, eating into it, eating *through* it, with the howl of a dry desert gale. At point-blank range, it gnaws through his optics, the furious alchemy turning imperishable silver into ash.

His form goes numb, without feeling.

He sees the world through blood, and then only blood.

Then he sees nothing at all.

(Continued)

>>41786766
I know we'd probably be even more fucked if Rust Kaiser wasn't suffering the ultimate debuff, but Castigate still kind of seems like a ripoff. It's not even designed to screw us over, it's just really slow.

>>41786766
>And then Rust Kaiser's maw gives vent to the shriek of the fastest wind. A splayed column of corroding air roars forth
Fucking Rust Hurricane.

>>41786797
Hopefully he's expended its use for this fight.

>>41786828
Kinda doubt it. Armaros died for not much at all, really.

>>41786791

(I would say that your chances are a lot better with EXEC_CASTIGATE than without.)

>>41786766

"NO-!" Daegal lets out a hoarse cry, a sound of unutterable anguish - But it is a curiously hollow sound, a sound that rings across the devastation all around. It is raw, unfiltered, and almost unbearable in its intensity.

It is the first response to the unspeakable abruptness, the totality of death.

You know this without seeing it. You know this, because the Essence of Armaros's death boils around you, drawn inexorably to you like iron fillings to a magnet. It surges into you, roaring through your form so fiercely you light up from within. The guttering emerald flames fade to nothing; your autoreactive talons striking sparks from the ground, as you stagger to your feet-

And when Alura begins to laugh-

As Haze stammers out weak - "Wha-" - as his fingers claw at the ground, fighting to stand...

Rook's blood-scream shatters memory towers on all sides, as dry lightning tears the air. Coruscating light fumes, as he rises, winged and awful - wings that slip between material and ether as if on fire, venting smoke and ash, smouldering emissions pouring from his long limbs like steam from a forge as he rips his way free of the mire that holds him, spined shoulders glittering in constellations of darkness. Pulsejets shriek as his thrusters swoon to life, as he leaves the ground in a surge of dizzying acceleration - a vast, avian shape, a shape bleeding crimson light from the jagged gashes of his eyes.

Through boiling frost clouds. Through shifting shadows.

He tears his way free, and *takes flight*.

And all that remains - All that remains - is the bitter end.

JOKER QUEST

EPISODE 140

TO BE CONTINUED

>>41786932
He fucked Rust Kaiser's face up something fierce.

>>41786941
>You know this, because the Essence of Armaros's death boils around you, drawn inexorably to you like iron fillings to a magnet.
You know, I actually hope we're not gonna level up from this. That would be too cruel.

>>41786941
Rook goes full berserker?

>>41786970
We need the level up. Let it be his last gift - A renewed fighting chance.

Better than if an enemy levels from it.

>>41786941
So Daegal failed his moral roll but Rook aced his.

>>41786941

(Gentlemen...Uh, wow.

To step out of the game for a moment, I'll sate - the issue with using a system for a Quest is that you have to abide by the rules. Fluke occurrences aren't uncommon, and it falls to the QM to make sense of the results.

They don't always tie up neatly with the narrative or what would be dramatically appropriate - but what happens, happens. This is a very, very complex encounter, and an extremely lethal one for all parties involved; this can lead to extremely unexpected, and extremely abrupt consequences.

I'll note that through self-cannibalization, Rook was deliberately lowering his HP and increasing his Encroachment to be overwhelmed by it faster, hence the transformation at the end. There's a lot to talk about and I'm afraid that I may not have done some of the scenes justice, but that, I'm afraid, comes with the Quest.

Good night and God bless - You've been a wonderful audience, and I hope to see you all again soon.)

>>41787006
>I'll note that through self-cannibalization, Rook was deliberately lowering his HP and increasing his Encroachment to be overwhelmed by it faster, hence the transformation at the end. There's a lot to talk about and I'm afraid that I may not have done some of the scenes justice, but that, I'm afraid, comes with the Quest.
So my guess was correct.

I hope he remains sane enough to assault Alura.

Did we do as bad as expected?

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>>41786941
Bye, Armaros. You were a much better man than I first thought.

>>41786970
I think it'd be nice if he did. Even in death, he'd give us the power to fight.
Also, we really need to give that sword to Daegal. He's the only one from our team who can wield it.

>>41787006
thanks for running Op, hope you release the system you use one day seems awesome.

>>41787024

(It's a combination of a lot of factors, really. So far, the law of averages is asserting itself.)