Where we left off...

With your dinner finished, you stand up from the table, cutting off the conversation. "Thank you, Miss Edelfelt, this has been enormously interesting. Unfortunately, I must be awake quite early tomorrow if I'm to deal with out attackers. I don't have the time to learn anything more about your fascinating organization. And now, good night." So saying, you pick up your dishes and turn toward the kitchen, looking to deposit them before retiring.

"Good night, Yumigawa-kun. I wish you good fortune in tomorrow's battle. But before you go, listen to one more warning from me."

Already halfway to the kitchen, you stop and turn back to Truvietianne. "What's that, Miss Edelfelt?"

The girl pauses a moment to wipe daintily at her lips with a lacy napkin. "Don't go looking for any more information about the Headmaster or the Wandering Sea," she says in a grave tone. "You've done very well for yourself in this War, and you've wound up something more than human. I don't blame you if that makes you confident, but remember that there are things quite beyond you." You've gotten used to taking Truvietianne lightly, seeing her as a flighty and somewhat out-of-touch rich girl. Now, though, the look in her eyes sends a shiver down your spine. She's talking in deadly earnest, and you can't quite bring yourself to write the matter off.

"Thank you again, Miss Edelfelt," you say with a nod. "I will take it to heart." Without waiting for another dire warning or mysterious comment, you turn on your heel and retreat into the kitchen. After dropping your dishes in the sink and taking a moment to get over the bizarre moment of fear, you make your way back up to your room. When you pass through the dining hall again, Truvietianne is gone, and you see no-one else on your way back to your dorm. It's past 10:30, and you're suddenly desperately tired.

Before you can get to bed, however, there's one more obstacle waiting for you. As you close the door to the suite behind you and turn on the light, you're greeted by the sight of Adelheid, in uniform, sitting at your desk. She offers you a friendly smile. "Hello, Rushorou. You took long enough about dinner. Enjoy it?"

"Dinner was fine," you say, dismissing the topic irritably. "I'd like to get to bed soon, what with the attack tomorrow. Is there any way we can make this quick, Adelheid?"

"Of course!" Adelheid puts on an expression of concern. "I understand the importance of sleep, you know. It's about your sleep that I'm here? Caster is indisposed, isn't she?"

"Ah, and you want to guard me overnight, is that it?" Relieved that there isn't some enormous new issue to be dealt with, you cross the room and slump down on your bed. "Alright, I suppose they could attack in the middle of the night. Technically, tomorrow is only two hours away. Stand watch if you like, Adelheid. Thank you for your concern." Looking up at the girl, you return her smile. "Now I really, *Yawn*, must be getting to sleep," you say, already slipping into the darkness of blissful unconsciousness. 'Busting open that command spell really took a toll,' is the last thing that runs through your mind before sleep comes.

End of Day 10

You awaken in a bedroom superior in opulence to your own royal apartment, staring up at the silk hangings over the bed. It's been a long time since you've seen them, but they're not unfamiliar. You've returned to the Isle of the Witch, Aeaea, to the same room where you slept during the year you spent here once before.

But how? You search your mind for the course of events, and you clearly recall dying. You life's blood, flowing into the sea as you lay on the rocky shore, killed by the red-haired foreign warrior.

As you sit up and look around, you discover that your body is not what you remember either; you've become young and strong once more, the same robust adventurer who spent ever-victorious decades at war or at sea. You leap to your feet, looking around for the culprit. You don't know how or why, but now you're certain. The Witch of Aeaea has prevented you from reaching the Elysian Fields and called you back here!

As if answering your mental summons, the door opens and Circe, together with the same warrior who slew you, enters, smiling broadly. "Welcome back, my love," she cries, rushing to you for a clinging embrace. "It's been a lifetime, but now I have you again at last, and we'll never be apart again!"

"Wait," you say, and push the woman back to arm's length. "What have you done to me, Circe? I should be dead; was dead, by his hand!"

"Oh, you're confused, of course," the witch replies indulgently, "I understand, but it was the only way I could have you return to me. You'd grown old away from my island, there in Ithaca, and you would never have made the trip! So I had our son kill you, and returned you to youth and life from a drop of blood, preserved in the sting of a ray."

"Our son?" You look at the red-haired warrior, look hard, and see for the first time how much he resembles you. There are the celestial features of the nymph, the pointed ears, red hair, and sense of elegance, but at the same time there are his eyes, and the shape of his bones; it is the strong, canny face of the royal line of Ithaca that returns your hard gaze. "Gods, it is our son. But no, this is madness!" You round on the witch. "I lived with you once, for a year and a day, here on your island. And when I had fully considered the matter, I made my choice. The choice of mortality, the choice to return! I belong in Ithaca, not here in your palace, kept tame by soporific luxury like your beasts!"

At your outburst, the love and happiness drains from Circe's face, leaving it a cold and emotionless mask. Before you have time to react, she plunges a long golden needle into your chest, piercing your heart. "Another failure," she sighs. "When will he return to me, Telegonus?"

As you double over and breathe your last, you faintly hear your son answer, "Perhaps never, mother. You should abandon this notion before it becomes the death of you." Then you can breathe no longer.

You can breathe no longer. Wait, you can't breathe! Something's covering your mouth and nose! Your eyes snap open and you struggle for an escape, before Adelheid pulls away a diminutive pair of hands. "I knew that would wake you up, Rushorou," she says with a chuckle, and points out the window. "Look, it's dawn. The enemy will be coming soon enough."

You sit up groggily and shoot the girl a dirty look. "That was a hell of a way to wake someone up."

Adelheid just shrugs, giving you a mischievous smile. "Getting up in the morning is always painful," she says, "at any rate, it worked."

You heave a sigh and head for the shower. What a way to begin the last day of the War. As you soap off, you think again about the oncoming attack, and what you first need to do in order to deal with it.

>[ ] Go around to the non-combatants, making sure they all get down to the basement. (Compassion)

>[ ] Head for Caster's workshop and begin scrying to see what the enemy are doing. (Self-Preservation)

>[ ] Gather your Servants and prepare to receive the attack outside. Whenever they come, you'll be ready. (Pride/Duty)

>[ ] Formulate a new plan of action (write in your strategy)

>>3474675

>[ ] Head for Caster's workshop and begin scrying to see what the enemy are doing. (Self-Preservation)

>>3474675
>[ ] Head for Caster's workshop and begin scrying to see what the enemy are doing. (Self-Preservation)

>>3474675
>[ ] Head for Caster's workshop and begin scrying to see what the enemy are doing. (Self-Preservation)
Also, if possible, use Caster's magic to broadcast a message to the wake others and make sure they get to the basement.

>>3474713
Support.

Oh Jesus, I now understand the issue that Circe could possibly represent.
but luckily won't because we won't try and run away from her. Also biological immortality is bitchin, take that Zouken.
I just hope the grail has enough juice to incarnate them both.

>>3474723
>be immortal
>don’t be a traitorous, treacherous bitch-made punk
>be a legit hero
EzPz

>>3474726
We just need to be smart about things.
We really need to talk with Circe after the battle is over.
I'm hoping that by having tied affection points we can get a good end for both our servants.

>>3474742
Or, hypothetically, because we didn’t make a decision we all die horribly. You can never tell with these VNs....

>>3474726
Assuming you're referring to Odysseus here. Two of those points are incompatible. He couldn't have stayed with Circe and been a hero at the same time. He would've been a powerful creature, kept beautifully in his prime, but kept also in a gilded cage. Just like her lions, he would've been denied the chance to make use of either his natural talents or the immortality she gave him. So Odysseus gave up the luxury and immortality of Aeaea to pursue the duty he still bore to his people and his wife.

>>3474747
No, I’m referring to Rushorou. For Odysseus the reasons for leaving are much more compelling and tough to argue against. Rushorou, comparatively, has it “ezpz”.

>>3474751
Oh, yeah. You folks don't have to face the same dilemma as Odysseus.

>>3474745
It's obvious that choosing both will unlock the superboss.
>>3474755Especially since she wouldn't be confined to her prison anymore.

>>3474760
>the superboss
I thought that was Shirou in either a cook-off or a death match.

>>3474767
Why not both? Loser becomes dessert.

>>3474675
>[ ] Gather your Servants and prepare to receive the attack outside. Whenever they come, you'll be ready. (Pride/Duty)

The most important thing, you decide, is information. As you head out of the bathroom, dressed for the new day in a cream suit and black tie that's rather spoiled by the cloak wrapped around your arm, you motion Adelheid to follow. "Come on, let's go see Caster. It's time to find out when we can expect today's guests."

"Very well, Rushorou." Without another word, the girl falls into step by your side as you make your way to Caster's workshop. While you walk, you send a telepathic call to Caster. 'Are you awake in there? I'm on my way to take a look at what Archer and Rider are up to.'

'Yes, Master, I've recovered all the energy I need to. How did you find your cloak, by the way?'

'Its functionality is excellent,' you send back, 'but I had some trouble with the size. It wasn't wide enough to use as a cloak, so I had to wrap it around my arm instead.'

'The size, of course,' Caster sounds as if she's just remembering the matter. 'I had to make it smaller than I'd intended due to the scarcity of material. The entire surface had to be covered with your blood and bone marrow, and even spreading it very thin I couldn't make the thing larger than it is now. I'm glad you can use it despite that.' The thought of her using your blood takes you back to last night's dream for a moment, and an involuntary shudder runs through you. With some effort, you push the matter from your mind; you've almost arrived at Caster's workshop, and the last thing you need is to dwell on some nightmare.

You open the door and walk in, saying, "As I said, it works fine. Still, you can see how I'm wearing it; not what you had in mind, I'm sure."

Caster purses her lips as she examines the black and red wrapping on your arm. "Not quite, no. Nothing for it though; moving on!" It seems Caster had prepared her scrying bowl while you walked, as it's already sitting on a small round table in the center of the room. As you and Adelheid sit down, Caster mutters an indecipherable syllable over the water and the reflection of the ceiling is replaced by an aerial view of Rider's ship, the Queen Anne's revenge. It's currently airborne, sailing over the city as it makes its way towards the university at an impressive speed. The wind, apparently, is in Blackbeard's favor.

"Oh dear," Caster mutters, examining the buildings below the ship. "It looks like they'll be here in less than an hour."

As you watch, the view continues to approach the ship, until it draws in to focus on the three living figures standing on the deck amidst the swarm of rotting sailors. Jack DeLancey, Edward Teach, and the Man With No Name stand side by side at the prow of the ship, looking out toward the university. DeLancey is the first to speak. "Teach," he says, "You sure about this? Just sail over and bomb 'em from above? I can't help thinkin' it seems a bit simple for a plan to take out the kind of man who can end up one of the last two Masters."

Blackbeard turns his infernal grin to the other man, patting him on the shoulder with a massive hand. DeLancey's a big man, several inches over your head, but next to Rider he looks positively diminutive. "Jack," he says, "Ye've never commanded a ship, have ye? Never been in the navy, or fought a marine battle? No, didn't think so. It all comes down to concentrated fire, making sure you're hitting the enemy harder in one place than they're hitting you. They could have double yer numbers, but if they're all spread out and ye're grouped up tight, ye can shred 'em. That's what usin' cannon's all about. We have one ship, my boy, and it's got more firepower and resilience than anything they can throw at us. So what we're gonna do is put that advantage to use."

Then Archer cuts in, taking the cigar out of his mouth to speak. "You remember the Civil War, Jack? Bet you had some family that fought in it."

"Of course I remember the Civil War," Jack exclaims, "Why, with everything we DeLanceys lost I couldn't well forget it! An yes, Charles DeLancey was a cavalry major in the-"

Archer cuts him off. "Specifics aren't the point. Your family lost that war with the rest of Dixie, right? Why do you think?"

"Brutality," Jack shouts, his accent intensifying with his temper, becoming almost a caricature of the educated Southern gentleman. "The North was willing to sink to depths of barbarism we never were! Burning cities, killing civilians, all the worst atrocities an army can inflict on an enemy people during the war, they inflicted on us! The destroyed our ability to wage war by burning the South itself!"

Archer smirks, taking a long drag as Jack decries the Union Army. "No," he says, "you're talking about what made you give up. You'd already lost the war by then, Jack. You lost it to superior firepower. Sure, the South had all the best generals and tactics. What the North had was more. More men, more bullets, more of everything. They could roll over you no matter what you tried."

DeLancey looks aghast. "And that's how you two intend to win this war? Just roll over them, without a thought to strategy?"

"Your Servant's got the firepower to do it," Archer says, still smirking. "I'm just here to help things along."

Interesting as this may be, the Queen Anne's Revenge is approaching fast. You can't stay here in Caster's tower until they arrive! You stand up and...

>[ ] Go out to the grounds with Adelheid and Caster, to meet the enemy from below as they come over the wall. (Duty)

>[ ] Head up to the roof, so you and your Servants are on an even level with the enemy when they attack. (Pride)

>[ ] Prioritize getting the non-combatants into the basement. From the sound of the enemy's plan, there won't be much need for tactical preparation to receive them.

>[ ] Do something else (Write in)

>>3474861
>[ ] Head up to the roof, so you and your Servants are on an even level with the enemy when they attack. (Pride)

>>3474861
>[ ] Go out to the grounds with Adelheid and Caster, to meet the enemy from below as they come over the wall. (Duty)

>>3474861
Oops. The third option is a Compassion choice; I just forgot to add the note.

>>3474861
>[ ] Prioritize getting the non-combatants into the basement. From the sound of the enemy's plan, there won't be much need for tactical preparation to receive them. (Compassion)

>>3474861
>[ ] Prioritize getting the non-combatants into the basement. From the sound of the enemy's plan, there won't be much need for tactical preparation to receive them. (Compassion)
Fuck you, Blackbeard.

>If we lose, the south will rise again
That’s a comforting thought

Teach isn't aware of submarines, is he?

>>3474861
>[ ] Go out to the grounds with Adelheid and Caster, to meet the enemy from below as they come over the wall. (Duty)
Have Caster inform the noncombatants to get into the basement if they haven't already.

Wait, how feasible would it be to have Adelheid break into QAR's hull by using torpedo blasts and then breaking stuff like support beams?

U-Boats should be common knowledge, too, if you've paid attention in your history classes.

>>3474939
His idea of how to win a battle is pretty comically off-base; it's like he's never heard of flanking. On the other hand, Archer, while right about the civil war, is wrong in applying it to this coming battle. Having more stuff overall might be a great benefit to your ability to win in the long run, but in a single engagement it doesn't guarantee victory if you're an idiot and use it as such.

>>3474961
Having Adelheid destroy the QAR is already the plan.

>>3474965
The enemies don't know what we know about Adelheid - they just know she's a pretty little girl who goes boom.

>>3474970
Blackbeard died surrounded and outmaneuvered by a superior naval force. He's no Admiral Nelson. Archer, well, you folks know what a great ally he is.

>>3474970
>Having Adelheid destroy the QAR is already the plan.
Yes, but we can do it from below rather than above.
>The enemies don't know what we know about Adelheid - they just know she's a pretty little girl who goes boom.
I was more saying that so the idea wouldn't seem meta. What we need are shaped-charge explosives anyway.

The question is can Caster warn the others and still be able to attack from above while we crack the shell from below?

>>3474979
Using Berserker's explosions to destroy it from below has been the plan for a while now.

File: 1549483071305.jpg (106 KB, 640x775)

106 KB JPG

>>3474985
Huh, so it was.

>>3474861
>[ ] Prioritize getting the non-combatants into the basement. From the sound of the enemy's plan, there won't be much need for tactical preparation to receive them.

>>3475090
Would we still have time to outflank them if we do this? That is my main concern.

I still say we leave it (corralling the noncombatants) up to Circe while we get into position.

Well, I was going to do an update but now you're tied again.

>>3475116
Could Circe tell the others to get to safety while we get into position or is this an either/or ordeal?

>>3475116
>>3475119
If we could have Caster alert the others remotely rather than have to do it in person, I'll change my vote to getting in position. I just want everybody safe so we can focus on the battle.

>>3475119
You can ask her to tell the others to get into the basement, but she'll be lagging a bit behind you and Adelheid in getting ready for the attack.
To clarify, the compassion option will have you personally going around the university and making sure people get down into the basement. If you have Caster send out an alert, there's no guarantee they'll all hear it...

>>3475123
Then I'll change to Compassion.

>>3475123
I'll keep my vote as Compassion, then.

>>3474861
>[ ] Prioritize getting the non-combatants into the basement. From the sound of the enemy's plan, there won't be much need for tactical preparation to receive them.

You stand up and make a chopping motion with your hand. "Cut off the picture, Caster. We're running short on time."

"Alright," Caster says, and the image fades from the water. Caster and Adelheid rise with you.

"I'm going to make sure everyone's up and heading for the basement," you declare. "Caster, focus on reinforcing our barrier for now. Adelheid, you can come with me."

WIthout waiting for confirmation, you turn and exit the room. You have a lot of ground to cover if you want to get to everyone's rooms, and you have to do it fast. You start with Truvietianne, since she's the one who'll have to set up the barrier in the basement, making for her room with quick strides. When you arrive, you discover that it's as you feared. The girl remains dead asleep. Without pausing for niceties, you barge in and shake her awake.

"Huh?" Truvietianne blinks groggily in the light, "Yu-Yumigawa-kun?" As she recognizes you, her voice jumps and she goes red. "What are you doing in my room? Entering a lady's room wthout permission is-"

You cut her off. "The enemy will be here in less than an hour," you say in a tone that brooks no quarrel. "Get up, and get down to the basement to take shelter." Once again, time pressing down on you, you leave the room without waiting for a proper response. As you head for Kikuko's room, you check your watch and realize that it's already been fifteen minutes since you left Caster's workshop. Not for the first time, you curse the unnecessary size of this university.

Before you arrive, though, an idea strikes. You can entrust Kikuko with getting everyone else into the basement! She may protest, but you know for a fact that Caster's magic makes the girl incapable of resisting your orders. To your surprise, as you knock on her door you hear a responding voice. "Come in," Kikuko calls. "Is that you, Yumigawa-kun?"

"That's right," you say, heading into the room. Kikuko is wearing a nightgown and sitting at a vanity, combing her hair in front of the mirror. "You get up earlier than Edelfelt," you observe. "But I can't have you killing time doing your hair. The enemy is on their way here now, and I need you to get everyone into the basement."

"What?" The girl spins around to look you in the face, furious. "You already know I totally hate the idea of even having to, like, waste today down there! Now I have to, like, get everyone else to as well?"

"There's just no time," you insist. "I can't do it myself." You take the girl by the shoulders and fix your eyes on hers; you don't really know if this will improve the effects of Caster's brainwashing, but it's worth a try. "Munahara, go and round up the other non-combatants. Take them down to the deepest level of the basement, and make sure you all stay safe during the fighting. I need you to do this, understand?"

Kikuko looks down, suddenly wearing the expression of a child told off by her parents. "Alright," she says sullenly. Then she breaks away from you and starts pulling clothes out of her closet. "Just give me a minute to, like, get dressed."

With that, the issue of making sure everyone takes shelter seems solved, and you almost run out of Kikuko's room. You barely have time to make it back to Caster's workshop before you hear the first sounds of cannon fire as Rider's ship begins bombarding the university grounds.

"Master," Caster cries, "There you are! My barrier is holding them outside the property of the university for the moment, but it won't be able to hold out much longer! What should we do?"

>[ ] Go down to ground level to attack the ship from below.

>[ ] Ascend to the roof to attack the Servants on deck.

>[ ] Propose another plan. (Write in)

>>3475196
>[ ] Go down to ground level to attack the ship from below
U-boats > Frigates

>>3475196
>[ ] Go down to ground level to attack the ship from below.

>>3475196
>[ ] Go down to ground level to attack the ship from below.

>>3475196
>[ ] Go down to ground level to attack the ship from below.

>>3475196
>[ ] Go down to ground level to attack the ship from below.

File: QAR.jpg (146 KB, 666x600)

146 KB JPG

You give Caster a ferocious grin, exclaiming in reply, "It seems we haven't a moment to lose! Caster, teleport the three of us outside, to the university grounds! If Rider thinks he can fire on us with impunity, we'll just have to show him how vulnerable a galleon is from below!"

"Very well, Master. Tροψα!" At Caster's command, the space around you shimmers and warps, and in a moment you're standing outside, by one of the university gardens' many ponds. Above and in front of you floats Rider's massive ship, the Queen Anne's Revenge. It hovers just outside the grounds of the university, its cannons thundering a constant succession of fire into the invisible wall that stretches up from the more mundane stone wall at the property's edge. "Master, the barrier can't hold out any longer," Caster says, a strain in her voice. "They're coming!" As if on cue, the air is torn by a great shattering noise, like thousands of windows being broken by a single impact. Hairline cracks seem to spread through the very air above the wall, before the barrier fades away entirely, unable to sustain itself with its cohesion lost. The great ship turns again, sailing majestically forward to advance over the university, and you can distantly hear Rider's voice boom out.

"Master of Caster! Come out soon, or we'll pound yer house into the dirt! This is it for ye!"

The deck of the ship is slightly higher than the roof of the university, making it too high for anyone but Caster to attack the wooden behemoth. In the short time you have before Rider resumes his broadside, your mind races. How can you make your attack?

>[ ] Order Caster to fly up to the ship, carrying Adelheid with her. She can let Adelheid go near the ship's hull and continue her ascent to start flooding the deck with her familiars from above. If Adelheid can't punch through the hull she'll fall back to earth, but it's the most direct plan of attack for your Servants. You'll stay below to avoid facing Rider and Archer.

>[ ] Order Adelheid to try to ascend to the ship's hull under her own power, using Volksgemeinschaft's propulsion. Caster will carry you up and deposit you in a relatively hidden spot on the deck, near the entrance to the ship's interior, and then distract Archer and Rider with her familiars while you look for DeLancey.

>[ ] Order Caster and Berserker to concentrate all of their offensive power in a combined attack on the hull of the Queen Anne's Revenge, hopefully wrecking the ship before it can bombard the university. Once all your enemies have fallen to earth, they'll be much easier to deal with.

Alright folks, I'm back and hoping we can complete the battle with Rider and Archer today. Let's get ready for the climax of this tumultuous Holy Grail War!

>>3476277
>[ ] Order Adelheid to try to ascend to the ship's hull under her own power, using Volksgemeinschaft's propulsion. Caster will carry you up and deposit you in a relatively hidden spot on the deck, near the entrance to the ship's interior, and then distract Archer and Rider with her familiars while you look for DeLancey.
Third option is the worst, by the way.

>>3476277
Oh, and of course you can
>[ ] Come up with another strategy (Write in)

>>3476277
>[ ] Order Caster to fly up to the ship, carrying Adelheid with her. She can let Adelheid go near the ship's hull and continue her ascent to start flooding the deck with her familiars from above. If Adelheid can't punch through the hull she'll fall back to earth, but it's the most direct plan of attack for your Servants. You'll stay below to avoid facing Rider and Archer.

>>3476277
>[ ] Order Caster to fly up to the ship, carrying Adelheid with her. She can let Adelheid go near the ship's hull and continue her ascent to start flooding the deck with her familiars from above. If Adelheid can't punch through the hull she'll fall back to earth, but it's the most direct plan of attack for your Servants. You'll stay below to avoid facing Rider and Archer.
I get the feeling that going onto the ship in the midst of a servant battle will end up much like the last time.

>>3476340
You have a point. Switching >>3476301 to support.

>>3476277
One other thing I wanted to mention, the diagram! I've been rather vague about the layout of the ship up until now, so I thought I'd put up an image to help clarify things. A few location notes:
The first time you saw the ship, when Keiseki was reclining on a deck chair, it was on the poop deck.
The entrance to the ship's interior where Caster would deposit you if you go for option 2 is at the rear wall of the quarterdeck.
When Jack, Blackbeard, and Blondie were standing at towards the prow and having their discussion this morning, they were doing so at the front of the forecastle.

Rolled 3 (1d20)

>[X] Order Caster to fly up to the ship, carrying Adelheid with her. She can let Adelheid go near the ship's hull and continue her ascent to start flooding the deck with her familiars from above. If Adelheid can't punch through the hull she'll fall back to earth, but it's the most direct plan of attack for your Servants. You'll stay below to avoid facing Rider and Archer.

Roll 2d20

Rolled 7, 1 = 8 (2d20)

>>3476439
Well here we fuckin go
check out these worthless rolls.

Rolled 19, 7 = 26 (2d20)

>>3476439
Useless.

>>3476445
Oops.

Rolled 16, 10 = 26 (2d20)

>>3476439

>>3476445
>Inb4 ded Circe

>>3476457
Here's hoping we just manage to die ourselves somehow.

>>3476445
Maybe you, ah... shouldn't call your roles.

Rolled 1, 13 = 14 (2d20)

>>3476461
Hmmm.
lets put that to the test
Check out these absolutely great rolls

>>3476465
what the shit.

>>3476465
>1
Cursed

I figured you folks had this about wrapped up when I rolled that 3 for Rider, but you really can't catch a break. That is rough!

>>3476445
>>3476465
Fuck everything.

Rolled 15, 3 = 18 (2d20)

>>3476484
c-check out this set of mediocre rolls
I'm so sorry guys.

>>3476484
This is the work of the (((((Archer)))))

Rolled 12, 7 = 19 (2d20)

>>3476439
Of all the things...

A 1 shouldn't be THAT bad, compared to a 3, right?

>>3476526
>3 for rider
>1 for one of our servants
>19 for one of our servants
I predict a loss of a servant in either side

>>3476526
A crit fail will fuck you up far more than a crit success could ever help you. If I had to guess, I'd say one of our servants is either dead or unable to continue fighting. Saber managed to survive a 1, but he lost that battle immediately regardless.

>>3476281
>I'm back and hoping we can complete the battle with Rider and Archer today.
...and then life came around. Writing the update now, sorry about the disappearance.

>>3476745
No worries

File: 1550353263475.jpg (98 KB, 629x812)

98 KB JPG

>>3476745
>>3476760
One worry.

>>3476763
Ok,
>1
Worry

>>3476771
Here's hoping it's just a dead end.
Way too long since we visited the Dojo

The best way to attack the ship, you decide, is actually the most direct. "Caster," you say, "What I want you to do is carry Adelheid up to the midsection of the ship's hull, flying. Get as close as you can and let her go. Adelheid, you'll use a shaped explosion to break your way in through the hull. Once that's done, Caster, you'll continue your ascent to attack Rider and Archer from above, flooding the deck with your familiars. While you keep them occupied, Adelheid should be able to wreck the ship's interior and kill Rider's Master."

Adelheid gives you a crisp salute, answering "Understood!" Caster's response is more measured. "How will you stay safe if they aren't all still on the ship, Master?"

Your confidence, however, is unshakable. "They will be," you say. "Didn't you listen to their plans? Archer and Rider think they can just fire on us from the air with impunity. They'll all be waiting on that ship, mark my words."

"Alright, Master, I'll trust your judgment." Caster gives you a gentle smile, and an out-of-place chill runs down your spine. Is it the dream again, messing with your head, or something else? While you clear your head, Caster puts her arms around Adelheid and takes flight. "Oh! You're heavier than you look," you hear as they rapidly gain distance, followed by an indistinguishable irate response from the Berserker.

Focusing your eyes, you can make out the entire course of the two Servants' assault on the ship despite being at a range that would require a good set of binoculars for a normal human. Just as planned, Caster closes in on the hull of the ship from below and Adelheid leaps from her arms, surrounded by a conical explosion that tears a large hole in the side of the ship. She alights on the lower deck, quickly fading into the shadows as she makes her way deeper into the huge vessel. By that time, Caster has already resumed her ascent, and she soon begins summoning lions, tigers, and wolves to fill the deck of the Queen Anne's Revenge and tear apart its undead crew. From your low angle, you can't see what's happening onboard, but you soon hear Blackbeard's booming laughter. "That won't work twice, Caster," he roars. "Fire!" Suddenly there's a flash from the deck, and the renewed sound of cannon fire. It can't be... did he move the some of his cannons from the gunports to the deck to react to an aerial assault? As you watch, an impact slams into Caster; you can't make out the detail of what it's done to her, but she drops from the sky to vanish from view in the trees. Blackbeard's laughter echoes through the morning air as he calls to his crew. "Alright, that's one handled! Now, turn about and let's reduce this heap!"

You don't have time to watch the Queen Anne's Revenge turn to face the university with its starboard cannons, though, as a drawling voice calls through the trees. "Look at that, you're not in the university at all! So much for sneaking in under covering fire, eh, Archer?"

You whip around to see Jack DeLancey and Archer, standing in the shadow of a wide oak. But how could they have gotten away from the ship so quickly? Then it comes to you. They must have left the ship at some point during the approach and made their way in while Rider was bombarding the barrier. With everything focused on defending against the ship, Caster couldn't have noticed their presences or stopped their approach.

Archer blows a puff of smoke before answering DeLancey. "Yeah," he says, "Sure looks like we had some luck." He looks you in the eye, daring you to try something.

>[ ] Charge DeLancey! These two won't be expecting an attack, and you're fast enough to take him out before they can respond. (Pride)

>[ ] Dash behind a tree, maybe you can lose them in the glade! At least you'll have cover. (Self-Preservation)

>[ ] Try to use your mystic code to shield yourself. If you can guess his shot right, you can make your escape in the confusion or fake your death. (Duty/Self-Preservation)

>[ ] Use a command spell to call Adelheid to you. With Rider's Master here, there's no point in her being on the ship anyway. (Duty)

>[ ] Try to talk your way out of the situation. (By saying what?)

>[ ] Do something else (Write in)

>>3476798
>[ ] Try to use your mystic code to shield yourself. If you can guess his shot right, you can make your escape in the confusion or fake your death. (Duty/Self-Preservation)
Every cowboy movie's fatal shot was aimed for the center of mass.

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>>3476798
Also please be alive...

>>3476798
>[ ] Try to use your mystic code to shield yourself. If you can guess his shot right, you can make your escape in the confusion or fake your death. (Duty/Self-Preservation)
I hope we die.

>>3476439
>>3476445
In case you folks are curious about how these rolls worked, my 3 was for Rider detecting Adelheid's attack on the hull. One player d20 was for Adelheid's success in that attack, and the other was for Caster's performance against Rider (although that had a pretty high DC anyway, since it was exactly what he was expecting.)

>>3476811
I swear to god she better just be injured.

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>>3476838
... for your sake.

>>3476842
Why don't we just try and die and hope it resets the encounter.

>>3476849
I don't think Sweets will be so merciful as to take us back rather than just putting us at the point before the killing choice.
>>3476798
>[ ] Try to use your mystic code to shield yourself. If you can guess his shot right, you can make your escape in the confusion or fake your death. (Duty/Self-Preservation)
D-does the guy even know what Mystic Codes are?

>>3476849
Did that happen when we got duped and died?

>>3476856
>D-does the guy even know what Mystic Codes are?
Well, there weren't any portable holes in the Dollars trilogy.

>>3476856
I mean.
Until we got a 100 and a 20 the whole getting tricked by Archer thing was supposed to be a dead end route apparently.

>>3476798
>[ ] Try to use your mystic code to shield yourself. If you can guess his shot right, you can make your escape in the confusion or fake your death. (Duty/Self-Preservation)

>>3476798
Fuck. I hope you're okay, Caster.

Time to try turning this around. Thank god Rider's master is here too - if Archer was alone, we'd be done for.

>[ ] Try to talk your way out of the situation. (By saying what?)
> "...Rider did think he'd killed all the spare masters except this one, didn't he? Looks like you win the war, Archer. Lancer's former master is a fine mage. Between the two of you, the starving servants that remain won't pose a problem. Well played."

Jack and Rider don't know we have the stockpile of mages. Hopefully we can spook Jack into summoning Rider once he realizes the folly of coming here without his servant.

>>3476884
Whoops. Not mages, but survivors. Potential masters.

>>3476884
>[ ] Try to talk your way out of the situation. (By saying what?)
> Take a good look at DeLancey. "...Rider did think he'd killed all the spare masters except this one, didn't he? Looks like you win the war, Archer. Lancer's former master is a fine mage. Once you've killed the two of us, the starving servants that remain won't pose a problem. Well played."
Changing this to be a tad more explicit. Just in case.

>>3476838
Masters and servants have a pretty strong connection. If she had died, we'd feel it, all the more so because we'd suddenly get about 50 circuit's worth of Od back. She's not dead, but I don't think she's going to be much help for the rest of this fight.

>>3476849
If there's any choice that will get us out of this mess, we won't get to reset the encounter, and fucking up twice will result in permadeath. I'd rather not actively try to do something stupid since Sweets has stated pretty explicitly in the past that he intends to punish that sort of behavior from players.

>>3476927
>Sweets has stated pretty explicitly in the past that he intends to punish that sort of behavior from players.
Hey, good memory!

>>3476938
Shut up, Sweets, I'm blaming you for the crit fail.

>>3476803
Except for the first time we had the chance to dead end with him, where he would have blown a hole through our neck.

Am I seriously the only guy who doesn't want to commit suicide in the vain hope of preventing Caster from getting hurt? She's a Servant, guys. She can take a hit, even if she is of the more fragile variety. All she has to do is go into spirit form and sit this one out.

>>3476964
I thought the cloak choice was the possum/escape choice?

By the way, can the cloak work on air, or are we not experienced enough with it?

>>3476964
I’m voting my way because I don’t think talking to Archer is going to put us in anywhere near a position to get out of here. He should damn well know at this point not to trust Rushorou’s mouth, so I frankly just think the absurd mystic code option is the most viable rn.

All of the other in-post options can pretty easily be negated with “Rushorou’s not faster than a bullet”, whereas I think there’s more of a chance of him being able to react fast enough to whoosh the bullet and then get something done.

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>>3476940
Externalizing your bad luck won't make it go away, anon.

>>3476972
The cloak is only the "escape choice" if we can outsmart Archer when it comes to where to shoot people. The cloak can't protect our entire body. I'm guessing the cloak escape will require a roll and the surefire survival strategy is calling back Adelheid. I'd like to preserve the command spell for our inevitable battle with Cid if possible, and we're down a Servant, so if we can make this into a 3-way free-for-all rather than a 2v1 we'll be in a much better position.

>>3476979
I don't expect Archer to trust Rushorou's mouth. I intend to play on DeLancey's inherent distrust of Archer since Jack doesn't know us very well. The cloak also can't cover our entire body, so Archer could well just cap us in the leg like he did back in thread 3 and we're screwed.

>>3476994
That assumes Archer won’t simply cap Rushorou as soon as he starts talking.

>>3476991
I mean, it is the QM

>>3476994
>DeLancey's inherent distrust of Archer
Who's he going to trust more, a designated ally or an enemy?

>>3477001
Archer has a particular fondness for enjoying the moment when he thinks he's won. That's why he didn't just gun us down the first time we met. I've seen the first movie, it's definitely in character for him to do that. This is our chance to bite him in the ass with it.

>>3477005
An ally, obviously. That's why we won't be trying to convince him. We'll simply be referring to him as a defeated non-element in a conversation with Archer that he happens to be able to overhear.

You had an interesting plan, ID, but the votes just aren't with you. Update coming up.

>>3477036
Shit, that's too bad. Can't say I didn't try.

BGM: https://youtu.be/EujDcc2xEUI

In the deadly moment, several options flash through your mind. You could charge DeLancey. No, that's too risky. Hide behind a tree? You'd be shot before you could make it. Calling Adelheid with a command spell or trying to talk Archer down would both see you shot before you could get a word in, most likely. No, there's only one thing to do. You have to use the cloak Caster made for you! It was designed to protect against projectiles, this is the moment!

You lock eyes with Archer, ready to go for your cloak at any moment. He can see the desperate courage in your gaze, and returns it with cold contempt. His hand floats over the handle of his gun, serene and calm; and ready. Your senses seem to heighten as adrenaline floods your system, the moment stretching out into an age; you can make out every detail of the silver rattlesnakes engraved into the grip of Archer's pistol; every stitch of fabric in his coat and every detail on his hat stands out. But that's all in your peripheral vision. Your eyes are locked on his, red to blue, each probing the other for a sign of weakness. You take a breath and-

>[ ] Cover your chest!

>[ ] Cover your face!

>[ ] Cover your gut!

>[ ] Cover one of your legs! (Which?)

>>3477038
Gut or chest, gut or chest, gut or chest.....
>[ ] Cover your gut!
Fuck this is just like a scene from the movies we’re doomed

>>3477038
>[ ] Cover your gut!
Oh, hell, I have no way of knowing. I'm going to bet on the quickdraw landing on the gut like it does in the movies.

>>3477038
>[ ] Cover your gut!

>>3477055
>Oh, hell, I have no way of knowing.
There are a couple of clues at your disposal, actually.

>>3477064
The music?

>>3477064
>>3477067
Well fuck, I don't want to spoil the last movie in the trilogy when I've only seen one. But if I don't, we get hit and probably have to redo this choice.
Son of a bitch...

>>3477067
>>3477068
No, from the quest! All you'll get from the music is that it's a duel.

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>remembers Lancer
SWITCH TO THE CHEST, NOW!

>>3477070
Okay then, let's review.

Archer shot us in the throat when he was right next to us and had the advantage. That's probably out.
Archer shot us in the leg when he wanted to keep us alive for information. That's out for sure.
When he hit Lancer, which was the only in-battle shot to kill we've seen, he nailed Lancer right in the heart.

With that in mind...
>[ ] Cover your chest!

>>3477080
One last piece of evidence - remember when we walked out of the church that one time?
Archer shot us in the chest.
The chest is where he shoots to kill.

>>3477038
>Cover your chest!

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IF ALL THE GUT VOTES DON'T BECOME CHEST VOTES...

>>3477080
>>3477084
Solid research.

>>3477038
Changing
>>3477044
To
>[ ] Cover your chest!

>>3477038
>[ ] Cover your chest!

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At almost the same moment, you move! Archer's hand leaps up with impossible speed, revolver barrel leveled, and you stretch the fabric of your cload over your chest, protecting your heart as you fill the material with mystic energy.

BANG!

Pain rips through your mind as your throat is torn open by Archer's shot. You were... wrong...

You can't keep your head up strait anymore, the muscles are torn. As it sags, you see the blood pouring down your front; ruining your suit running into the cloth. It must still be open, the blood goes no further; just vanishes into the blackness. In the edge of your vision, the blurry form of Archer walks up to you.

You fall to your knees, and then go down on your side as the power leaves your body. With your head propped up again by the ground, you can see Archer smiling down at you. "Shoot for the heart, Ramon. Was that it? You've got the wrong guy for that trick." Then, in a flash he whirls, draws again, and plants a bullet in DeLancey's chest. "Now him, I knew he wouldn't do anything. You I wasn't so sure about." He drops the butt of his finished cigar into your cloak, chuckling as it vanishes into the darkness. "That thing sure beats an iron plate," he says, but he's not talking to you anymore. Archer's eyes are already fixed on the university.

As you bleed out, Archer steps over you and walks off to meet his remaining opponents.

DEAD END

Tiger Dojo is a strange hint corner
If you would like to beat the game by yourself
or if you would like to keep the characters' images, please be warned.

https://youtu.be/_asNhzXq72w

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>>3477144
>>3477152
Fuck you.

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>>3477144
nani

>>3477144
Damn, the only one I didn’t even give consideration. Oh well.

>>3477155
Hey now, it's not so bad. You knew you had a pretty weak chance of picking the right option anyway, right?

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>>3477166
SWEEEEEEEETS

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"Snake! Snake? SNAAAAAAKE!"

"No matter what I do, I can't get through this part! Disciple, come and do something about it!"

As you come to, you hear the familiar sound of a certain videogame's loss screen. You're in the usual training hall, but the instructor is sprawled out on a futon, playing with a Pl*ystation in front of an old CRT TV. Sitting beside her is Illya, the Tiger Dojo's senior disciple. "Look, you just have to," she begins.

"A-hem." You clear your throat theatrically.

"Huh?" The pair turns around slowly, and expressions of shock appear. "Ru-chan, you died again," the instructor exclaims joyously. "Finally! Er, I mean," she gets to her feet, putting on a stern expression.

"Osu! This is the training area that saves you people heading straight to cat hell because you made a trivial mistake, the Tiger Dojo!"

Illya cuts in. "Tiger, didn't you use that introduction already?"

Crack!

"Chesto! Who cares if I used it already? And don't call me Tiger, you failure of a disciple! Why are you wearing a gym uniform in a sacred dojo, anyway?"

"That's a laugh, coming from someone who dragged in a game system and futon," Illya moans, rubbing her head. "Anyway, why did Onii-chan die this time? It seemed like he was doing pretty well."

The instructor prods you in the throat. "Because he failed to guess the right place to guard, of course! Ru-chan should've known from the earlier dead end that Archer would shoot him in the throat!"

Illya gives the instructor a worn-out look. "...really?"

"Ju~st kidding! Tehe!" The instructor sticks her tongue out in a "cute" expression. "Actually it's because of the way you sent your Servants off, Ru-chan! You shouldn't leave yourself alone, or at least don't use the same method of attacking twice in a row. Rider prepared countermeasures after the last time you had Caster attack from above, you know?"

"Huh..." you muse.

"But changing that isn't a possibility now. At this point, the best thing you can do is try to get away from Archer! A duel is a definite mistake. Certain death! Now take this Tiger Stamp, and good luck!"

"Wait, what," you ask, "It's impossible to change, what do you-"

>[ ] Charge DeLancey! These two won't be expecting an attack, and you're fast enough to take him out before they can respond. (Pride)

>[ ] Dash behind a tree, maybe you can lose them in the glade! At least you'll have cover. (Self-Preservation)

>[ ] Use a command spell to call Adelheid to you. With Rider's Master here, there's no point in her being on the ship anyway. (Duty)

>[ ] Try to talk your way out of the situation. (By saying what?)

>[ ] Do something else (Write in)

>>3477244
>[ ] Dash behind a tree, maybe you can lose them in the glade! At least you'll have cover. (Self-Preservation)
Fuggit, I ain't got nothing else.

>>3477244
>[ ] Try to talk your way out of the situation. (By saying what?)
> Take a good look at DeLancey. "...Rider did think he'd killed all the spare masters except this one, didn't he? Looks like you win the war, Archer. Lancer's former master is a fine mage. Once you've killed the two of us, the starving servants that remain won't pose a problem. Well played."
Let's try this again.

>>3477244
Except this >>3477271, I guess.

>>3477244
>[ ] Use a command spell to call Adelheid to get you out of here
Fuck, I guess this is it then.

Could a Command Spell work on an unconscious/incapacitated Servant?

>>3477293
Nevermind, that's probably a stupid idea.

>>3477293
Probably not a safe call, especially since Circe is less agile then either Adelheid or Señor No-Name.

>>3477296
My idea was having her tp us out, but yeah.

>>3477244
>[ ] Dash behind a tree, maybe you can lose them in the glade! At least you'll have cover. (Self-Preservation)

>>3477337
Fuck it, he might actually listen.

Alright, folks, it's been fun but now I'm off to bed. Since you're currently tied, I hope you can work together to come up with an excellent strategy by the time I return!

>>3477244
>[ ] Dash behind a tree, maybe you can lose them in the glade! At least you'll have cover. (Self-Preservation)
Allow me to break this tie.

Question for you folks:
As we all know, dead ends are an essential part of FSN, and I've been doing my best to present them well here. Now that we've had nine deaths for Rushorou, I'd like your opinions. Which was your favorite dead end, and why?
As for the whole set, are they gorey and brutal enough, or do I still need to step up my game to capture the feel of the VN?

>>3477389
Why does your asking that while we're risking another, possibly final, Dead End concern me?

>>3477389
>Which was your favorite dead end
NONE OF THEM
>and why?
Because we failed, failing is bad.
>As for the whole set, are they gorey and brutal enough, or do I still need to step up my game to capture the feel of the VN?
Eh, good enough.

>>3477271
>>3477328
Can we shout while we dash behind a tree?

So what would we have gotten if we guessed correctly?

>>3477389
The very first one still stands out, just as a funny and stupid way to go. It also served really well as a non-controversial and workable way to introduce the mechanic itself.

They’re fine. There’s a certain limit to what paragraphs of text and static images can display due to the inherent holdups of the medium, and I think you’ve got the balance of excessive verbiage and underexpression of the horror down quite well.

>>3477389
I think Archer shooting the throat despite the precedent of chest-shooting is kind of bullshit, but I really liked the tension leading up to that dead end.

>>3477435
In theory, it can be done, but only if you ignore the inevitability of Archer shooting us as soon as we try to run.

>>3477519
>implying it was possible to choose correctly at all.

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>>3477538
Sweets wouldn't lie about >>3477166, let alone on the internet, would he?

>>3477542
>>3477538
He was probably saying it was a weak chance b/c we would have had to write-in the throat.

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>>3477542
>implying Sweets-Loving QM would ever tell the truth, especially on the internet
He's a big guy, you know.

>>3477544
Right so there was absolutely zero chance.

>>3477544
For the record, picking face would have saved you.

>>3477535
>precedent of chest-shooting
But there's also the precedent of throat shooting, particularly in your case, at close range, in the university gardens.

>>3477588
Ah, ok. Still a bummer, but it’s fine.

>>3477590
Sure, but that was when he was literally inches away from us and already had his gun out and trained at the back of our head. At no other point in the quest except that dead end does he even try to shoot someone in the throat. Hell, you even said that Caster would get shot in her back (not her throat) if we had tried to use a command spell to kill Keiseki and Kikuko. There just wasn't any real reason to think the throat would be his go-to.

It's too late to do anything about it now, but it still feels cheap.

So it looks like you're settled on going for the cover of a tree. Everyone alright with that?

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>>3477945
I'm not but I already voted, so... I just hope it's the right choice.

>>3477945
I'm pretty sure the vote is tied 2-2.

Talking
>>3477271
>>3477275

Dash to tree
>>3477328
>>3477359

And one guy who wants to try both.
>>3477435

>>3477969
Oh, you're right. I had thought there was another tree vote. In that case, it looks like you'll have to convince one another.

>>3477244
>[ ] Try to talk your way out of the situation. (By saying what?)
> Take a good look at DeLancey. "...Rider did think he'd killed all the spare masters except this one, didn't he? Looks like you win the war, Archer. Lancer's former master is a fine mage. Once you've killed the two of us, the starving servants that remain won't pose a problem. Well played."
Let's give talking a chance.

As you stand there, momentarily paralyzed by the shock of the enemy's appearance, an idea strikes you. You already know DeLancey doesn't trust Archer. Perhaps it would be possible to play on that insecurity and set them against one another. You give DeLancey a long, searching look before turning your eyes to Archer and smirking. "I suppose Rider did think he'd killed all the master candidates but him, didn't he? It seems you've won the war, Archer. Lancer's former master is a fine magus, and between the two of you the starving servants that remain won't pose a problem. Well played. Really, congratulations are in order."

Archer gives you a hard glare, his usual smirk quite gone. "Some people'll try anything when they're at the end of the line," he hisses, "but this is pathetic. Good bye, kid." Just as he's about to draw, though, DeLancey grabs him by the arm.

"Hold on, Archer," DaLancey says angrily, "just what the hell is he talking about? There are more Master candidates?"

Archer rounds on the other Master. "Calm down! Sure there are other survivors here, what about it? Once you and Rider win, they'll go home with their lives."

"Oh, that changes the whole situation," says Jack, but you don't hang around to find out what he does or says afterwards. As soon as Archer's back is to you, you dart behind a tree and from there into some shrubs. You won't be able to crawl through the underbrush the entire way back to the university; for that you'd have to cross open ground, but you can at least move parallel to it. After a few minutes, the voices of Archer and DeLancey fade completely into the background, and you're alone in the simulated forest of the university gardens. With pursuit not seemingly imminent, you send out a telepathic request for a report to each of your Servants.

From Caster, you get nothing. You can still feel the mystic connection between the two of you, so you know she's alive, but whatever condition she's in leaves her unable to respond. Adelheid, on the other hand, is quick to report. 'I was able to get into the ship and start tearing the crew apart without much trouble, but there's no sign of Rider's Master. The deck went silent a few minutes ago as well; Rushorou, do you have any idea what's going on up there?'

Unfortunately, you don't. Caster was dealt with as far as Rider was concerned, so of course there'd be no fighting going on, but that's not enough reason for the cannons to have stopped firing on the university as well. Unless DeLancey called Rider back to him to protect against Archer, anyway. If that's true, you definitely need Adelheid to head for your position as quickly as she can!

'Adelheid,' you begin, 'I think Rider may have left the ship due to-' but before you get any further, there's a deafening crash in the distance. It's the sound of wood slamming into earth, and it's accompanied by a tremor. 'Adelheid, what was that?'

Several seconds of incoherent rage blast into your mind that would force you to pull the phone away in conventional communication. With no phone, you have to bear it out. Then Adelheid manages to calm down enough to tell you, 'this damnable ship's just crashed into the ground! Rider, that worthless pile of societal refuse, must have left for some reason! I'm going looking for him!'

>[ ] Ask Adelheid where she is, so the two of you can meet up and attack Rider together.

>[ ] Order Adelheid to come to your position instead, while you continue to lie low.

>[ ] Tell her to stop and head for the university. If you meet there, you can take stock of the situation and form a new battle plan.

>[ ] Do something else (Write in)

>>3478877
>>[ ] Ask Adelheid where she is, so the two of you can meet up and attack Rider together.
Isn't destroying your enemies alliances beautiful?
Damn I hope Caster is ok.

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>>3478877
>ID Lock right again
ITS JUST NOT FAIR
>[ ] Ask Adelheid where she is, so the two of you can meet up and attack Rider together.

>>3478891
Look, it was a clever idea. Next time Rushorou is in a bind, why don't you try coming up with an inventive write-in solution?

>>3478882
>in this episode Rider crashes his ship into the ground after getting his Master killed due to making a tactically idiotic decision
>again
I'm starting to believe that our opponents may in fact be more stupid than we give them credit for.

>>3478906
Somehow I have a feeling that you're the same guy who was calling Rider an idiot for working with Archer at all. So tell me, what would you do? Put yourself in Rider's shoes after taking out Assassin and recruiting a new Master. What's your plan of action to come out on top?

>>3478900
Oh no, I appreciate the quality of his writeins and overall participation. Issa joku

>>3478877
>[ ] Ask Adelheid where she is, so the two of you can meet up and rescue Caster together.

>>3478908
Maybe not leave my Master with the servant with independent action and no Master who is capable of outlasting you if you lose your master and has shown absolutely no remorse for betraying people or tricking them.
for one.
I'm not saying it's a bad thing mind you. Blackbeard had to find some way to counter Caster's scrying and also make it so his Master wouldn't be killed in the crossfire of the fight.
Basically he was shit out of luck.

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>>3478877
>[ ] Ask Adelheid where she is, so the two of you can meet up and attack Rider together.
OUT
FUCKING
PLAYED

>>3478891
Two words:
H E R O I C
W I L I N E S S
It's a damn shame Caster's probably unconscious. She'd be so fucking wet if she saw that.

>>3478908
Teaming with Archer in general was a good idea. For this particular battle? Literally anything but "let your master go unattended with a known traitor."

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>>3478908
Not him obviously, but if I were rider I’d’ve just bombarded Caster’s fortress as soon as able and have my new master shack up in the most hidden compartment in my ship. The acquisition of berserker changes the game, but of course I don’t learn of that until Archer tells me about it. Trusting my master in the hands of anyone else after what happened the first time is a non-starter, so maybe I agree to coordinate an attack with Archer but as two separate forces.

>>3478935
Fuck man, where would this quest be without you? Probably moved onto a new PC....

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>>3478877
>[ ] Tell her to stop and head for the university. If you meet there, you can take stock of the situation and form a new battle plan.
We must not let a repeat of the last time Rider lost his master happen again.
>>3478891
HE CAN'T KEEP GETTING AWAY WITH THIS

>>3478943
Oh right yeah, actually.
Switching from
>>3478882
to
>[ ] Tell her to stop and head for the university. If you meet there, you can take stock of the situation and form a new battle plan

>>3478943
Yeah, that'd be pretty bad, and we don't know how long Archer is going to last. Changing >>3478935 to
>[ ] Tell her to stop and head for the university. If you meet there, you can take stock of the situation and form a new battle plan.

I think we should personally head to Caster to give her a quick mana transfer; she might be as good as dead otherwise.

>>3478963
I don't think we know where she is. Odds are she's dematerialized and is safe from harm. Horrifically wounded servants have a tendency to go into spirit form for the sake of self-preservation.

>>3478942
Hey, I've made some bad calls too. I didn't do too hot in the "negotiations" with Keiseki. Though I wouldn't have led Rushorou to permadeath (thankfully, sitting down reset the death we had just received), I would have came pretty close if I hadn't been outvoted.

I keep getting sidetracked thinking about where I want to take the story in the long run, and then realizing I'm not doing any work on the update.

Go to Adelheid's location
>>3478891
>>3478926

Rendezvous at the university
>>3478943
>>3478948
>>3478957

Go for Caster yourself
>>3478963

>>3479046
>I keep getting sidetracked thinking about where I want to take the story in the long run
That’s a good thing tho

>>3478877
Find Caster

'Hold on, Adelheid,' you shoot back. 'I need you to go to the university entrance. I'll meet you there. Don't lose your head and run off when we don't know the situation!'

You begin walking toward the university at an even pace, standing again now that you've gotten a good distance between yourself and Archer. As you do so, you hear Adelheid reply, 'Lose my head? We know the situation perfectly well; there are two enemy Servants here ready to attack us, and I'm going to take the fight to one of them instead of letting them roam freely through our land!'

Now she doesn't even want to do as you tell her. This battle really has gone straight to hell. As you walk, you ask, 'Adelheid, are you aware that Rider was able to knock Caster out of the air as soon as she attacked? Or that Archer and DeLancey had separated from the ship before it broke through the barrier and made a stealthy approach through the university gardens?'

There's a long silence before, '...alright, Rushorou, let's meet at the university. We'll figure out what to do from there.'

'Good.' Since the forestry is mostly confined to the more distant areas of the grounds, it isn't long before you're out on open ground again. After ascending a grassy knoll you find a gravel path, which soon leads you through the rose garden. Amusingly, the crater from your first meeting with Archer is still here, along with the shattered pieces of a park bench. Off in the distance you can hear the sound of mingled gunfire; apparently Rider got to DeLancey in time to keep Archer from taking him out.

As you come around to the front of the university, you discover the shocking level of damage Rider was able to inflict with his brief broadside. The central tower containing Caster's workshop has collapsed in on itself, there are numerous craters in the walls and holes in the roof, and all of the windows on this side have been blown in. If he'd been able to keep up the bombardment for a while longer, Rider might really have made good on his intention of leveling your home completely. About fifty feet in front of the university the crashed hulk of the Queen Anne's Revenge stands, leaning halfway between vertical and horizontal. A large section of its hull has been flattened by the impact, giving it the appearance of a partially submerged vessel caught in the motion of overturning.

Adelheid is waiting immediately before the university entrance, watching the horizon with an impatient expression. As soon as you come into view, she shouts, "there you are! Now, since you're so eager to get a better view of the situation, take it in. There's the crashed ship, you can see the university, and by the sound of it Archer and Rider have had a falling out off in that direction." She points at a large grove by a lake, the place where Caster teleported you to earlier. As you watch, an oak collapses, opening a hole in the treeline. "So? What's this about Caster being shot?"

"Blackbeard apparently had some of his cannons on deck," you explain. "When Caster flew up above to attack, he fired on her. I couldn't tell how badly she was hurt, but she dropped out of the sky over the university. I couldn't watch what happened after that, because that's when Archer showed up."

"With Rider's Master?"

"That's right," you say, and point to the area of fighting. "They were under those trees; I would've been shot if I hadn't convinced Rider's Master that Archer planned to kill him. The two of them began to argue, and that's when I made my escape. Based on what happened to you, I suppose that Rider's Master must have summoned him with a command spell."

"I see." Adelheid pauses to think for a moment, before continuing, "If they're fighting now, it's to our benefit. We ought to simply wait here and watch the outcome of the battle, so we can deal with whoever becomes the victor."

It's a shockingly cold plan, even for Adelheid, and you exclaim, "You want to wait it out? What about Caster? She could be off dying somewhere, we need to finish this battle as quickly as possible!"

Adelheid shakes her head with military precision; there's no girlishness in her movements today. "Servants don't die so easily, Rushorou. You put yourself in the line of fire, intentionally or otherwise, and secured an advantage for us. If we go down there now, you'll be throwing that away to have me take on two Servants at once. Is that what you want?" It's a strong point, but it isn't as if fighting the both of them is the only possibility. You could aid one of the enemies to speed up the end of their conflict and then turn on them, or perhaps try to bombard them from range with some of Adelheid's larger explosives. There have to be other options!

Your mind races, looking for the perfect plan, and you decide the thing to do is...

>[ ] Follow Adelheid's plan and observe the battle between Archer and Rider without getting involved. (Duty/Self-Preservation)

>[ ] Wait for both sides to sustain damage, then take out both enemies at once with the strongest explosive in Adelheid's arsenal. (Pride)

>[ ] Attack the enemy by supporting one side against the other, then turning on them. (Which side?) (Duty/Pride)

>[ ] Forget the enemy for the moment, and look for Caster. Whatever Adelheid may think, you need to prioritize her safety right now! (Compassion)

>>3479307
>[ ] Forget the enemy for the moment, and look for Caster. Whatever Adelheid may think, you need to prioritize her safety right now! (Compassion)
RESCUE THE WAIFU IMMEDIATELY

Caster was shot down, outside the campus walls, right?

>>3479322
Dunno how that first comma got there.

>>3479307
>[ ] Forget the enemy for the moment, and look for Caster. Whatever Adelheid may think, you need to prioritize her safety right now! (Compassion)
Not like it will be hard to avoid the pirate being shot at by the cowboy.
I should imagine they are being quite loud.
Besides, the real threat, Rider, has to protect his idiot Master too.

Are they in the way of the only route to her or is there a roundabout path?

>>3479327
They are in the opposite direction of you from her. In order of distance from a point, we have the university, your position, the ship, then the sounds of combat. Caster went down somewhere between the university and the ship.

>>3479357
Okay.
>[ ] Forget the enemy for the moment, and look for Caster. Whatever Adelheid may think, you need to prioritize her safety right now! (Compassion)
inb4 Dead End

>>3479307
Guys, what if we command-spell adelheid to do it for maximum speed? She could probably find her in no time with some super-magic behind her.

>>3479421
We have only one of those now. Best to save it for when there's absolutely no other choice.

>>3479307
>[ ] Forget the enemy for the moment, and look for Caster. Whatever Adelheid may think, you need to prioritize her safety right now! (Compassion)
If Caster and the fighting are in opposite directions, then shouldn't this be complimentary to rather than incompatible with Adelheid's "wait it out" plan? In fact, securing our ally should be the optimal move.
Adelheid, you better not just be hoping Caster dies while unattended...

>>3479421
I don't agree with using a command spell, but if we were to use one it'd be much faster to simply teleport Caster to our location rather than send Adelheid off in search.

>>3479307
>[ ] Forget the enemy for the moment, and look for Caster. Whatever Adelheid may think, you need to prioritize her safety right now! (Compassion)

>>3479719
>If Caster and the fighting are in opposite directions, then shouldn't this be complimentary to rather than incompatible with Adelheid's "wait it out" plan?
The idea is that if you take Adelheid's plan you'll be actively observing what's going on with Archer and Rider, whereas going for Caster necessitates turning around and letting them finish their fight unobserved. Hence "forget the enemy."

>>3479429
You have 2

>>3479919
One for Adelheid, one for Circe is what I meant.

>>3480028
That's not how they work anymore, though. Remember? Either one can be used for either Servant, so you could use both for Adelheid or both for Caster if you wanted.

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>>3480031
That's my personal preference, not an assertion of fact. I also doubt that you could cook up an out-of-place situation where we would need to use both Spells on a single Servant. R-right?

>>3479915
In that case, would it be possible to have Adelheid continue monitoring the battle and keep us updated while we look for Caster?

>>3480136
Sure, you can do that. Is that what you folks want to go with?

>>3480203
It would probanly turn out poorly, but sure.

>[X] Leave Adelheid to monitor the battle going on in the gardens, while you go looking for Caster.

Roll d100

Rolled 97 (1d100)

>>3480457
Hinjaku Hinjaku.

>>3480460
Dioposting does it again!

Rolled 22 (1d100)

>>3480460
>high roll Dioposting
Every time.

>>3480457
Well, gotta get the other two rolls.

Rolled 18 (1d100)

>>3480460

>>3480208
>>3480504
Fuck, my ID changed.

>>3480460
Dioposting is the greatest high

"Alright, Adelheid," you say, "we'll wait out the fighting for the moment. Stay alert, and keep me informed of any changes."

Adelheid raises an eyebrow. "Keep you informed? And just where do you intend to go?"

"To look for Caster, of course," you snap. "Until I know she's in stable condition, I can't simply wait around! You may have convinced me not to hurry the battle, but I have no intention of just sitting here."

"Tch" Adelheid clicks her tongue in annoyance. "Fine then, just stay alert. The enemy could still have something up their sleeves."

"Don't worry," you say, and turn to run back into the university. Caster seemed to drop to earth either above or in front of the building, and since you didn't see her body while meeting Adelheid you have to assume she went in through one of the holes in the roof. Experimentally, you try sending out another mental call for the Servant, but there's no response.

Inside, the university is even more of a mess than the exterior implied. Fragments of shattered art and the shards of the blown-in windows are scattered across the floor, while the walls, ceiling, and floor are riddled with cracks. Evidently the shockwaves from Rider's cannons traveled much further than the projectiles themselves. It's only a mercy that the exterior structure continues to support itself; trying to save Truvietianne and the others from beneath a the rubble of the collapsed university would be nigh-impossible.

Recalling your extensive walks through the building, you quickly decide that a piecemeal search would be both pointless and wasteful. The idea of running across Caster's body by combing the place is laughable. Fortunately, that isn't the only method you have available. Your intensive training in energy control over the past several days has borne fruit in the ability to visualize and detect the entirety of the energy flow between you and your servants, and by focusing on that energy you can roughly determine Caster's location. She's above you, near the center of the university's highest floor, so you make for the stairs with all haste.

As you ascend, Caster's location becomes more clear, and you're shocked to discover that she actually seems to be in your room! Given the bizarre coincidence necessary for her to happen to fall there, she was likely in sufficiently functional condition to direct her fall. At least, that's what you hope as you sprint through the halls to retrace the route you've taken so many times over the past week.

Opening the door to your room, you find it in as chaotic a situation as the rest of the university. The entirety of the ceiling is gone, letting in daylight through a far larger aperture than the window. The floorboards are broken in, forming a sort of crater that sags below a large iron ball in the middle of the room, and the whole place is covered by a scattering of roofing tile. What you don't see, unfortunately, is Caster.

"But... that's impossible! I know she's here!" As you mutter your frustration, you close your eyes and focus even harder on Caster's presence. Sure enough, she's sprawled out on your bed, a mass of your own mystic energy given human shape. Before your eyes, however, she's absent. Then it hits you, what you'd forgotten in your rush; spirit form. Obviously she's returned to a phantom state in order to protect herself, but if she's unconscious in this condition you can't interact with her. How can you wake her, if you can't see or touch the Servant? Telepathy would be the only way, but she's already proven unresponsive.

Fortunately you don't have to worry long. As if your energy is strengthening her by your proximity, Caster gradually fades into material form in front of you and opens her eyes. She attempts to sit up as well, but collapses back to the bed quickly. Now that she's visible, you can see just how bad the damage really is. Her right arm and part of the shoulder are gone, leaving only a bloody mass of gore where they should connect to her torso. Behind that, the wing is in tatters. The rest of her is covered in blood; there don't seem to be any separate injuries, but the brutal impact is enough that it could be fatal on its own. No words come, as you're momentarily at a loss for how to address the situation.

Caster gives you a wan smile, and almost sighs, "I'm sorry, Master. It seems he knew what we'd do, and my Μαρδοξ wasn't enough to stop all three of the shots."

Finally you find your voice. "It wasn't your fault," you cry. "The responsibility is mine, I gave the orders!" You jump over the crater and rush to Caster's side, wanting to take her in your arms, but stop at the last moment. In her condition, an embrace could lead to a new wound. Instead you settle for clasping her remaining hand in yours. "Caster," you whisper, "how bad is it, really? Is this the end for you?"

"Fufufu~" Caster gives you a real smile this time, not forced, and lets out a weak chuckle. "No, Master. Even when I was alive as a nymph I could have recovered from this. As a Servant, I just need..." With surprising strength, she pulls your hand to draw you in closer, wrapping her left wing around your body and bringing your face close enough that your breath mingles. "...some energy. I can't seem to lift my head very well. Can you help me, Master?"

Circe closes her eyes as you kiss her, holding her head upright with both hands. Blood is on her lips and in her mouth, and it becomes the overriding flavor of the kiss. You soon find that at some point she bit deeply enough into her tongue to leave deep cuts. Her injury, however, does not prevent the witch from taking a thoroughly active role in receiving your energy. The drain on you is heavy; even heavier than the first time you gave energy to Adelheid, and when you pull away you feel faint.

A film of gray washes over your vision for a moment, and you shake your head to clear it. As you're returning to clarity, you see the flow of blood from Caster's shoulder stop, and watch as her wing knits itself back together. "Master," she says, calling your attention back to her face. "I don't think I'll be able to help you for a while; I need to stay incorporeal to heal. Good luck..." With that, Caster fades from view once again, presumably returning to unconsciousness in the process.

With Caster's situation resolved, at least partially, your mind turns to the other survivors. Given the damaged state of the university, it may be necessary to find a new hiding place for them. Then again, how long can you leave Adelheid to wait alone?

>[ ] Go down to the basement to check the status of the other survivors. (Compassion)

>[ ] Return to Adelheid and prepare to battle the remaining Servant. (Duty)

>[ ] Do something else (Write in)

>>3480854
>[ ] Return to Adelheid and prepare to battle the remaining Servant. (Duty)
The bombardment likely wasn't sustained enough to break into the basement.

>>3480854
>[ ] Return to Adelheid and prepare to battle the remaining Servant. (Duty)
The university still stands, thankfully. The others almost certainly safe. To keep them that way, it's best we focus on preventing the other servants - or ideally, just the one that wins - from getting close.

>>3480854
>[ ] Return to Adelheid and prepare to battle the remaining Servant. (Duty)

>>3480854
We probably just saved her life. Excellent.
>[ ] Return to Adelheid and prepare to battle the remaining Servant. (Duty)

>>3480854
>[ ] Return to Adelheid and prepare to battle the remaining Servant. (Duty)
I may have gotten Caster horribly injured, but I also rolled high enough to get us a mana kissu to fix her.

The possibility of a structural collapse is concerning, but it's hardly a pressing matter. "No, I'd better get back to Adelheid," you mutter. "I'm sure Archer and Rider are getting close to a resolution by now." Decision made, you turn back the way you came and head out to leave the university.

"Just what are you made of?" The Man with No Name lets out a furious shout as he sinks another bullet into Blackbeard, seemingly with no effect. He may be the world's best gunfighter, but everything in his past trained him for quick battles. You put a round in someone, and they're dead! They might not die straightaway, but nobody just keeps fighting after taking a bullet. Whether you shoot from behind in an ambush, take them out from a hill on the edge of the horizon, or just get the first draw, that simple rule has always applied.

In this forest, though, everything's changed. No matter how many times he nails Rider, the big man keeps coming, not tiring or going down. It's that damn ability, empowering him by his destructive reputation; apparently DeLancey really had put the previous day to use! As Rider answers the shot with his own hail of bullets, Archer realizes that he, on the other hand, is tiring. He may be faster, but that advantage is slowly wearing away; he's already nearly been hit by two rounds that he should've dodged completely. Even Archer's steely nerves don't completely protect against the apprehension he feels at the sound of the trees behind him being shredded into toothpicks.

"Bwhahahahaha!" Rider's laughter echoes through the forest. "Ye sure talked a good game up on the ship, but now it's come down to yer betrayal it seems ye can't quite carry it off!" He draws yet another pistol from that seemingly endless supply and fires, prompting Archer to duck and roll forward under it. As the round steals the hat from his head, Archer begins to feel the slow dread of a man being led into a trap. Maybe if he can get in closer, though...

Archer comes in low, going around to the side and weaving in and out of the undergrowth, looking to open up a shot at DeLancey. With that kind of power output, Rider can't last long without a Master!
But the gambit doesn't work; Rider is too careful, staying on the defensive and keeping himself between the gunman and his Master. Archer squeezes off two shots, hoping to escape the pirate's reach, but both find their destinations in Rider's wall of muscle. Archer lets out another curse under his breath and kicks off the ground to break off his course into a sharp turn, headed straight for Rider. At this point, his only chance is to take down the pirate at minimum range!

"Seems yer giving up the ghost! Can't say I blame ye!" Rider takes the bait, tossing his pistol in favor of his cutlass. As he chops downward with a triumphant roar to split the gunslinger in two, Archer, with inhuman grace, spins on one foot without losing his forward motion to slide around the strike. As he comes to a stop inside Rider's range, The Man with No Name trains his pistol on the pirate's unbelieving eye.

"Colt .45!"

Exiting the university, you find Adelheid still waiting on the university steps, where you left her. The noise in the distance has died down, and an unnerving silence has settled over the university gardens. "How long has it been since the fighting stopped?"

"Not long," she says, not taking her eyes off of the treeline. "It seems Archer has emerged victorious. Look."

Following Adelheid's finger, you see the Queen Anne's Revenge, dissolving slowly into particles of golden light. "I suppose he has," you say, a bit awed in spite of your enmity. You didn't expect the masterless gunman to be able to defeat Rider given the disparity in their basic abilities. "But what to do now..."

>[ ] Wait here, in front of the university. If Archer intends to take a new Master, he'll have to come through this point eventually; you can intercept him once he's left the safety of the forest. (Duty/Compassion)

>[ ] Advance together with Adelheid into the stand of trees where Archer was last seen. Letting him act on his own for too long would be too much of a risk; you'll take the fight to him now, while he's weak from battling Rider! (Pride/Duty)

>[ ] Order Adelheid to combine her strongest armor and most powerful explosive for a single obliterating strike against the forest. There's no point in fighting Archer personally when you can simply wipe out the entire area, is there? (Pride/Self-Preservation)

>[ ] Invent a different plan (Write in)

>>3481633
>[ ] Wait here, in front of the university. If Archer intends to take a new Master, he'll have to come through this point eventually; you can intercept him once he's left the safety of the forest. (Duty/Compassion)

>>3481633
>[ ] Order Adelheid to combine her strongest armor and most powerful explosive for a single obliterating strike against the forest. There's no point in fighting Archer personally when you can simply wipe out the entire area, is there? (Pride/Self-Preservation)
>waiting for a sniper to make his move.
How about you just die, Archer?

>>3481646
Oh right
There's also the chance he'll go for Rider's former master.
Let's just atomize the punk.

Alright, folks, this is it! The final showdown with your longterm nemesis! I hope you're as excited for this as I am...

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>>3481606
>archer defeated rider
>Archer defeated Rider
>ARCHER DEFEATED RIDER

>>3481633
>[ ] Order Adelheid to combine her strongest armor and most powerful explosive for a single obliterating strike against the forest. There's no point in fighting Archer personally when you can simply wipe out the entire area, is there? (Pride/Self-Preservation)
Burn him out

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>>3481655
I have absolutely no faith in our ability to finish him off

>>3481653
And I'll say it again
JACK ISN'T DEAD
HE NEEDS TO DIE IMMEDIATELY.
ARCHER DOESN'T NEED TO COME TO US.

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>>3481655
>excited
Sure.

>>3481606
Cockroach though Archer may be, damn if he isn't a badass.

>>3481633
>[ ] Advance together with Adelheid into the stand of trees where Archer was last seen. Letting him act on his own for too long would be too much of a risk; you'll take the fight to him now, while he's weak from battling Rider! (Pride/Duty)
DeLancey didn't die. No reason to let a sniper try to pick us off.

>>3481646
>>3481659
>Betting on a bigger gun killing the Man with No Name
Archer's confirmed that he has the iron plate. No way in hell that plan will kill him.

>>3481659
>Burn him out
[distant acoustic guitar riffs]

>>3481683
>Implying I expect to kill him
I want to clear the area. Cover favors the ambush predator.

>>3481687
Think about the magical energy that attack will expend. Remember how much we just used repairing Caster? We can't afford it or Adelheid will run out of gas.

>>3481683
Not trying to kill Archer with it specifically.
Trying to end Jack.
Also Archer merely referenced it, we have full knowledge on all his parameters and noble phantasm from Kikuko.
No plate.
He has E rank endurance for Christ sakes.
He's as squishy as we are.
And he probably can't Colt an unexpected AOE not targeting him specifically.

>>3481698
I think chasing Archer into a potential ambush is suicide, and I also think letting him act while we wait is effective suicide. Burning magical energy is our major advantage at this point and I intend to use it.

>>3481699
>Trying to end Jack.
Worthless. Thanks to Independent Action and his complete lack of combat readiness, he has no value as a target, only as a hostage.
>Also Archer merely referenced it, we have full knowledge on all his parameters and noble phantasm from Kikuko.
>No plate.
Point taken.
>And he probably can't Colt an unexpected AOE not targeting him specifically.
Medusa's head is what got Lancer killed.

>>3481710
>Burning magical energy is our major advantage at this point
My point is that it's not our advantage right now. We're running low.

>>3481718
I should clarify: Jack specifically is worthless.

Thought with his lack of a plate, the big boom strat might be worth a shot presuming Adelheid can tank a shot of Colt .45 with her strongest armor.

Hell, let's try it. Changing >>3481683 to
>[ ] Order Adelheid to combine her strongest armor and most powerful explosive for a single obliterating strike against the forest. There's no point in fighting Archer personally when you can simply wipe out the entire area, is there? (Pride/Self-Preservation)

>>3481718
And he has no resupply. I don’t care to yield any advantage (cover, deciding the field of battle) when we have him outclassed in every way. If he could only *just* not die against rider, and per our stats Adelheid is his superior in basically every way barring attack range, we just need to make a final push.

>>3481718
I think Archer has to be ready to counter.
If it's like Fragarach it needs a set up of some sort.
Also with E rank magical energy he might not be able to fire off anymore anywaym
Also it might have a limited range.
Every other time he's used it on his own terms and countered the enemy. A sudden, totally unexpected, firebombing can't be good for him.

>>3481732
I'll be honest - another concern I have is the comment Sweets made >>3481655
If this is supposed to be our epic final showdown, I don't think he'll let it end so anticlimactically...

>>3481739
He's probably pacted with Jack by this stage, so magical energy won't be that much of a problem for a couple more shots.

>>3481756
I mean, even if we burn the hell out of him w/o killing him I call that a win. Landing a solid blow on archer is a success I can’t recall occurring at any other point in the quest thus far.

>>3481756
He might be totally out of juice already.
EMIYA had B rank magical energy and tracing is bullshit is why he could last so long.
And EMIYA stayed out of fights that weren't insta wins, mostly.
Final Epic Showdowns are just as satisfying if you're just gloating over your enemies mangled body before ordering their death.

>>3481726
Actually, changing back to
>[ ] Advance together with Adelheid into the stand of trees where Archer was last seen. Letting him act on his own for too long would be too much of a risk; you'll take the fight to him now, while he's weak from battling Rider! (Pride/Duty)

There's a pretty gaping hole in the "send Adelheid flying" plan, and it's that we'll be standing around totally unguarded like a numpty and wide open for Archer to gun down with his rifle.

Of course, we could always try curling into a ball and using our cloak to protect us while Adelheid goes nuts, I suppose...
Thoughts?

>>3481782
Anon.
Archer is in a forest right now.
Aiming at us will be difficult.
Even more so when the forest explodes and an angry loli comes to play.

I should remind you all that Sweets only reveals NPs to us after we learn their names, and there's no particular reason it would be different for Kikuko. Archer could still have a plate, and we don't know about it simply because we didn't learn its name.

>>3481803
If he had the plate he wouldn't have been shitting his pants against Blackbeard like he was.

>>3481797
>Aiming at us will be difficult.
...For an Archer? Really? The guys who can count the number of bolts on a bridge half a city away?
It certainly wasn't difficult for him to snipe us across the river with his revolver that one time (plus the ricochet!) or across the whole goddamn university with his rifle the instant we opened the door.
His gun is probably already trained on us.
Do you think Adelheid moves faster than bullets? I sure don't.

>>3481810
>His gun probably already trained on us
And you contend that charging into the woods is the most effective way of avoiding getting instagibbed?

Regardless of how good a shot he is, when in proper servant combat archer has been proven to be unable to drop masters. And that was with Circe and lancer, not combat-monster Adelheid.

>>3481810
Anon he's literally just won a battle against Rider.
He's got lots of skill at aiming guns but he doesn't have EMIYA tier impossible vision.
A forest is a nightmare for ranged weapons and aiming because trees are everywhere.
Also it's possible that twat CID is quickly doing the master thing between Jack and Archer.

>>3481810
Dropped your trip, ID

>>3481828
Yes, because Adelheid and the cloak can protect us. It's certainly better than forgoing our servant's protection for any span of time when Archer is a concern.
>when in proper servant combat archer has been proven to be unable to drop masters
Then let's get over there and make it proper combat.

>>3481834
He doesn't need EMIYA tier vision when he has a scope on his rifle. And a forest isn't a problem if he's just snooping about at the edge in a bush or something like the slimeball he is.
it's possible that twat CID is quickly doing the master thing between Jack and Archer.
Knowing Cid, it's probably done already if he's doing it.

>>3481841
Whoops.

File: Henry.jpg (83 KB, 1100x221)

83 KB JPG

>>3481846
>when he has a scope on his rifle
When you've seen Archer use a rifle in the past, it's had no scope. Just sights. Image attached.
That said, he has been effective at great range.

>>3481809
He was shitting his pants because Rider wouldn't go down and he was getting tired.

>>3481809
If the plate works like I theorized, it would be a shield that only works on "bigger guns" - attacks of a higher rank than his pistol can muster or some such thing.

Looks like we've got 2 for long-range bombardment, one for defending the university, and one for taking the fight to Archer. I'l leave the vote open for another hour or so while I get some food.

>>3481906
Looking at that scene, he took multiple shots. It might only work with attacks aimed at the torso.