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“This is Carina-Two, broadcasting to F.O.B. Golden Nest, do you copy?”

“This is Sirona-Four, reading you five-by-five atop the nest, Carina-Two. Is that you, Preacher?”

“Yes. And I presume that I’m speaking to...Bulldog, am I correct?”

“Right you are. How can I help you today?”

“Carina Squad has completed its counter-attack against Fuu-ki; reporting the elimination of the daimyo, seizure of assets and exfiltration of civilian prisoners.”

“Dang...you guys don’t waste any time. Glad to hear that you got the sick bastard.”

“Loathe as I am to say it, the world is better off without the likes of him.”

“Nah, ain’t nothing wrong in saying that, priest. From what we all read, nothing of value was lost with him dead. Demons aren’t people anyway. Any casualties to report?”

“...negative. But we do have a little over thirty women in immediate need of medical and psychological evaluation. My leader did the best he could, but I fear that their wounds go deeper than what he can treat.”

“That many? Uh...we’ll have to set up some extra prefabs. We aren’t nearly finished repairing the fortress.”

“You’ll have plenty of time. We’re en-route back to Golden Nest, ETA two days.”

“Huh. And here I thought that you were already on our doorstep. That’s plenty of time to roll out the red carpet.”

“Excellent. Additionally, the Whistler requires a resupply. We spent a great deal of munitions and materials during the siege and battle.”

“That won’t be a problem. Transmit your list, and we’ll have it ready for you at the gates. Tank rounds, belt-feed for your machine gun, more than enough morphine to drug a whale-”

“Thank you, Bulldog. Standby to receive list...”

>>Day 8 of Wastelands Expedition

>Fortress of Kin-Ki, a.k.a. F.O.B. Golden Nest

In the four days since your departure from the Brooding Mountains, the team that Central dispatched hadn’t wasted any time getting to work. Prefab buildings litter the courtyard, running the gamut from barrack-like structures, a chow hall, and makeshift fortifications. It’s certainly a jarring contrast, the gunmetal steel and cameo decal against the blasted ruins of Edo-era architecture.

Hell, someone even went to the trouble of setting up a basketball court!

Sentry guns mounted at key choke points lazily track your movements, gyrating on their axis as they paint targets on your approach. Logically, you have nothing to fear. The IFF installed on your COMP and DEMONICA marks you as a friend and non-hostile entity. And the armor of the Whistler would take nothing short of anti-tank munitions to penetrate.

(cont.)

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Still, it’s somewhat unnerving to be underneath the watchful gaze of the miniguns as you park just beyond the gates and begin the process of disembarking.

“You’re all in good hands!” you reassure the women as the latch slams down onto the dirt. They flinch away from the light as the barricade directs a path of light from the rear of the Whistler and all the way to the front gates. “What’s waiting for each and every one of you is a hot shower, a cot with as many blankets and pillows as you could possibly ever want, and meals that aren’t Japanese junk food or scraped out of the bottom of a vacuum-sealed ration pack.”

“You try cooking with freeze-dried corn beef, you bloody yank!” Brady shouts indignantly from the back of the APC.

Vicky’s angry retort follows shortly after, “Next time, you buy your own snacks!”

Sarah rolls her eyes and MacKay stifles a muted laughs, but it does help to set the former hostages at ease. All of them with the exception of a single girl, hollow-eyed and borderline catatonic as she leans on another one of her fellow ex-prisoners for support.

In the days since the revelation of what might be inside her...to say Elly didn’t take it well would be an understatement. At the very least, you and High Pixie are relieved that she hasn’t done anything drastic. But the fact that she remains silent, and barely eats anything, is extremely worrying. You’re nearly certain that a few of the prisoners suspect something, but so far, they’ve held their silence.

Is it out of solidarity? Or perhaps pity towards the youngest of the prisoners? Either way, nobody else except the victim, High Pixie and yourself know anything about this unexpected development.

The support team that Central deployed at your request is double the size of your own team. Sirona Squad numbers ten strong, and they all come out of the gates to help escort the women into the fortress. At their sides fly demons who cast spells of healing, and offer advice to their masters and new charges alike. In lieu of any weapons bigger than pistols and sidearms, they carry diagnostic equipment and larger COMPs.

“Wish we could’ve been meeting under better circumstances.” Their leader shakes your hand as he depolarizes his visor. Sirona-Actual has the appearance and gait of a man just a few years beyond his prime. His salt-and-pepper hair isn’t doing him any favors, but he handles himself and his equipment with youthful vigor. “Hayden Jameson, callsign ‘Mama Bird.’”

Somehow, you manage to keep a straight face as you return the gesture. “Adrian Brown, callsign ‘Sawbones.’”

His eyes brighten. “A field medic’s moniker...by any chance, are you-”

“Medical student, actually,” you admit. “At least, I used to before Commander Alger recruited me.”

(cont.)

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Ah. It’s uncommon to have any medical specialists come to the task force, let alone have one leading a field team.” Hayden releases your hand, and beckons you to come further into the fortress. “Pity that I didn’t find you when I was out and about recruiting for my own team. Sirona hasn’t had an actual medic, licensed or studying, in a few years.”

Shrugging, all you can do is offer, “Hopefully you’ll find one soon.”

“Hopefully...but if you ever decide that being a field operative isn't right for you...”

You chuckle. "Make me an offer, and we'll see about it..."

With pleasantries out of the way, the two of you begin discussing and debriefing each other. Within the first hour of arriving in their own vehicle, The Stacatto, Sirona didn’t waste any time in beginning treatment. The courtyard is as bright as any summer day back in the human realm, mostly due in part to several high-powered lamps jury-rigged to simulate artificial daylight. Wounds were treated, and the fortress is nearly halfway done to looking something like it used to be.

As the heir of Kin-Ki and defacto leader of the Brooding Moutnains, Ibaraki tags along with you. The oni offered a suspicious handshake towards Hayden, but you find her nodding and smiling with every few dozen words that he says. Her fortress is looking better than it could have ever been under Kin-Ki.

“And I trust that my subjects are being taken care of?” She clicks her tongue, frowning at the recollection of their condition, “Adrian told me something about my subjects not getting enough sunlight.”

To his credit, Hayden doesn’t even slip up or pause at the mention. “That’s correct. We took the liberty of building a light therapy room in one of the prefabs in the courtyard. In addition to vitamin supplements and the UV therapy, it won’t take too long for your subjects to recover.”

“Kukuku...excellent. Now, human, how much will it cost for me to purchase one of these artificial suns? I would not be so bold as to presume that these are permanent fixtures or gifts from your organization.”

He doesn’t have an answer to that. The little oni turns to you with an inquisitive look, and you manage to answer, “...I’ll ask my superiors before the day is over.”

It doesn’t take long before you end up bowing out, and leaving the two of them to go back and forward in regards to the status of the fortress. Meandering about the courtyard, you duck into prefabs and pass by the structures making sure that everything and everyone is all right. Kin-Ki’s subjects have certainly improved, no longer quite so jaundiced and full of vim and vigor. The news that Fuu-ki is dead sends a loud cheer echoing across the mountains.

(cont.)

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“Don’t drink too much!” you caution as a pair of demons run into the fortress to retrieve what few barrels of sake weren’t plundered or destroyed. Your warnings are likely to fall on deaf ears, but the professional in you demands you at least try. “Alcohol and vitamins might not blend well in your stomach-!”

“Ah, let ‘em have their fun, Sawbones.” Sarah falls in line beside you, leaning off you with an audible grin in her voice. “If I was in their place, I wouldn’t want to be sober either.”

Snorting, you retort, “Yeah, but it’s rice wine, not beer they’re drinking. AndI thought you hated beer. What was the term...uh...”

“Watered-down horse piss not even fit for fertilizer?” she supplies.

“Yeah, that.”

“Talk to me when you’ve got a bottle of fine, Kentucky bourbon.”

“Duly noted.”

With your tour completed, the two of you return to the gates to see MacKay supervising the resupply of the Whistler. The priest catalogs everything, from the smallest pack of ammunition to the largest shell for the main guns, and directs the myriad humans and demons as they load up the APC.

“For a priest,” drawls Dante as he single-handedly lifts a crate of armor-piercing rounds, “...you sure are a task master...”

“It comes with the territory,” MacKay muses, directing Bai Suzhen and his demons to store a box of rations, “Especially when dealing with children right after nap time and snacks.”

Brady and Vicky don’t offer any witty remarks. The two of them are busy making quick repairs to the outer hull. For the most part, the vehicle made it out of the siege and battle without too much damage. The worst you could expect was superficial damage or hairline scratches, but the programmer and engineer aren’t taking any chances.

>>Where is Carina Squad’s next destination?
>The Forest of Death, realm of Ongyou-ki the Shadow. [Threat Level: Severe]
>The Valley of Bones, realm of Shiki-Oui the Magician. [Threat Level: Medium]
>The Temple of the Forbidden God, lair of Jack’s Crew. [Threat Level: Extreme]

>>And when will you depart?
>As soon as the resupply is finished. There isn't any time to be wasted on the operation.
>The following day at dawn. Emotional and physical recuperation is needed after the Okuo.

>>As there are two votes, please structure your posts like this:
>Destination.
>Departure.

>>4195244
>>The Temple of the Forbidden God, lair of Jack’s Crew. [Threat Level: Extreme]
>The following day at dawn. Emotional and physical recuperation is needed after the Okuo.

>>4195244
>The Forest of Death, realm of Ongyou-ki the Shadow. [Threat Level: Severe]
>The following day at dawn. Emotional and physical recuperation is needed after the Okuo.

>>4195244
>>The Temple of the Forbidden God, lair of Jack’s Crew. [Threat Level: Extreme]
>The following day at dawn. Emotional and physical recuperation is needed after the Okuo.

>>4195244
>The Temple of the Forbidden God, lair of Jack’s Crew. [Threat Level: Extreme]
>The following day at dawn. Emotional and physical recuperation is needed after the Okuo.
Reminder to reconstitute the fairy and centaur. We promised.

>>4195244
>The Temple of the Forbidden God, lair of Jack’s Crew. [Threat Level: Extreme]
>The following day at dawn. Emotional and physical recuperation is needed after the Okuo.

>>4195244
I forget if we have an axe to grind with any of the other demons. Maybe we could approach them somehow later? Not sure what we would do, though. That said, scouting the temple might be a good idea for now.
>The Temple of the Forbidden God, lair of Jack’s Crew. [Threat Level: Extreme]
>The following day at dawn. Emotional and physical recuperation is needed after the Okuo.
Also, I agree with >>4195396 to reconstitute those demons. Gotta keep our word.

Great to see the quest return!

>>4195244
>The Temple of the Forbidden God, lair of Jack’s Crew. [Threat Level: Extreme]
>The following day at dawn. Emotional and physical recuperation is needed after the Okuo.

>>4195396
what was that about again?

>>4195764
We fused a fairy and centaur together and got an angel. We promised we'd see them again because we recognized that they're people. This was a while ago for us, but IC it's probably still in the back of our minds.

>>4195858
ohhhh. that. Napaea and Centaur.

I wasn't there for that vote, so I'm not really sure how to feel about actually trying it out. Napaea's already gotten her honor and prestige, so she doesn't actually need to come back. Centaur's just....centaur. What would we have them do?

>>4195627
Ongyou-ki is [probably] running human experiments on the girls he was provided. Shiki-Oui is a wildcard. Unfortunately Jack might try to pack up after a failed visit to Fuu-ki, so

>Temple of the Forbidden God
>As soon as the resupply is finished. There isn't any time to be wasted on the operation.

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>>4195255
>>4195269
>>4195378
>>4195396
>>4195431
>>4195627
>>4195760
>>4195933

Between human direction and demon strength, it takes little underneath an hour for the Whistler to be repaired and fully loaded once more. And once you’ve finished, you gather everybody on the team for a brief meeting and debrief. Dante sticks around, pretending to sleep atop a nearby stack of crates, but you can see him keeping a close eye on the squad and the nearby surroundings.

Clearing your throat, you begin: “The first thing that I want to say to you all is a good job well done. Things got a little hairy at the end, but we got the bastard and the prisoners he’d been keeping. So, check being a garbage man off your bucket list, because we all did a mighty fine job of taking out the fucking trash.”

Admittedly, it’s a bit self-indulgent and over the top, but you don’t care. And neither does your team, for that matter. The stakes of the mission were already high, but there wasn’t a single one among them that didn’t take great offense to both Fuu-ki’s Ōoku and how their occupants came to be here.

They’re all out for blood, even if some do a better job of hiding it than most.

“So who’s the next one on our shit list, then?” asks Brady, with an anticipatory grin.

“The big man himself. Between the coordinates you and Vicky got, and this ugly thing...” You pause to hold up the Fetish of the Forbidden...Rebellious...echt, the translation is still out to lunch. “...we’ve got a way to cut the head of the viper once and for all. Tomorrow, Jack and the rest of his crew are gonna wish they never came to the Demonic Wastes.”

>Squad Carina approves +15!

“Yes!” The grime and dirt that smears across Vicky’s overalls and face do nothing to hide the excitement in her words and eyes. There’s a light in her eyes that promises a great deal of rightful retribution. “We're gonna make him pay for all he’s done.”

...it seems her ‘encounter’ with Copland on the sparring pad brought out a more aggressive side to your teammate.

“Fuckin’ A,” drawls Sarah, clapping a hand on the mechanic’s shoulder. “But slow down, Vicky. We’ll all be getting a crack and pound of flesh outta the bastard tomorrow.”

“Ehehe...sorry.”

MacKay directs a cautionary eyebrow in your direction, one you take with a pinch of salt. In her place, you’d probably be just as eager and chomping at the bit for a shot at the bastard.

“So rest up,” you continue, “You’ve got the afternoon and the evening until we’re back in the saddle.”

>>What will you do until the operation starts tomorrow? [Select two]
>Attempt to make contact with the Triple Goddess. [???]
>Check in on Elly and make sure that she’s settling in alright.
>Make a visit to the Requisitions Prefab. [Emporium, Demon Fusion/Summoning].
>Spend some time with one of your squad. [Select Brady/Dante/MacKay/Sarah/Victoria]
>Custom option. [Write-in.]

>>4195973
>Make a visit to the Requisitions Prefab. [Emporium, Demon Fusion/Summoning].
We've gotten quite a bit of loot, although I can't recall if we gave them away for favors or something

>>4195973
>>Check in on Elly and make sure that she’s settling in alright.
>>Make a visit to the Requisitions Prefab. [Emporium, Demon Fusion/Summoning].
Big brother and big guns.

>>4195973
>>Check in on Elly and make sure that she’s settling in alright.
>Make a visit to the Requisitions Prefab. [Emporium, Demon Fusion/Summoning].

We can also ask about Sparda, although that's not really high on the priority list unless it links back to the triad.

>>4195973
>Make a visit to the Requisitions Prefab. [Emporium, Demon Fusion/Summoning].

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>>4195973
>>Check in on Elly and make sure that she’s settling in alright.
>>Make a visit to the Requisitions Prefab. [Emporium, Demon Fusion/Summoning].
Aw shit, I missed the beginning but at least I'm here. Anyways, your threadly reminder that Pixie a best.

>>4195870
Because If we have any empathy the memory of her little face or terror will be burned into our brain. It's not a mechanics thing, it's a character thing.
>>4195973
>Check in on Elly and make sure that she’s settling in alright.
>Make a visit to the Requisitions Prefab. [Emporium, Demon Fusion/Summoning].

>>4196280
No I mean, literally, what would they do?

We're presumably paid a salary to fight demons, but we're already hitting above their weight class. If we brought them back, they're either freeloading in the COMP or acting as meatshields.

I think they'd prefer fulfilling or at least not torturous work, and we can't fill our COMP with mostly diplomacy demons.

And if we let them go, what's the difference between that and just not resummoning them?

>>4196293
Again, not a decision based off mechanics and numbers. It's something that is a part of our character whether we do something or not. Maybe we do let them go, but that's better than condemnation to almost existing for however long.
If you want a mechanical reason to do it then a better relationship with Brady and a + to good alignment counts right?

>>4195973
>Check in on Elly and make sure that she’s settling in alright.
>Make a visit to the Requisitions Prefab. [Emporium, Demon Fusion/Summoning].

>>4196293
>>4196536
On one hand, we told them so. On the other, summoning an old demon does not mean that we resummon the same demon, just another of its type. I may need a refresher on that though. That said, they are a bit weak for here, so if we do choose to resummon them, we may want to wait until after this op: they might just end up getting splatted.

>>4196536
We literally gave them a sending off with honor and thanks and everything. I'm not TALKING about mechanics.

>“My liege,” Centaur rumbles, his voice distorted by the sound of the fusion magic firing up. He bows low towards the observation room. “It has truly been an honor. I thank you for the opportunity to let me fight by your side. Should we never meet again, then I hope that my sacrifice shall bring you closer to your dreams and desires.”

>“…” Napaea looks around nervously, but swallows and forms a resolute look on her face. “Thank you for letting me journey with you, Master!” She says, eventually smiling in spite of herself. “It really was a fun time! If we won’t see each other again…I’ll miss you!”

They fought alongside us, and we repaid in power and prestige. If we summon them back, they won't be getting that. Either they're thrown on the field as fodder to be trampled, or kept in the back doing menial jobs when they could be doing whatever demons do at home. It's not a great deal for them.

>>4196542
That's reasonable, I think it was explained that they are saved as they are though.
>>4196550
Everything you said in that comment was "What can they do for us?" That is talking about mechanics. I agree that using them as a meat shield is not cool, but neither is just leaving things as is.

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>>4195981
>>4195988
>>4196002
>>4196040
>>4196093
>>4196280
>>4196542
>For delivering five barrels of Devil’s Dust, Central has awarded you with 50,000 Macca.
>Your total Macca Count is 51,000.

The Requisitions Prefab distinguishes itself from the other structures by virtue of being the largest building within the courtyard, second only to the barracks proper. At the entrance stands a singular guard, one of Sirona’s operatives clad in a DEMONICA uniform. They stiffen at your arrival, going ramrod straight as you’re waved into the building.

What greets you is a simple waiting room, comprising of a single desk and a handful of folding chairs. From behind the desk, another of the support team works, checking papers and typing in commands into the COMP on his wrist. So absorbed he is in his work, it takes a full minute before he notices your arrival.

“Oh, you’re not one of ours, are you?” the man says, squinting at you, “...you must be one of the Carina operatives.”

You nod. “I was told that you have a Demon Summoning Chamber set up?”

The receptionist nods, gesturing to a door to the left of the desk. “That’ll be your destination. We’ve also got a hotline right to Central and the Emporium if you need it. Don’t expect to get anything too fancy, but the connection should still be stable enough to receive demons via data uplink.”

He isn’t lying. The setup that Sirona has is certainly a far cry from any of the Summoning Labs back at Central. In lieu of two, three or even four rooms for each demon, all they have are singular pads and glass containers.

“‘Warning, do not disconnect from containment field while in the middle of fusion,’” you read off the terminal as the interface boots up. “...that’s easy enough.”

>>D-Source uses:
>Imparts certain skills in Demon Fusion.
>Forged into Devil Arms.
>Consumed as upgrades for DEMONICAs.
>Summon demon and bypass level requirement.

>>You have the following D-Sources in your inventory.
>Arachne Spinnerets – {Madness Nails, Mudoon, Debilitate}.
>Raiment of the Golden General – {Ziodyne, Counter, Elec. Amp}.

>>The Following Devil Arms can be created:
>AR-93 [Arachne], a pair of gauntlets that bestow the ability to adhere to flat surfaces. Fires a grappling line made out of magical silk used for maneuvering or binding enemies; shoots flechette rounds with the chance to inflict 2x Sukunda debuff, Bind and Poison status ailments. [Costs 30,000 Macca]

>>The following upgrades can be applied:
>Kin-Ki’s Ward: Resist Phys, Null Elec, Weak to Force. [Costs 10,000 Macca]

>>What will you do with your D-sources? [Note that some choices are mutually exclusive]
>Forge the AR-93. [Pay 30,000 Macca]
>Upgrade DEMONICAs. [Pay 10,000 Macca]
>Sell your D-Sources. [Gain 40,000 from Arachne, 80,000 from Kin-Ki]
>Summon Arachne. [Pay 20,000 Macca, gain Lv. 45 Arachne]
>Summon Kin-Ki. [Pay, 40,000 Macca, gain Lv. 50 Kin-Ki]
>Nothing. [Save for a later date.]

>>4197264
Gib Summoned Demon skill lists. Does Arachne come with Debilitate?

Considering we're about to be going up against humans, that demonica upgrade is looking pretty slick regarding PHYS.

>>4197281
If Arachne has Debilitate (the best debuff in the setting) I'd say we grab her and the Kin-Ki's Ward upgrade.

That'll be 30k leaving us with 21k to spend on stuff later potentially.

Saving Kin-Ki for a later date isn't a bad idea either.

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>>4197277
>>4197277

>>Arachne, Mother of Spiders
--Lv: 45
--Race: Vermin
--Alignment: Dark-Neutral
--Personality: Brooding, Cunning, Flirtatious, Pessimistic

--Nulls Gun, Weak to Fire
--Moderate Physical Abilities, Strong Magic

>Skills
-Madness Nails - Heavy Physical Damage to multiple enemies.
-Mabufudyne - Heavy Ice Damage to all enemies.
-Diarahan - Restores full health of one ally.
-Dekaja - Removes all buffs from enemies.
-Mudoon - Heavy Dark damage, 50% chance to kill.
-Debilitate - lowers Attack/Defense/Hit-Evade by 1 parameter.
-[Mother of Spiders; learned at Lv. 47] - Heavy physical damage to multiple enemies, high chance of inflicting Poison.
-???

>>Kin-Ki, the Golden General
--Lv. 50
--Race: Brute
--Alignment: Dark-Law
--Personality: Authoritative, Commanding, Willful

--Resists Phys, Nulls Elec, Weak to Force
--Strong Physical Abilities, Moderate Magic

>Skills
-Fang Breaker - Weak Physical attack to a single target, lowers enemy Attack by 1 parameter
-Javelin Rain - Medium physical attack to all targets.
-Berserker God - Heavy Physical attack to a single target.
-Ziodyne - Heavy Electric Damage to a single target, 33% chance to Stun.
-War Cry - lowers enemy Attack/Defense by 1 parameter.
-Counter - chance of reflecting a physical attack.
-[Charge - Doubles next Physical attack; Learned at Lv. 52]
-???

>>4197289
I'm on board with getting a demon with Debilitate to partner with Pixie's Luster Candy, but I'm pretty sure Arache hates us. The utility of the 93 is appealing as well-
>>4197296
>Those skills
>Null gun
Haha, time for a marriage of convenience.

>>4197264
Summon Arachne.
Still on the fence about Kin-Ki.

>>4197296
Yeah she be good.

>>4197264
>Summon Arachne. [Pay 20,000 Macca, gain Lv. 45 Arachne]

Debilitate. That on it's own is worth it, but her other skills are really good too. Good to have access to some Dark damage too.

>Save Raiment of the Golden General for a later date.

I just remembered that Resist Phys won't cover Gun damage that Jack's crew will be throwing at us probably so I think it might be best to hold onto Kin-ki for a bit.

>>4197264


>Summon Arachne. [Pay 20,000 Macca, gain Lv. 45 Arachne]

Save kin-ki for later

>>4197296
>Summon Arachne. [Pay 20,000 Macca, gain Lv. 45 Arachne]

>>4197296
>Summon Arachne. [Pay 20,000 Macca, gain Lv. 45 Arachne]

>>4197264
>Summon Arachne. [Pay 20,000 Macca, gain Lv. 45 Arachne]

>>4197093
What part of honor and prestige did you not understand?

>>4197264
do we have enough levels to control Arachne?

>>4197427
I get what he is saying tho. We told we would bring them back so we might as well and then see them to some place noce they would like to stay.

I mean, there's got be be some very bad stuff to what happened to them or else our british buddy wouldn't be so adamant against it.

>>4197427
We bypass the level requirement so I assume that means we can control them. Actual loyalty is another thing altogether.

>>4197433
Could you remind me where we promised them that? I'm having difficulty finding it.

I dunno about Brady. We're almost certainly not going to use the auction, but I don't think I can include fusion at drawing the moral line.

>>4197462
I most certanly won't be fusing any other demons, it felt too much like we were killing loyal pals that fought beside us

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>>4197469
>Not fusing
>In a SMT setting

It ain't going to work out homie.

>>4197473
well, I never played any of the games, just follow the quest here.

the way it is presented in the games may be different, but here we talk to them, learn about them and stuff.

and the way the QM presented the fusion made me think we were killing off those involved for a power up.

just ask yourself, would you fuse Pixie? if you say you would never fuse here you have your answer that deep down things are different in this quest

>>4197477
Death is much more fluid for demons. Kin-ki is coming back even though we're going to be wearing his corpse as a jacket.

While dying while linked to a COMP is almost nothing to them, dying outside that is closer to selling an arm(that grows back). It sucks, you wouldn't do it for just anyone, but some people could be convinced to do it with just money, let alone the honor stuff.

>would you fuse Pixie
Don't forget that Pixie is High Pixie now. We can technically resummon regular Pixie from the compendium, if you wanted to "keep" her as she is.

If there was a really good option for getting stronger, Pixie herself would volunteer for the fusion. It would be like changing jobs in an FF game. "Heck yeah I'd like to start casting firaga and curaga"

>>4197477
I get where you're coming from, but not every demon is going to have a chance to evolve like Pixie. And there are only so many slots available.
Case in point, Gryphon. Great use of an asset last time against Fuu-ki, and good for transportation utility. But he is seriously lagging behind in levels compared to the other demons. Outside of utility, he's on the edge of being able to be useful in combat and may even start to drag down the team in combat situations where he would have been a help originally.

>>4197507
Read the fusion section again dude, it definetly did not feel like they were changing jobs, again, I don't have the meta knowledge of the games to think of it as just a normal step. What I saw was we killing two characters and creating a new one, Pixie kept all her memories and personality she evolved while Angel came like an entirely different person. I feel like this section of the setting, the fusion, does not work the same way in the quest and in the game based on what you are saying.

>>4197514
We can just release him from the COMP and negotiate with another demon, he can live somewhere he wants and even visit sometimes.

It's just my feeling that during that whole thing I felt like the MC was doing something horrible, or at least extremely heartless.
I don't think I can't convince someone who played the games since it's so automatic to fuse for you guys but that section of the quest left a bad taste in my mouth and I would not like to go through that again if I can help it.
At the end of the day it will come to a vote, I just hope you guys give it some thought to what I'm saying and don't just go with it because in the games it made sense.

>>4197530
Pixie is a special case because Kaz is making her a special case. She's also one of the few demons that a Pokemon like evolution path.

>>4197541
Kaz made a special case about all of them when he gave them pasts, wants, likes and dislikes, personalities and even a family in Napaea's case. They do not feel like pictures and numbers in an inventory is what I'm trying to say, and I really like this about this quest, and I understand the limitation of slots, I just would not want to fuse them and maybe just thank them for their service and wish them luck from now on in whatever path they decide to pursue, because as we saw, they all have things they like to do and stuff they were doing before coming into our service.
I could be ok with fusion as some sort of punishment for evil dudes, but I would feel bad about it for those who were loyal and fought for us.

>>4197530
Okay, look at it this way:

Evolution is like the best-case scenario of fusion. Opportunities to maintain a semi-consistent line of identity are few, but not impossible within fusion. Fusion demons still retain aspects of the initial demons, both in power and memory, and it is specifically murky business whether you can call them the same "person" that we've only avoided because we've never fused a demon with similar personality or backstory.

I'm not saying we should fuse willy-nilly(although it's a decent way to get to know a wide variety of demons), but it's also a form of retirement from the devil summoner job. We could look into some kind of severance pay for them, but again, they're already getting paid in honor and prestige.

>>4197552
Your demons, the ones you care to develop, are never just fusion parts. Granted they're never far away either with the compendium, but fusion is always cost-benefit, and then wondering if your team will feel 'complete' with them gone.

I'm not trying to pick on you by carrying this on, but I'm legitimately curious about this conversation. In regards to retirement, would you be amenable to fusing demons who would be of a type to aspire for more power (brutes, wilders, beasts, etc.) and enter into a pact willingly?

All of the recent discussion has brought a question to mind. We know powerful demons come back as themselves given time. But have we ever asked pixie for example if she's ever died? If she hasn't, then the lower powered demons don't come back, it's just a new one being born. That will absolutely answer questions about the Quest setting that may or may not be true to the games.

>>4197580
To aspire for more power? Maybe, if it felt like they would still be them, or if they understood that they were ending to become some other thing, but my entire beef with it is that it felt these demons were not "themselves" anymore, suffering personality and memory death and being replaced by something else entirely.
For exemple, I bet neither napaea nor centaur were particularly catholic, they probably never got in contact with that religion in any moment of their lives, but Angel came along a firm believer of God, and with memories of a paradise that exists before the fusion so, did we create her? Did the fusion and energy of those demons we sacrificed "summoned" her into our service from wherever she was before it? Did those two really got smashed together and formed a new demon compleate with non-real memories on the spot?

I figure that all these things I'm saying may sound really retarded for people who are familiar with the setting but it's something that really bugged me and it felt different from just fusing.

I'm not trying to shit up the thread it's just that the topic showed itself and it was something that was bothering me since it happened so it felt in place to discuss it now.
Now I feel like I'm dragging this on so I'm going to sleep now and I'll read whatever you guys have to say in the morning.

Maybe if the opportunity arises Kaz could shed some light on how fusion works on his quest or we can question someone in character to understand it better.

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>>4197625
>I figure that all these things I'm saying may sound really retarded for people who are familiar with the setting but it's something that really bugged me and it felt different from just fusing.

Nah, you're good. Most of the things you are concerned about are not brought up or are just brushed off in the games. As some who has played the games I am a bit desensitized to it. Like a normal gameplay loop is say: I recruit a Pixie in dungeon A and use her for awhile. Dungeon B is tough, I need to do some fusion to beat it, and Pixie is falling behind because that's just how things work. So I fuse Pixie into a Archangel and go about my day. If I need another Pixie for any reason I can just buy another from the compendium or recruit another from Dungeon A. The Pixie I fought with didn't change outside of mechanics. There was no extra dialogue, she has the same lines as the next Pixie I recruit. There's nothing really holding you back from fusing stuff outside of skills or a personal favorite.

Now with a narrative style situation like this quest the questions you're asking do have a lot of weight. Every demon is a character. There is no gameplay loop and I can't pick up another Gryphon at Demon Walmart. The issue is, not using fusion is a bit of a death sentence in our line of work and I don't know what we'd do with the lower end demons if we compendium summon them every time we fuse them. Quite the conundrum.

>>4197625
well don't worry on that part: pretty much everyone knew we were going to have to discuss the morality of fusion, it's just an uncomfortable topic because it's difficult to explain. Applying human morals to demons is some wibbly wobbly stuff, but a good chunk CAN apply.

Angel's knowledge of god, for example, stems a great deal from WHAT Angel is rather than who. And it can be like that with many demons. Low-ranking demons aren't as constrained by this, but there's also less reason for them to have personalities at all beyond their duty or baser desires.

There's more than a small chance that a fusion demon doesn't retain personality from the previous demons because the previous demons didn't HAVE personalities.

>create, summon, or smashed together
the answer is yes. It really is all of the above. With the angel example, it would be:
>As we summoned an angel according to racial combinations, it has knowledge of god and several of its base instincts are set accordingly
>Since we smushed the previous demons into it, it knows skills and memories from them, although in many cases it dissociates from those memories
>We don't create demons, but this specific configuration of an Angel is uniquely "ours" and is why we can register it in the compendium.

Is Angel "different" from Napaea and Centaur? Yes. Will that be the case for all fusions? Not sure.

>>4197264
Oh shit we can be spiderman if we get a Devil Arm. But Arachne is more versatile as a demon, so that'll probably be better. Can we even handle her yet, though?

>>4197625
Think of demon fusing and summoning as "pulling an entity from some sort of cosmic essence," where straight summoning is using what is essentially a blueprint/archive data that you provide for that being, while a fusion is mashing up ingredients to make something that is (hopefully) better than the sum of their parts. And yeah, life and death is pretty fluid for demons. Asking Angel if she remembers her time pre-fusion is a legitimate course of action, but don't be surprised if it's something like >>4197659 though: the games don't dwell too much on it and this quest has acted so far in a pretty similar vein. Don't worry about asking questions, though: they are good topics of conversation. Still though, those demons were lacking in power: it would be better (for now) to not resummon them unless we can get some immediate tactical benefit for it, because otherwise they might get wrecked or gibbed by some of the bigger bads here.

>>4197625
All valid concerns. I'm not for fusing or releasing anyone yet, because we don't have enough skills to cover the spread of losing a demon right now, and we've got room to burn in the COMP.
The others have hit on some of the game mechanics, but as far as the story goes, it might be prudent to investigate Ongyou-ki before leaving, as he could be involved in some human-demon fusion stuff that might answer some of the questions we're having.

>>4198305
>>4197759
yeah, I sort of captured how it is in game mechanics my concern lies if the quest uses a different mechanic, since the interaction with demons is different around here based on what >>4197659 said. there they didn't do or say much, here they are full-fledged characters of the story being told

another thought exercise I'd like to propose, hypothetically, if we were to take Angel to visit her Napaeas sisters, how would the interaction between them go?

Sisters: "Hey human, how is our sister doing in your care?"
MC: "Ask her."
Angel: "Hello siblings, contemplate my new form!"
Sisters: "Awesome wings sis! I bet you really powerful now"
Angel: "I am, but real power comes only from Him! have you heard the good news?"
And Angel goes off to evangelize her sisters and create the very first born again Napaeas

or

Sisters: "Hey human, how is our sister doing in your care?"
MC: "Ask her."
Angel: "Master, who are these heathens? are they a threat to you? I shall cleanse them in holy light!"
Sisters: "What have you done to her!?! You monster!"

Just thinking about the possibilities, since I'm not sure how it would go too.
another thought, how would Pixie react if we fused one of her 16 sisters? or her parents?


Maybe I am indeed making this a bigger problem than it is, or maybe it is a moral issue and the hunters simply ignore it in favor of more power.

>>4198351
asking for more information would be very nice, maybe studying about it in books when we have some free time

>>4198412
If we took Angel to see the napaeas, I can see a couple possibilities

>Your first possibility
>Angel sees the component Napaea as a pseudo-parent, and thus treats Napaeas as distant aunts
>Angel is like the big/little sister that knows what embarrassing things(embarrassing for a Napaea) Napaea did while working with Adrian and would gossip about it if she wanted to.
>They're just acquaintances. 50 years and most of the humans related to their connection will be gone, so why bother acting like friends?

There's also an ingame-mechanic that will most likely be enforced in the quest: You can only have 1 of a single "species" of demon. It's a cultural thing. If a Devil summoner has one of your bros in their party, you make smalltalk, maybe give a life stone, then leave without getting in each other's way.

There's also enough demons that narratively our fellow summoners will just find a different demon. Another squad might have a sister to one of ours, but that's like moving halfway around the globe and bumping into a cousin.

>>4198434
yes, but we don't know what would happen, and the possibility of the Napaea they knew and loved ceasing to exist and being either, replaced by Angel, giving "birth" to Angel as a daughter or becoming a figment of Angel's memories or personality may not sit well with them.

they trusted her sister in our care, would they feel betrayed by our decision? Will our actions be seen as evil and heartless by her sisters?

Since demons differ so much in beliefs and personalities I can see different demons reacting very differently to learning one of their loved ones was fused by their caretaker.

Did we commit something seen as evil by her family by fusing her? Her loyalty to us was 100 so she hardly could deny us even if she didn't want it, she would trust us that it would be a good thing and follow blindly to her doom.

that got heavy for me lol

I feel that what I described up there is actually Brady's point of view, and maybe the reason why he is so against fusion.

>>4198490
that sounds more along the lines of Brady's POV, yeah.

Death and/or identity dissolution is (sometimes)unpleasant but not as final for demons as it is for humans. You need a lack of consent AND literal torture for it to go beyond "douche" and into "evil".

I can't say much more than that for certain until we see the real deal.

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>>4197307
>>4197312
>>4197334
>>4197337
>>4197354
>>4197389
“Are you sure this is a good idea, master?” High Pixie regards Arachne’s D-source with little more than suspicion and just the slightest show of fear. “Considering everything that happened the last time we met her...”

“I don’t exactly have a choice,” you murmur as you set it down on the terminal, “Considering that we’re going up against other humans armed to the teeth with cutting edge technology, it’d be nice to have a demon that’s a bullet sponge.”

The little demon squints. “Yeah, that’s kind of the point though...she’s effectively invulnerable to projectiles, but I remember a whole lot of your shots landing and doing a hell of a lot of damage.”

Shrugging, you punch in the command to reconstitute the Mother of Spiders. “Hell if I know why our guns worked. But considering that I’ve got access to her, we may as well use her.”

“Even if we didn’t exactly part on good terms?” the fairy bluntly deadpans,
“Squad Bootes killed all of her human ‘children.’”

“That’s on them, not on us.” A confirmation screen pops up, one which you affirm and vanish with a single touch on the screen. “Besides, I’ve got my raw, animal magnetism to work with. Second time’s the charm, after all.”

High Pixie snorts derisively. “If that’s the case, then why do you have me out, concentrating and charged to the gills with as much magic as possible? Your ‘raw, animal magnetism’ has gotten you so far and served you so well with both demon and mortal women alike.”

“Because one can never be too careful,” you cheerfully answer.

“...considering how Arachne was the catalyst for you and the angry woman becoming lovers, I think you ought to thank her.”

That...come to think of it, she does have a point. But before you can even respond to that, the terminal lights up, heralding the completion of the extraction and reconstitution of the Mother of Spiders. The lights in the room dim, and the air becomes charged with ozone as the Demon Summoning Program draws power into itself.

“Stand by for trouble,” you comment idly, even as you rest a hand on your gun.

The fairy nods. “I always am. Somebody has to be here to clean up the messes you start.”

Tendrils of electricity fly, and darkness fills the room as the artificial ritual reaches the culmination of its function. With a blinding flash, and a final discharge of ozone, a shadow manifests where there was not one before, filling the room with a thrum of power.

“I am Arachne, Mother of Spiders,” the demon utters in a low, husky voice as the smoke of the summoning dissipates into the air. She rears up as high as the ceiling will allow her, revealing herself to be a somewhat smaller, but no less powerful version of the corrupted goddess you fought in the swamps of West Virginia. “And you have a great deal of courage to call me from the void...Adrian Brown.”

(cont.)

Oh crap.

Arachne smiles, revealing a mouth full of too many mandibles that chitter and move indistinctly of each other. It's a beautiful smile in all of the wrong ways, similar to how she regarded you when you were her prisoner.

High Pixie immediately interposes herself between the two of you. "You will not harm him, wretched woman!"

The spider laughs. "Peace, little insect. Had I wished your master harm...well, I could not considering the magical constraints that bind me into his service."

That raises a few alarm bells. Binds imply that those could be broken or otherwise removed.

"I must admit that I wasn't expecting a meeting so soon..." the demon settles down, testing the mobility of her hands, all eight of her legs. "...still, I cannot complain. Servitude to the one who slew me is preferable to a slow, dissolution into oblivion within the Expanse.

"Tell me though: are we about to battle the bitch goddess?" Her lips quirk into a feral grin. "I would obey you, without any hesitation, if it meant dragging that wise and insufferable whore into the mud where she rightfully belongs."

Clearing your throat and stilling a trembling hand, you answer, "No, unfortunately. I've summoned you because I need your help."

"A pity, then...although it is quite kind of you to approach, and not otherwise presume my total obedience..." Arachne's gaze narrows. "...why do you ask? I am already bound to obey your commands."

Because as cool as it is, your base form is admittedly more useful now than as a Devil Arm.

But you'd be an idiot to voice that aloud.

"Because I'm just that kind of guy," you exhale, offering a hand up towards her, "And I'd like all the bad blood to be water under the bridge before we can work together."


>Roll 1d100+40 Social. [+20 Social, +10 Orator's Tongue, +10 Lady Killer (Demon)]
>Best out of three.

Rolled 43 (1d100)

>>4198551
Haha, she's terrifying, oh god I forgot.

Rolled 10 + 40 (1d100 + 40)

>>4198551
we gonna need a bigger bridge to fit all this water.

Rolled 71 + 40 (1d100 + 40)

>>4198551
LET GO!

Rolled 20 + 40 (1d100 + 40)

>>4198551
Amelia, bless this roll.

>>4198551
>>Roll 1d100+40 Social. [+20 Social, +10 Orator's Tongue, +10 Lady Killer (Demon)]

> dissolution into oblivion within the Expanse.
this she some light to the essence thing at least

and hopefully we won't have to battle that goddess...

>>4198559
good roll.
>>4198564
It's almost a given, unless decisions stay towards the light/law side of things. But now I've got to go back and review Expanse references in previous threads.
>>4198490
>>4198506
Brady and Mokoi are probably about to hit a wall together.

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>>4198558
>>4198559
>>4198560
Arachne stares at the offered limb, with something unreadable within all eight of her eyes. Then, with what sounds like an incredibly, heavy sigh, she accepts the offered hand. The Mother of Spiders lowers herself to your level, meeting you eye-to-eye. “...very well. ‘Water under the bridge’, you wish for our prior experiences to be? Then it shall be so.”

>>Arachne Loyalty is at 75%!

“But I hope you wouldn’t forget everything...” the smile on her face turns sultry as her other hand goes to caress your face. “...duplicitous as your actions were in my domain, it was entertaining. It wouldn’t be entirely unpleasant to...serve under you.”

In another lifetime, you might have considered something, or otherwise flushed and stuttered something about not sleeping with demon women. But things have certainly changed. And while Arachne’s...more human transformation is easy on the eyes, you’ve had more aggressive demons trying to get into your pants.

A certain fairy queen comes to mind...

Ignoring your fairy’s scandalized squawking, you gently remove the offending hand from your face. “Sorry, but I’m already spoken for. And she and I are mutually exclusive.”

Arachne doesn’t show any anger or surprise, blinking owlishly as she pulls away. “A pity. I would not have even eaten you after copulation...”

The Mother of Spiders disappears into your COMP with a laugh that still echoes long after the looks on yours and High Pixie’s faces.

>>You still have 31,000 Macca

>>The following demons are available for sale on the Emporium:
>Lv. 34 Setanta, Child of Light [Javelin Rain, Zanma, Charge, War Cry] (15,000 Macca)
>Lv. 33 Power, Authority of God [Javelin Rain, Diarama, Hamon, Tarakuja] (12,000 Macca)
>Lv. 32 Okuniushi, God of Medicine [Fatal Sword, Agialo, Mediarama, Dekunda] (12,000 Macca)
>Lv. 31 Wendigo, the Cold Beast [Lucky Punch, Mabufula, Ice Boost, Rakunda] (11,000 Macca)

>>With your current stock, the following demons can be fused:
>Lv. 34 Harpy [Gryphon x Pyro Jack]
>Lv. 32 Yamawaro [Gryphon x Archangel]
>Lv. 26 Senri [Archangel x Pyro Jack]
>Lv. 26 Principality [Karasu Tengu x Pyro Jack]

>>Before you depart to check up on Elly, do you have any other business left here to attend?
>Buy a demon from the Emporium. [Write-in from the list]
>Perform fusion with the demons you have now. [Write-in from the list]
>Re-summon Centaur and Napaea (Pay 750 Macca)
>You have no more business here. [Leave]

>>4198730
Before we chose in resumoning or not, is there a way to simply....release a demon from the comp? no strings attached?

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>>4198739
Yeah, you can totally do that.

>>4198741
>>You have no more business here. [Leave]

I'd prefer to study more on the subject before taking this decision, while the discussion was interesting, we really don't know shit about how things work here

>>4198730
Does Setanta have his evolution in this? I know some games do and some don't when it comes to acquiring Choo Choo

>>4198730
>You have no more business here. [Leave]

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>>4198760
Yes.

Additionally, the pastebin is a bit out of date, but all of Carina Squad should be Lv. 34. So if you want to give demons as gifts but were afraid of them being under-leveled, don't worry about it. I'll update the pastebin after I get some lunch.

>>4198730
I want to summon the 2 we promised it to, but I also don't want to release them into what could be considered a warzone

>>4198730
>Buy a demon from the Emporium
>>Lv. 34 Setanta, Child of Light [Javelin Rain, Zanma, Charge, War Cry] (15,000 Macca)
Not trying to foist Gryphon out, but this is a good opportunity to get something to cover Adrian's current lack of a PHYS demon, and add some more wind power.

>>4198783
In that case.

>>4198730
>Buy a demon from the Emporium. [Write-in from the list]

>Lv. 34 Setanta, Child of Light [Javelin Rain, Zanma, Charge, War Cry] (15,000 Macca)

For MacKay. Gives him Zan spell coverage which he doesn't have, a good physical attacker for once, and a good debuff. Not even mentioning Setanta evolves into a powerhouse.

>Lv. 32 Okuniushi, God of Medicine [Fatal Sword, Agialo, Mediarama, Dekunda] (12,000 Macca)

For Vicky. Gives her Agi coverage and a really good healer. Also Japanese mythology demon for the Japanese character.

Brings both of them up to 4 demons. They've both only had 3.

>>4198730
>>4198782
Change to this >>4198795

>>4198794
With Arachne we've got solid Phys now and Sen has the same Zan level as our Tengu. I get it though, giving up Cu to someone else is hard.

>>4198807
True enough, I glossed over the part about gifting demons. And Setanta to McKay has a regional twist as well, thought not quite as much as Vicky and Okuniushi. I'm fine as long as he's on the team in some regard
We do need to take some time to get Brady kitted out with a fresh demon at some point though.

>>4198730
I'll back >>4198795 as well to give it some additional support.

>>4198730
>>4198795
supporting this

>>4198730
>>4198795
Supporting

>>4198730
>750 Macca
>750
>3 digits, not 4
I take everything back. Resummon them, it's freaking cheap to just release them right afterwards, and maybe they have some homies here in hell we can talk to some time in the future.

>Purchase skillbooks/grimoires
Given the nature of the quest, I'm actually half-ready to seriously never buy/sell demons. It's not the hardest restriction as SMT games go.

>>4198730
>>Re-summon Centaur and Napaea (Pay 750 Macca)
>>4198795
These

>>4198730

Supporting >>4198795

Hey Kaz, spent yesterday reading the archives instead of doing my essay

worth it

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>>4198730
>>4198795
Supporting.

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>>4198744
>>4198782
>>4198794
>>4198795
>>4198801
>>4198825
>>4198837
>>4198872
>>4199208
>>4199538
>>4199847
>>4199861
Considering that you have the money, it’s easy to make a choice in regards to the Emporium. Two party members come to mind as you select the respective demons you intend to pair with them. Both the priest and mechanic have only three demons to their name, as opposed to everybody else with four...well, in your case, six.

“MacKay, Vicky...yeah, everything’s alright. Listen, I need to meet the two of you in the Requisitions Prefab...won’t take more than a handful of minutes.”

MacKay is the first to arrive. To the surprised priest, you bequeath onto him Setanta, Ireland’s Child of Light. The boy who would become the Hound of Ulster is a fierce and proud warrior, in spite of his appearance as a fair-haired youth. What he makes up for in mediocre magic ability, Setanta compensates in outputting incredibly strong physical damage.

“I am Setanta, son of the great god Lugh,” the warrior proudly declares, kneeling before MacKay, “Point me towards battle, master, and towards worthy opponents. My spear-arm is yours, and your enemies are mine.”

Flustered, MacKay hurriedly has Setanta stand back up onto his feet. “There isn’t any need for formality. I would consider us partners, not master and servant.”

The young hero thinks on this, twisting one end of his scarf in intense concentration. “...teacher, then! I still have a ways to go before I can become my elder self. I will be the student, and you the teacher! The monks that inhabited Ulster after my time were very wise and learned."

It seems that he won’t take ‘no’ for an answer, in spite of your number one’s complaints. But Setanta seems to be more than pleased with the human he’s been assigned. The young demon gives you a little wave, and High Pixie a flirtatious wink before disappearing within the priest’s COMP.

It takes a few moments before MacKay recovers, directing you the flattest look he could muster. “...in my parish, it was considered to be a sort of punishment for small mistakes to be in charge of after-school youth group.”

“At least there’s only one ankle-bitter to babysit,” you joke.

His mouth is a thin line, barely moving as he rattles off a list, “...yes, an ankle-bitter with enough strength to be called the Irish version of Heracles, a warp-spasm capable of terrifying collateral damage, and propensity for promiscuity.”

“Since when did you study Irish mythology?”

“Sophomore year, comparative religion. I had a free elective I needed to fill for my theology degree.” But his features soften, and he shakes his head. “Thank you very much. Your placement will not go to waste.

"Just promise me one thing," he adds in a low and uneasy voice, "Should you find his real teacher, give me advance warning. I have very little desire to have the Witch of Dún Skye behaving like Brady's Lenan Sidhe..."

(cont.)

>>4200246
Well now we *have* to get Scathach for MacKay sometime.

>>4200296
Catholics purged the snakes from Ireland
Now the snakes come back to hang out with the Catholic.

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>>4200246
>You gained +10 influence with MacKay!

Vicky comes only seconds after the priest departs. And to her, you give Okuninushi, the Japanese deity of medicine and commerce, among other things. There isn’t much you know about eastern mythology, but what you can remember is that Okuninushi is one of the more benevolent gods of Japan. Something about a hare of Inaba or something or other...

“Ikeman!” The mechanic chirps in surprise as the god bows in deference. At your questioning glance, she translates, “‘Good-looking man.’” Vicky pauses, frowning as she gives the demon a looking over. “...but the hair...”

Ignoring the period hair, you can certainly see where she’s coming from. Okuninushi...bleargh, that’s a mouthful to pronounce. Names aside, the god is certainly aesthetically pleasing to look at...although you have some serious questions about the eyeliner and the lipstick.

“Thank you, Adrian! Considering the last one you gave me was too much beef, screaming about working out and bulking up...” She nods, determined and full of vigor, “My team is rounding out nicely. I just need a few more cute demons to balance everything out...”

...that can’t be the only thing she’s concerned about.

But the god laughs. “I see that my current master has her priorities in order. There is truly nothing wrong with desiring beautiful things. But my healing arts and blade are at your command, Yamane-dono.”

To your surprise, Vicky actually blushes. “Oh, stop that! None of that ‘dono’ stuff. If anything, it should be the other way around, Okuninishi-no-kami-sama.”

Now that’s certainly a mouthful. And the god agrees, “My prior master had entreated to call me ‘O-kun’ in an effort to truncate my name. In the heat of battle, I fear that the tongues of western Devil Summoners often stumble upon some of our more esoteric names and titles.”

“‘O-kun?!’” shrieks the mechanic, absolutely scandalized, “That is far too informal! You can trust that I won’t mangle your name, Okuninushi-sama. I’ve lived in America my whole life, but my parents made sure to teach me proper Japanese.”

“Ah, I am truly blessed,” the god smiles, “To have a very considerate master.”

Before he disappears into her COMP, the two exchange a few more bows and pleasantries that seem to go hand-and-hand with Japanese societal norms. And by the time Vicky leaves, she’s practically skipping out the door. “Thank you, Adrian! You can count on my demons and I more than ever!”

Huh. Maybe she’s just happy to have someone Japanese on her team...erm...a ‘proper’ Japanese god, at any rate. Momunofu, with his rants about protein and bulking up, doesn’t quite exactly strike you as a traditional or archetypal Japanese god, formalities and all.

>You gained +12 influence with Vicky!
>You lost -5 influence with Brady.

(cont.)

>>4200343
>Spoiler
Chances are it's cause we didn't get him anything, but we still have Horkos's crown. We can ask him if he wants it, either to enhance his demons or summon Piggie. Even help with the cost if need be.

>>4200430
Alternatively because he's a weeb. Or because we're rubbing elbows with Vicky.
Or because we gave Vicky a super handsome demon.

>>4200430
>>4200436
One point off for each thing

>>4200343
Do flower petals actually fall around him?

>>4200592
where do you think the medicine comes from? Bishounen particle effects cure all ails!

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>>4200343
>>Later
Through no fault of their own, the former prisoners of Fuu-ki have been assigned to their own prefab structure. The antidote that Vicky cooked up in the Whistler might have purged the worst of the drug from their systems, but there was no telling when the effects might have abated, or whether or not the drug could have metastasized into something worse and more transmissible. Until Sirona ran more extensive and exhaustive tests, they would remain under a monitored quarantine

At first, they were resistant, and you couldn’t exactly blame them. God knows how many months they had spent, locked up in that drug den at the “tender mercies” of the blue bastard. And here, their rescuers required them to be placed under another, albeit more temporary, confinement.

But in the end, they comply with the order, and Sirona made several compromises to better improve their morale. Most of them are quick to get it over with, grumbling and stewing as they’re poked and prodded with needles, and asked all manner of inane questions for data points and reference.

And all it took to secure their cooperation was the promise of better food, high-speed internet, warm showers, and all operatives to walk around with depolarized helmets. For the most part, they aren’t as skittish as they were when Carina first rescued them, but the sight of DEMONICAS still cause several to flinch away...different colors though yours are.

Another thing to lay at the feet of that bastard...

You recognize a handful of them with varying familiarity, some more vividly than others from the extent of the injuries revealed in your examination. But they all recognize you, setting aside whatever they occupy themselves to get up and greet you. They don’t quite swarm you, but they come pretty close as you try to make your way through the barracks; their voices all blend together in a cacophony of barely distinguishable sentences:

“So, I heard you’re getting that bastard Jack tomorrow...”

“Could you get Victoria to bring some of her snacks?”

“If you see the old man in the red coat, please give him our thanks!”

“The demons that were in captivity with us...how are they doing?”

“I want you tell Mama Bird that I’m only writing to tell my family that I’m alright-”

“Are you sure that we’re completely safe here, up in the mountain-”

“I never want to be helpless again...please, let me join your organization-”

“What happened to the fairy hanging around your shoulders?”

One by one, you wave them off, offering small platitudes here and there. Yes, you’ll convey their thanks to Dante, and their complaints about communications blackout to Mama Bird. Ibaraki nearly finished all of Vicky’s snacks, but you’ll ask the mechanic if she hid some away. The demons are doing very fine, thank you for asking, and only a fool would think of attacking a reinforced Brooding Fortress.

(cont.)

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...and you’ll quietly defer to Central’s judgment in terms of the offers of volunteering for the organization. As it stands, you’ve already got a tentative recruit in the works, and Carina is on thin ice with the organization as it is. Commander Alger is someone far-better equipped to handle questions about recruitment.

But there’s one face that you miss among the small gathering.

Clearing your throat, you ask, “Where can I find Elly?”

The youngest of the former prisoners occupies a bunk in a far corner of the room, left alone in silent contemplation. A bowl of beef stew congeals on a nearby nightstand, barely touched and well past gone cold. The only response she has to offer is a distressed noise at the sight of your DEMONICA...one that goes away when she realizes that it’s your face behind the helmet.

“Adri...an...” It comes barely as a whisper. Her eyes are distant, not quite seeing you.

A single glance at the rest of the women, and they nod in solidarity. They take to the furthest end of the barracks, chattering just loud enough for a dull roar to settle about the room. There will be no erstwhile eavesdroppers for this conversation.

You gesture to the mattress. “May I sit down?”

Elly nods, but only just barely. The springs complain as you settle down, just about two hundred fifty pounds of man and machine. After that, what ensues is a very noticeable, uncomfortable silence. The issue of her current "condition" is more than an active landmine. Thus, the need to tread very, very carefully.

“...I spoke with Mama Bird,” you suddenly say, “He says that this temporary isolation isn’t gonna last for too long. Three days max, and we’ll have all of you back in the human world.”

She doesn’t respond to that. If anything, it only makes her curl further in on herself.

>>What’s your approach?
>“Are you gonna eat that?” [Try and make her laugh.]
>“If you wanna cry it out...” [Offer a shoulder to cry on.]
>“Tomorrow, we’re gonna get Jack.” [Change the subject.]
>“You’re not being a cooperative patient.” [Gently admonish.]
>Custom option. [Write-in.]

>>4201496
>Need a switch? I hear Fairy Crossing Old Horizons is pretty popular.
>“Tomorrow, we’re gonna get Jack.” [Change the subject.]

>>4201496

>Custom option. [Write-in.]
>"Don't tell anyone but Dante, the white-haired man is half-demon"

Let her know it aint the end of the world

>>4201496
>>“Tomorrow, we’re gonna get Jack.” [Change the subject.]

>>4201496
>>4201594
I'm iffy on letting her know that Dante's a Half Demon, but I do like letting her know it's not the first time it's happened.

>>4201607

How about we tell her that her situation isn't unprecedented and we can help her talk to a half-demon if she wants?

>>4201610
That we can TRY to get one to talk to. Don't promise for certain, just that we'll try.

>>4201665

Fine by me, let's see what others have to say

>>4201610
maybe we shouldn't mention any half-demons, what she has is a rape baby, so first, she has to decide if she wants to keep a rape baby. considerations about half-demons come after she has made that decision.

>>4201496
>“Tomorrow, we’re gonna get Jack.” [Change the subject.]

>>4201796
>>4201496
agreed
>“If you wanna cry it out...” [Offer a shoulder to cry on.]
after that we can change the subject, she doesn't have to talk if she doesn't want to, but she does need the option to talk/cry

>>4201496

>“If you wanna cry it out...” [Offer a shoulder to cry on.]

>>4201496
>“If you wanna cry it out...” [Offer a shoulder to cry on.]

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Resuming in an hour-ish. Apologies for the delay.

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While we wait, I'd like to make an important announcement:
I want to handhold Pixie!

>>4205032
She's best girl. Fitz is just a phase.

>>4201507
>>4201594
>>4201597
>>4201796
>>4201835
>>4201883
>>4204061

Exhaling, you murmur, “I’m not gonna be going anywhere for a few minutes. So if you need a shoulder to cry on...”

She starts at that, releasing a scornful breath, “...what’s the point? Crying isn’t gonna...it isn’t gonna change anything...”

“I have over twelve scientific research papers that prove that crying is an effective and cathartic release for severe emotional trauma. You’re all more than entitled to go through several boxes of tissues.”

“...smartass...” But she scoots closer. Her hand visibly trembles as she reaches out, placing a tentative grip on your arm. The DEMONICA suit is nearly four inches of synthetic Kevlar and God-knows-what-else, but you can still feel the pressure of as her touch tightens. “...the nurse confirmed what...what you and Pixie found There wasn’t a mistake. I really...am...”

“C’mere.” The embrace you hold her in is reminiscent of your first encounter, where you gave her hope for a future outside of Fuu-ki’s castle. But now, you see a girl that’s completely shattered from the weight of reality, and you have to do your best to keep her from utterly breaking. “Hey...hey...just let it all out...”

Elly clings as if you were the only think that prevented her from completely breaking. Her voice barely reaches above the occasional hoarse yelp, but she trembles uncontrollably. In the peripherals of your vision, you can see the rest of the women shifting uncomfortably, shooting looks of pity towards Elly.

“...I was just...” her voice hitches, “...getting my summer reading, f-from the fucking library...it was my turn to do the dishes...and my daddy’s birthday was coming up...I had all my books, and I left the building-“

She doesn’t need to finish. You can put two and two together to figure out the rest of her story. If Miranda’s story was anything to go by, then her abduction by Jack’s Crew happened just as she entered through a doorway. One minute, she was just minding her own business, worrying about the things that only teenage girls should be worried about. And in the next moment...

You’re admittedly not the most knowledgeable when it comes to the mechanics of magic. But there’s only a handful of gods that have power over doorways. And one of them seems to be working for Jack.

It’s definitely something to look into.

(cont.)

Man, hopefully we can erase all about this shit and go back to her normal life

>>4205378The most merciful thing to give her, might be to leave it blank and have her reawaken from a coma
In contrast to what actually happened, it should be better

>>4205378
>>4206552
It's her choice, if that's what she chooses then that's what she'll get. Whatever path she chooses is hers to walk.

>>4206600
More than fair, if there is something she might be more comfortable with, or that would work for her I hope he taskforce will provide

>>4205271
Of course, that’s neither here nor now for another twelve hours or so.

Her voice cracks. “...why is this happening to me?”

“...that’s a question that neither you nor I can,” you murmur softly. At her stricken look, you hurriedly add, “But that’s one that I fully intend upon asking that man tomorrow...right before I put a bullet through that bastard’s head.”

Something shines like fire within her eyes, a small ember that would burn away the despair and replace it with simmering fury. “...you’re...you’re gonna get...him...tomorrow?”

“Yes. My team has his location, the key to get in the door, and enough explosives to make Michael Bay blush. That man and the rest of his crew have had this a long time coming. You can trust me on that.”

Elly frowns. “...you promise?”

“I got you out of Fuu-ki’s castle, didn’t I?” you counter with a teasing smile. “And delivered him on a little melted plate to Ibaraki for disposal. My squad’s batting two-for-two with you so far, kid. Watch us hit a home run tomorrow.”

The noise that comes out of her throat is equal measures a hiccup as it is a hysterical laugh. She sniffs, wiping the edge of her eyes and nose along the sleeve of a borrowed shirt. “...but even if you kill him...and all of his crew and demons...that still doesn’t change-”

You cut her off with a firm squeeze on the shoulder. “I think that mounting his head on a pike and sticking it on a nightlight will help you sleep better at night. Hmmm? You’re still only three days free, and still worrying about what the future holds when you’ve got a lifetime ahead of you. Beyond putting that fucker six feet into the dirt, there's nothing needs to be done or decided right now.”

She doesn’t look nearly as sure, and the way her mouth trembles is a punch to the gut. The option of Mnemosyne hangs in the back of your mind. It would be merciful for you to just mind-wipe her, leave her without any horrible memories or trauma of her abduction and imprisonment in the Demonic Wastes. It wouldn’t undo what had happened to her...but that’s assuming a lot of things.

Exhaling warily, you place your hand underneath her chin, and gently bring her eyes up to meet yours. “It’s your life, Elly. I can’t tell you how to live it. All of you’ve been through something that no one should have to go through, especially with your own situation. That man and the blue bastard took away the freedom to choose, and I’m giving it back to you. It’s your choice, not mine, not my superiors’...”

“...it’s mine...” she finishes weakly. “...but...I’m scared...no matter what I end up choosing...Adrian, I’m scared...”

"You don't need to make it right away," you reassure her. "Just promise me that you take a long, hard time to think about it while I'm gone, alright? And we'll talk about it when I get back. I promise."

(cont.)

>>4207826
>And we'll talk about it when I get back. I promise
deathflags.jpg

>>4206600
I just hope she feetus deletus even if she chooses to retain her memories, raising a rape baby is just awful, and having it being used by a shadow organization just adds more shit to the shit cake.

>>4207839
A lot of them right?
The only thing that's missing is a "what's the worse that can happen?"

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>>4207826
Elly looks a little more hopeful at that. “...you do?”

“What do you want me to do, pinky-promise?” You wiggle the last digit of your finger as best you can through the DEMONICA. Her mouth twitches into what might be the ghost of a smile as she returns the gesture. The pact is made and sealed; no going back now. “Listening happens to be my best talent. Comes with being the eldest of too many siblings.”

There isn’t anything more to be said. You clap her on the shoulder and give her a final hug. “Don’t give into despair. That’s the first thing they had wanted, and the abso-fucking-lutely last thing I want for you.

“But if you need somebody else to talk to...” you pause, musing on how best to broach the subject, “...the white-haired man that came with us. Dante Sparda. He’s a bit rough around the edges, but he knows when to quit clowning around. You can trust him to keep a secret.”

She blinks, confused. “...what could he possibly know that could help me?”

A whole lot, considering his birthright, you think. But you answer, “I have it on good authority.”

As you exit, you pretend to not notice her going for the now-cold stew on her bedside. And to the rest of the women, you mutter in a low, sotto voice: “Keep an eye on her for me, please. I don’t want her doing anything drastic while I’m gone.”

>>Day 9 of Wastelands Expedition

The Demonic Wastelands have little in the way of light beyond the strange illumination that peeks through cloud coverage. But when the dawn comes, it catches you slipping into your armor, sliding on Kevlar and preparing your weapons with an unyielding, resolute determination. Today is the start of where Jack’s Crew finally gets what they’ve long since been due.

The entirety of Carina Squad is ready upon your approach, along with the guests in tow. Bai Suzhen had elected to stay behind, to keep a close eye upon the former prisoners and subjects of both Fuu and Kin-ki.

“Keep a close eye on those humans,” Ibaraki warns the White Snake, “I trust Brown and the rest of his lot, but not these new ones...”

Bai Suzhen raises a hand to hide her growing smile. “Of course, friend.”

The little oni would not have let you leave for the temple without her in tow. Fuu-ki is only one of two individuals responsible for the death of her “brother”. For Kin-Ki to be successfully avenged, human blood and gore must wet her blade and talons.

“Ready to go when you are, Adrian!” Vicky hollers from the cockpit, “MAG reactor’s at full efficiency and Jack’s coordinates are dialed in.”

“Then what are we waiting for?” you drawl as you cast looks to the rest of your team. “Let’s go make the world a better place.”

The Whistler lurches, and speeds out of F.O.B. Golden Nest with as much haste as it can muster, relentless in its descent down the mountain, and pursuit of the interlopers...

>>Roll 1d100 Encounter.
>Best out of three.

Rolled 25 (1d100)

>>4207874
it's time for my consistently below average rolls!

Rolled 86 (1d100)

>>4207874

Rolled 76 (1d100)

>>4207874

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>>4207899
>>4207916
>>4207924
Your journey through the Wastelands goes mostly unimpeded. The “natives” seem to be more than happy to leave you alone, idly observing as the Whistler zips through the wasteland. More than once, a roving gang or horde attempts to intercept, but a few shots from the main gun otherwise scare them off. Nothing short of something like Horkos or another one of the oni brothers could prove a real threat to the APC.

>>You notice nothing out of the ordinary...

The coordinates lead to an overhanging cliff, gazing high above what might have been an empty space of sand and dirt. Certainly, the Desolate Plains live up to their moniker of having nothing worth stopping for or otherwise investigating. Of course, that was before the location of Jack’s Crew, as well as the artifact you needed to get in.

Said artifact, a fetish of what Fuu-Ki referred to as the ‘Rebellious God’, vibrates in the palm of your hands. It emits a low hum, a waveform deep enough to make your teeth hurt as you bring it to the cockpit of the Whistler.

“So what do we do now?” you grunt, setting the object down. “Five more minutes of this, and I’m half tempted to throw it out the airlock.”

Brady snorts, idly flicking a holographic interface towards your HUD.
“The paperwork we found says that the temple only appears when ‘the faithful bearing the god’ enter within worshiping distance. I’d say that we’re bloody well close if it’s going off like that.”

“So we’re just supposed to sit here and wait?” grouses Ibaraki. “When we are so close to achieving our revenge?”

“If we get any closer,” MacKay cautions, “They might spot us. The cliff is just barely high enough-”

It happens so quickly, that if you had blinked, you might have missed it. The eyes of the Rebellious God shine an ominous golden color, emitting a large pulse of energy that nearly brings you to your knees. It seems to echo through the APC, similarly staggering the rest of the Squad, barring Dante who’s only reaction is an annoyed yawn.

“...looks like you got your answer, squirt,” the godslayer muses, whistling low as he gazes out the window. “...uh...you guys might wanna get a look at this.”

As far as Stephen King novels go, Under the Dome is certainly one of his more exhausting reads. The TV show, at the very least, was able to capture the sheer scope of the giant fishbowl that trapped the fictional town of Chester’s Mill. And as far as King adaptations go, it’s certainly up there as one of the better ones.

What all seven of you see through the viewfinder is something not entirely dissimilar. The air around the plains seems to shiver, crackling with magical energy that sends the scanner into frenzy. With every pulse from the fetish, the more an oblong, semi-spherical shape appears to manifest before your eyes.

(cont.)

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The priest returns to his console, quickly scanning the feedback of data that floods his screen. “Whatever that thing did, the barrier hiding the temple seems to be weakening significantly...super-structure is manifesting in real space-time...”

“It’s a fuckin’ fishbowl!” Sarah eloquently puts through the comlink.

The very land itself seems to abruptly shift, changing from a flatland into more akin to a deep, sunken valley. As the magical barrier fades away, a patchwork of ancient structures and collapsed buildings gradually reveal themselves before your eyes. The ruins are largely nothing more than what they appear to be, monuments to forgotten gods half-taken by the ravages of time. Even the viewfinder struggles to match up iconography with what’s stored within the internal databases.

But the buildings aren’t unoccupied. Scattered across the valley, the targetfinder paints firing solutions on over a dozen presumed hostiles. Similar to Carina and Sirona squads, the humans that litter the temple going about their business are clad in DEMONICAs. However, similar to the testimony of the prisoners, theirs appear to be a near-uniform black.

These humans could only be Jack’s Crew.

And they aren’t alone. Patrolling alongside them are their own respective demons. Some you recognize or at least can make an educated guess as to what they are. Hulking oni, brutish undead, monstrous quadrupeds...an entire menagerie of demons on display, helping their masters patrol, man remote turrets, or otherwise kill time on a slow, unassuming day.

Further beyond, just at the center of the ruins, is a sort of prefabricated building, not entirely the ones that Sirona imported from the human world. What it lacks in height, it more than makes up for in length and width. The damn thing’s easily the size of a baseball field.

“Jackpot,” Dante whistles, “If I were a slaving scumbag, I’d definitely be hiding there.”

“Think they know we can see ‘em?” comes the drawling voice of Sarah from the main gun. “Sure, they’re only pea-shooters compared to the big stick, but I wouldn't want all those turrets ganging up on us..."

"Better question is where their own 'iron carriage is," Brady murmurs.

A quick view through the periscope confirms that to your own surprise, they do not see you. The guards and demons go about their business, unaware that their enchantment has been broached.

You almost feel sorry for them.

>>There are a total of 15 visible human enemies, and 8 turrets for each point on a compass.

>>What will the order of battle be?
>False Flag. One team creates a distraction with the Whistler, another team infiltrates.
>Gatecrash. Remain as a single unit and charge through the front gate, guns blazing.
>Stealthy Infiltration. Disembark from the Whistler and sneak your way into the ruins.
>Pronged Attack. Split up into two teams to simultaneously attack the front and rear.
>Custom option. [Write-in]

>>4209047
>False Flag. One team creates a distraction with the Whistler, another team infiltrates.
I want to say that we should just charge in, but they have people they won't mind using as hostages.

>>4209047

>Gatecrash. Remain as a single unit and charge through the front gate, guns blazing.

Hard and fast Ladies and Gents

>>4209047
>Pronged Attack. Split up into two teams to simultaneously attack the front and rear.

>>4209047
>False Flag. One team creates a distraction with the Whistler, another team infiltrates.
We need the infiltration team to take those turrets offline before we make a push with the Whistler

>>4209047
>Stealthy Infiltration. Disembark from the Whistler and sneak your way into the ruins.

securing the hostages is priority number 1 I think

>>4209047
>Pronged Attack. Split up into two teams to simultaneously attack the front and rear.

>>4209047
>Pronged Attack. Split up into two teams to simultaneously attack the front and rear.
No escapees

>>4209325
I change to

>False Flag. One team creates a distraction with the Whistler, another team infiltrates.

>>4209047
>>False Flag. One team creates a distraction with the Whistler, another team infiltrates.

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>>4209091
>>4209092
>>4209153
>>4209305
>>4209335
>>4209424
>>4209443
>>4209479
>>False Flag

It’s hard to imagine what goes through a career criminal’s mind, even more so for one who turned their back against humanity to the extent of Jack’s Crew. Criminal psychology is far from your own field of expertise, but you can speculate as best you can as you slowly rappel down the side of the valley.

When the first shell landed, right smack in the middle of the southeastern-most turret, they might have been surprised. When it exploded, they might have started to feel fear for the first time in a very long time. You think they might have felt humiliation, then panic when the second shell blew up what appeared to be a munitions depot by the size of the explosion.

Jack’s Crew came from the human world, preying upon demonkind and human alike in the pursuit of profit. The helpless were their best targets, candidates ripe to satiate the degenerate appetites of the worst of demonkind. They probably didn’t expect for anybody to fight back, or offer any meaningful resistance to their activities.

They didn’t expect to discover that someone had not only tracked them down, but was hell-bent on delivering their comeuppance and the justice for their crimes.

Across the compound, klaxon alarms spool to life, blaring a wailing drone that echoes off the walls of the valley. Operatives clad head-to-toe in black armor pour out from the ruins, one, two, three...fifteen dressed in DEMONICAs. They shout for defensive positions to be taken, demons to be summoned, for the turrets to locate the source of the shells...

“There!” One of them shouts, an officer by what you assume is a silver trim alongside his protective suit, “Up on the cliffside! All turrets-”

He doesn’t even have the opportunity to finish before another turret gets blown to shrapnel. Two nearby operators and their demons disappear in a fiery ball of shrapnel and gunpowder. When the fireball burns itself out, it reveals two crumpled forms, barely clinging to life as metal rods and shards dig into their innards.

The officer curses. “Fuck! I want all the heavy hitters out in the front! Anti-tank munitions, the elder demons...where’s that rookie that had the flash clone of Grendel?! We’re sitting ducks out here!”

“Sir!” An operative falls in line beside him, skidding to a complete stop. The timbre of voice reveals the soldier as a woman. “Is it them? The Task Force-”

“No, it’s just the fucking girl scouts, Cammie, with their brand-new delivery system of dropping off Thin-Mints. Who the fuck do you think it is?!”

Ignoring the barbed words of her leader, ‘Cammie’ shouts back, “What’s the plan, sir?! It’s only a small vehicle, but the Lightning isn’t due for at least another day or two-”

(cont.)

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“Yeah, don’t remind me!” He depresses a button on his COMP, conjuring a veritable devil made from bones to his side. “Mobilize all units and get those anti-tank rounds loaded into the turrets. Primus and Secundus Squads will form a defensive line, Tertius on turrets, and Quintus to work on restoring the barrier!”

“We aren’t scrubbing? If they found us here-”

“Tell that to Jack,” the man grunts as he grabs a nearby rocket launcher, “Tell him that we bolted like a bunch of spooked rabbits because the Boy Scouts came knocking at the front door with an eight-inch gun.”

His subordinate isn’t too happy about that. “What makes you think that the Task Force is gonna lie down when you kill one of their kill teams?”

“They won’t! We’re just buying time for either a clean escape or for the Lightning to show up and scare them off. Do you remember where we kept the Q.E.C.?” At her nod, the officer beckons her to leave, “You get on the line, and tell Jack to get here as fast as possible. I don’t care what the bloody time difference is, you have him send the Lighting back here as soon as possible. Understand?”

Cammie didn’t make it far, only two dozen feet away from her commanding officer, and a few feet into the darker parts of the ruins on her route to the base when she met her end. The hand that catches her by the neck squeezes tight enough to break through the base of her helmet, shattering metal, bones and windpipe in a single, crushing grip. The operative collapses to the dirt, poleaxed and flopping on the ground as Ibaraki steps out of the shadows.

“I wonder what you’ll taste like,” the little oni says, licking her lips as flames run down the length of her sword. She picks up her hand, reattaching it to her arm nonchalantly. “It’s been a long time since I’ve supped on the bones of mortal men...even longer so for women...”

With a single stroke, she splits the DEMONICA helmet right down the middle. The black metal falls away to reveal the terrified face of Cammie, a Caucasian woman in her early thirties. All it takes is a single look at the ruin of her neck to confirm that she’s a dying woman. Healing magic might fix that...

“Shuten always said to leave their vocal chords as the last part,” the oni muses as she drags the operative into the darkness the away team lurks within, “...that way, you’d hear all sorts of things they’d sing and plea as you work your way up from the toes, feet, shins, legs...a meal with entertainment to help with digestion...”

“Don’t play with your food,” you gently scold her, with only the faintest amount of distaste at the sight. Your duty as an operative of the Task Force conflicts with your innate nature as a healer. “...besides, you can’t possibly fit all of that within you in a handful of moments.”

The little oni opens her mouth, revealing rows of jagged teeth along a crooked smile. “Wanna bet?”

(cont.)

“...yeah, that’s a sucker’s bet,” you murmur, shaking your head. With a final glace to the rest of the away team, you gesture them forward into the ruins with a resolute fist. “Alright, people, let’s stay frosty. We’ve got hostages to save, criminals to arrest or shoot, and a temple to blow to kingdom come. Time to go justify our paychecks to Central and be some big, goddamned heroes.”

>>In addition to Ibaraki-Douji, who came with you on the away team? [Maximum of two.]
>Brady. Technical support and adept marksman.
>Dante. Master combatant and demon weapon specialist.
>MacKay. Fire support and explosives specialist.
>Sarah. Close-range combatant and firearms expert.
>Victoria. Munitions support and debuff specialist.

>>And what of Cammie’s fate?
>Heal her of her wounds and interrogate her. [Mercy.]
>Insist that Ibaraki finish what she started. [Ruthless]

>>Please structure your votes as the following.
>Choice 1.
>Choice 2.
>Cammie's fate.

>>4210005
>Dante. Master combatant and demon weapon specialist.
just Dante.

>Kill her quickly. [Mercy]
We've got plenty of info already, playing babysitter's not great.

>>4210005
>Dante. Master combatant and demon weapon specialist.
I mean obviously
>Brady. Technical support and adept marksman.
See if we can't get him somewhere with a vantage point with his sniper rifle for recon, callouts, and precise target elimination.

Also Vicky needs to drive, Sarah needs to shoot big gun, and MacKay needs to lead 2nd squad in case things happen to us or them.

>Heal her of her wounds and interrogate her. [Mercy.]

>>4210005
>Dante. Master combatant and demon weapon specialist.
Of the Devil May Cry series.
>Brady. Technical support and adept marksman.
Maybe he could disable the Lightning if we find it. Or rig it to explode with the grunts inside.


>Kill her quickly. [Mercy]
No time to waste.

>>4210005
>>4210009
This

>>4210005
>Dante only

>Heal her of her wounds and interrogate her. [Mercy.]

Dante is probably all the help we need in addition to Ibaraki, so we can let everybody else fight together. Info is good so let's keep her alive to interrogate afterwards.

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>>4210006
>>4210009
>>4210086
>>4210491
>>4210691
“So what about her, boss?” Brady points a finger to the wheezing form of Cammie. In what might be her last moments, she grabs onto your leg. The fear of death lends her a desperate strength, and conveys a silent plea for her life. “If she isn’t gonna be a snack for the kid...”

Dante unholsters one of his pistols, clicking his tongue. “You aren’t the first rookies to choke at the bit when turning your guns on humans. Here, if you’re still skittish-”

“Didn’t I say to stay frosty?” Exhaling warily, you beckon them away, and summon High Pixie. Gesturing to the choking woman, you ask, “Can you fix that?”

The fairy nods, in spite of a look of distaste on her features. “She stinks of blood, master. Blood and filth and suffering...and Reds! Her karma isn’t stained as much as it’s dyed completely black!”

A series of unpleasant noises ring out as her magic goes to work. Cammie’s bones don’t pop back into place as much as they’re reconstituted from the shards that Ibaraki crushed them into. The flesh of her neck writhes and contorts as everything settles, vertebrae, windpipe, nervous system...all the woman can do is thrash on the ground, unable to scream.

“It’s not my place to judge her...” you murmur once the magic ends, “...only to make do with what I have.”

Cammie raises a tentative hand towards her neck, almost unbelieving that the grievous injury had been completely reversed. Then, with a look to Ibaraki, and the rest of you, she opens up her mouth-

“Don’t even think about it, sweetheart,” drawls the godslayer, eyeing her from behind the sights of his guns, “’sides, he saved your life over here. Don’t add being ungrateful to the list of sins on your shoulders.”

Brady deftly steps in, tearing off the COMP from her wrist and any firearms she might have. She only offers the barest resistance, little more than a heated glare that would certainly melt a bulkhead.

“Try again,” the programmer quips before you take the lead, “I’ve had worse slags on my own team try to intimidate me.”

Squatting down beside Cammie, you depolarize your faceplate and lift up your helm. “I’ve got some questions that need answering, if you don’t mind-”

“...you’re just a kid,” she whispers. The operative appears more surprised than terrified. “...you can’t be a few years younger than I am-”

“Age before beauty,” you dryly reply. “Don’t go wasting our time, Cammie.”

Cammie stiffens. Then, with a nearly robotic, sulking tone, she recites, “Evans, Cameron. Free Company Trooper, contract number twenty-five double four-”

You poke her in the shoulder. “That’s not gonna help you. And before you get all uppity and brave about not betraying your friends, hear me out. Right now, the only thing standing between you and a very hungry oni is myself. So I think that it’d be in your best interests to cooperate.”

(cont.)

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As if to punctuate your words, Ibaraki opens her mouth wide once again. Cammie flinches, but doesn’t back down. “...there’s only one APC up on that cliff. Can’t be more than a dozen. We’re dug in, we’ve got numerical superiority, and the Lightning’s-”

“One to two days away,” you finish for her. “Trust me, I’ve seen how big those special APC’s can get. And I don’t doubt that yours is bigger than ours since we’re still on a trial run. But here’s the rub...” You lean in uncomfortably close, to the point where her nose is nearly touching the faceplate. “There not here right now. And we are. And last time I saw, we destroyed a hell of a lot of turrets.”

“We don’t need the Lightning,” she hisses, but her eyes are uncertain, “To deal with only a handful of you-”

You smile as wide as you can, and echo Ibaraki’s earlier declaim: “Wanna bet?”

Her eyes meet yours in a battle of wills, green to brown in a struggle for dominance. You aren’t bluffing. Even without Ibaraki, and the team’s relative inexperience with handling the Whistler, Carina Squad would still come out on top. The fact that you have a godslayer with you, a half-demon to boot, isn’t the final nail in the coffin as much as it is the last bell in the funeral toll.

Cammie swallows nervously, breaking her gaze before she shakily answers, “...I want a guarantee of protection.”

Jackpot.

From your medical kit, you produce an injection pen. “There’s enough sedative in here to put an angry demon to sleep. A single drop should knock you out for more than a few hours. I’ll hide you somewhere safe and come pick you back up once the shooting’s over.

"Hell," you drawl, "I’ll even put in a good word for you to Central. Wouldn’t be the first time I’ve had to slap cuffs and play advocate on behalf of a rogue Devil Summoner.”

...come to think of it, you should make an inquiry into Murdoch’s current situation.

“Alright, kid,” Cammie tries to play it off cool, but she can’t quite hide the way her hands tremble. “Go and ask your questions.”

>>+2 to Light

>>What will you ask of Cammie?:
>[Write-in.]

>>4210975
>What's the internal design plan of this outpost? Where are the hostages? Where is the Q.E.C.?
In that order, after answers are given for the previous question.

>>4210975
>Where is turret control?
Maybe we can change their IFF and have them target Jack's team and eventually the Lightning?

>What can you tell me about the Lightning? Weaknesses, strengths, etc.

>>4210975

> Where is Jack?

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>>4210982
>>4211004
>>4211012

>Internal design plan of the outpost.

She gestures to the COMP that Brady confiscated from her. “It’s in there. There isn’t anything much on the surface beyond a prefab barrack, the turrets, and the generators powering them. There’s a whole network of caves underneath the temple that we expanded underneath...five floors on the map...”

He confirms the contents, retrieving them from the device to share with you and Dante. But the programmer frowns, gesturing to one of the lower levels. “You said that there were only five levels. I see six on this map.”

Cammie shivers. “That’s for superior eyes only...nobody goes in there unless you’ve got clearance or you’re a prisoner.”

“I take it that the prisoners don’t exactly come out, do they?” Dante flatly mutters.

“No, they don’t...we figured it was for disposal or a waste treatment facility, but the noises that come from there...” She shakes her head. “I can tell you about all the levels except for that one. All I know is that the higher ups refer to it as ‘the Demon’s Forge’...”

The four of you share a look, humans, half-demon and oni alike. Demon’s Forge...it came from the briefing Central gave you before your expedition to the wastelands. If the drugs aren’t being manufactured within the Demon’s Forge...are they secondary to whatever this top-secret floor is?

Still, the fact that they’ve managed to set up their little facility to such an extent is extremely concerning.

>Where are the hostages?
“Depends on what they’re doing. If they’re helping the eggheads make Devil’s Dust, then they’re on Level Two. And whenever they aren’t, they’re in the brig...”

>Where is the Q.E.C.?
“Quantum Entanglement Communicator...” mutters Cammie, “...it’s on the first floor. Why, do you have a phone call to be making?”

>Where is turret control?
She points to a spot on the map. “Right here, a dozen meters west of the shrine. For the most part, they’re all slave-linked to a centralized computer, and fed by a subterranean generator.” A light goes off in her eyes as she realizes where your question is going. “But there’s no way for you to hack it! Even I don’t know the password. They have some goddamned brain-demon thing manning the controls-”

You pointedly ignore her and turn to Brady. “How’s your hacking?”

“Eh, I’m a wee bit rusty,” he complains, cracking his knuckles, “Been a while since I’ve had a good challenge. Let’s see if I can’t make us some new friends...”

>What can you tell us about the Lightning?
“It’s a fucking monster...” Everybody winces as a shell lands nearby, sending a cascade of dirt and debris over the temple ruins. “...you think your APC is big? The Lightning is easily three times its size. It’s at least four stories high, capable of housing a full company of operatives.”

(cont.)

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>>4211411
That is certainly cause for alarm. At the most, the Whistler can only hold a platoon at the largest. And four stories, and still capable of land travel?! It isn’t an APC as much as it’s a mobile fortress!

Cammie continues, “...I don’t know the exact measurements of the main gun, but I think one of the gunners bragged about playing around with a 17-inch gun-”

“Seventeen inches?!” demands Brady. “Boss, that’s something you’d find on a fucking battleship...and I know for a fact that the highest you Yanks ever put on the Iowa was sixteen!”

...idly, the thought runs through your head about how a vehicle could fire such a monstrous weapon without tipping over or otherwise falling apart from the recoil. But considering how the Whistler manages to stay mobile and steady while firing an eight-inch cannon...fuck, you’re not an engineer. But you’d bet it would have something to chalk up to the MAG reactor. God knows it breaks enough laws of physics as it is.

“Radio the Whistler,” you order Brady, “Tell them that if they see even the slightest shadow of what might look like the Lighting, I want them out of the area as fast as possible. No questions asked. Irving asked us to bring it back all nice and shiny, and I don’t think he’d appreciate a seventeen-inch hole through its side.”

>Where is Jack?

“I don’t know...” Cammie mutters, “...you’d have better luck asking one of the officers.”
Ibaraki cuts in with a dissatisfied snort, “What about that device through which you communicate with? This Q.E.C. that you spoke of...”

The operative instinctively moves back with every step the oni takes in her direction. “I don’t know how it works, I swear! All they ever told me was to press a button, and it’d connect with the Lightning! That’s all!”

>>There are no more questions to ask...

“Thank you for cooperating,” you say truthfully as you administer the sedative, “I’ll be seeing you in a few hours, Miss Evans...”

It only takes a handful of breaths before the woman’s eyes roll in the back of her head. Dante lifts her like a sack of rice, sauntering over to a darker part of the ruins to deposit her in an undignified heap. From his belt, he pulls out a pair of zipties, binding her to a stone pillar.

>>What will you do?
>Breach the turret mainframe and reroute the weapons against Jack’s Crew.
>Descend into the depths of the temple and rescue the hostages.
>Custom option. [Write-in]

>>4211425
>Breach the turret mainframe and reroute the weapons against Jack’s Crew.
We do that we can start paving the way to get the rest of the team in here

>>4211425
>Descend into the depths of the temple and rescue the hostages.

>>4211425
>Breach the turret mainframe and reroute the weapons against Jack’s Crew.

Send Brady to do this and ask the crew in the Whistler to support him

While we and Dante
>Descend into the depths of the temple and rescue the hostages.

>>4211425

>Descend into the depths of the temple and rescue the hostages.

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Guys this isn't a smash and grab. We need to systematically clear the temple. You won't be able to take the hostages with you topside if it isn't clear. All you'd be doing is killing the guards and then telling the hostages all to stay put in the Brig like they were doing anyway. We have no exit strategy if we don't help the Whistler control the topside while we are up here incognito.

>>4211468
But if we don't secure the hostages before going loud they can simply use them....as hostages. We have to take that possibility away from them before anything else to garantee their safety

>>4211478
>>4211468
Or even worse, thay can relocate them and vanish, don't forget this guys have door portals to go wherever they want

>>4211455
how about we send dante to turret control, he is better suited to work solo while Brady alone is kinda dangerous, better we keep us both together and dante go there

>>4211494
Dante can't hack. Brady at least needs to go.

>>4211468
If we can reroute the turrets to work on the Lightning, I think it'd be worth it. Otherwise, we should prioritize disabling their means of transportation rather than finding the hostages.

>>4211425
>Dante secure the brig
>Brady you and I will take turrets.

>>4211501
send Brady and Dante then, I think the fight will be heavier there anyway, and it's better to keep Dante where the fight will be heavier. Ibaraki can come with us

>>4211517
I can agree with that. My main concern to establish some kind of hold on the area before we start getting too deep.

>>4211425
I don't suppose Brady has a USB dongle? If he did have something for ranged hacking then he could come with us to the hostages, while Dante goes to the mainframe to plug it in before heading to the Q.E.C. to stop information leakage.
Otherwise >>4211517 works well.

>>4211425
>Custom Option:

>Breach the turret mainframe and reroute the weapons against Jack’s Crew.
Ibaraki and Brady are to make absolutely sure that topside is clear so that more of our crew can come in to support our sweep.
>Descend into the depths of the temple and rescue the hostages.
Dante and us are going to strike while the iron is hot. We have a better shot at saving those hostages by acting quickly, but we need our exfil and backup routes cleared to make sure we're successful.

If Dante or Ibaraki want to swap places, let them. We just need a big hitter on each team: the one with us may need to be able to express empathy for hostages and have some finesse/ability to splinter off while the one topside will have a lot of room to fuck shit up, but coordination is key. That brain demon will take some work to kill, so ideally Brady and the muscle of choice can handle the job while we secure the hostages.

>>4211517
I'm on board with this too, but make sure to set up a randevous location and try to do a clean sweep to the targets, discreetly

If possible, stay wary of doors

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>>4211430
>>4211432
>>4211455
>>4211464
>>4211503
>>4211732
>>4212023
>>4212248
“Divide and conquer...” To Brady, you point in the direction of the mainframe, saying, “I need you to get inside that mainframe and rewire, reprogram, and work your comp-sci magic on those turrets. Between you and Dante, you should be able to take out this Tertius Squad and whatever they have guarding the mainframe.”

Your friend looks somewhat apprehensive, but he nods, determined. “Aye, I can do that...”
“An escort mission? I always hated that kind of mission in the games I used to play...” The godslayer chortles humorlessly. “God knows that little blue-eyed brat had a propensity to wander off too much for her own good...”

There seems to be context that you’re missing in regards to that last sentence...

“Thankfully, I’m not nearly as suicidal as a buggy NPC,” Brady coolly retorts, “Besides, once we deal with whatever’s protecting the mainframe, it’ll become a defense mission. Bullets tend to be a really bad distraction when slicing into the system.”

“Protection mission, escort mission...” Dante muses as he falls alongside Brady, “And, hell, I’m still surprised you had me come along with a ‘stealthy’ away team, Brown. You must have a lot of faith in the others to hold their own against the garrison.”

Rolling your eyes, you reply, “Be that as it may, I needed you here because the fight on the ground is gonna heat up really quickly once shit hits the fan.”

He doesn’t argue with that. “So, you and the squirt...?”

The oni bristles at the moniker, but doesn’t offer anything except a low growl.

Exhaling, you murmur, “Ibaraki and I will begin our descent into the temple proper. First, we take out whatever comms they have, keep them from raising the Lighting and any other reinforcements. Then, floor-by-floor, we take out the trash.”

There’s little more to be said after that. The four of you perform a final check of your weapons, sharpening blades or loading fresh magazines into firearms. Slamming the visor of your helmet shut, you take a few moments for the H.U.D. to initialize before you depart for your respective objectives.

>>The Shrine of the Forbidden God

The shrine itself is not unlike anything you’d find on a tourism ad or postcard for the Japanese countryside. If anything, it looks similar to the shrine that you had found Ibaraki atop of during the early days of the investigation. But much like the surrounding architecture, the building is in a serious state of disrepair. Little of the wood remains untouched by rot, and bits of faded color remain where there might have been paint. Statues similar to the fetish in the Whistler litter the courtyard, smashed or otherwise crumbling into gravel.

Hell, the structure looks half-ready to collapse in onto itself...not that the human guards seem to mind.

(cont.)

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There are four of them, clad in black DEMONICAs as they nervously patrol the perimeter. Their faces are obscured by their helmets, but there’s no mistaking the tension in the way they carry themselves and hold their guns. Their demons are out, a motley crew of brutish creatures, with all in the possession of demons with more mouth than body.

Ibaraki makes a disgusted noise in the back of her throat. “Pisaca...carrion feeders who feast on the dead. They are too weak and dishonorable to claim their victims from the living...fitting creatures for Jack’s retinue...”

“Standby...” you whisper to Ibaraki, delicately preparing to launch the Demon Summoning Program. High Pixie and Arachne stand ready to be manifested at your command. “...steady now...”

In and out...in...and out...this isn’t your first operation. Hell, it’s your...fourth? Fifth? Did the SNAFU with Alice count as a mission? Either way, you’re still a ways away from being a rookie. So, why are you still nervous and apprehensive?

...crazy bitch as she is, Copland has a point. Sarah was a cop, so she doesn’t have any trouble pulling the trigger. Hell, even MacKay confessed to killing somebody! Of course, the priest said that he had no other option...perhaps you should ask him again about that particular skeleton in the closet.

But, to digress. Without them, it just leaves you, Brady, and Vicky...well, Vicky not so much considering the beating/lesson Copland gave her. Still, the point remains that you’re plenty prepared, but not quite mentally ready to fight against your fellow man.

The highway chase in Kentucky was different. And in the swamps of West Virginia, Bootes had taken care of the humans that’d thrown in their lot with Arachne. Right here and now, this is going to be your first time going up against your fellow man...and you’re getting an uneasy feeling in your stomach. With the demons, it’s certainly easier to pull the trigger since most are so far removed from appearing human.

But isn’t that a bit hypocritical of you? You’d slay demons by the dozen, yet hesitate to even take a shot at your own fellow man.

>>How will you approach the battle?
>Exercise restraint and use non-lethal means to subdue the enemy. You’re not ready to cross that line.
>Steel yourself and engage the soldiers with deadly force. It’s time to finally learn how to kill a man.

>>4213071
>Steel yourself and engage the soldiers with deadly force. It’s time to finally learn how to kill a man.
we killed demons that weren't as bad as these people, and attacking a demon and a human is not that different after we get to know them

>>4213071
>Steel yourself and engage the soldiers with deadly force. It’s time to finally learn how to kill a man.

>>4213071
>Steel yourself and engage the soldiers with deadly force. It’s time to finally learn how to kill a man.
Rape, human and demon trafficking, drugs, potentially seizing assets from the Task Force... if they didn't want to get shot dead, they could've gotten a normal job.

>>4213071
>>Steel yourself and engage the soldiers with deadly force. It’s time to finally learn how to kill a man.

>>4213071
>Steel yourself and engage the soldiers with deadly force. It’s time to finally learn how to kill a man.

>>4213071
>Steel yourself and engage the soldiers with deadly force. It’s time to finally learn how to kill a man.
Killing is not necessarily an evil act. We need to complete our mission, and they are in our way. If they aren't dead after, but are out of the fight, then we can tranquilize and heal them for later interrogation.

>>4213071

>Steel yourself and engage the soldiers with deadly force. It’s time to finally learn how to kill a man.

It would be extremely hypocritical if we killed demon willy nilly and refrained from doing the same to shitty humans. We can't judge that one live weights more than the other, we crossed the killing threshold long ago, let's keep them at least justified

>>4213071
>Steel yourself and engage the soldiers with deadly force. It’s time to finally learn how to kill a man.

>>4213071
>steel yourself
These pieces of shit are closer to the usual definition of demons than many 'demons' we have met so far, let's make the world a better place

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>>4213086
>>4213087
>>4213097
>>4213161
>>4213175
>>4213179
>>4213194
>>4213519
>>4213999
They couldn’t have seen it coming. With all the time in the world to prepare, the lessons of Sarah and Miss K guide your aim, painting a target right on the senior-most operative. Right through the side of the DEMONICA helmet, where the helm joint met the faceplate...armor-piercing rounds imbibed with magic would more than penetrate.

They say killing gets easier...and perhaps that is what you’re scared of the most. Considering how easy it is to open fire on demons...

“It’s okay to kill the bad guys, Master,” High Pixie chirps into your headset, “Be they either demon or human. And let’s be honest, these folks are a whole lot closer to the definition of demons than my own fellow kin.”

The nervous chuckle you give her only does a small amount to comfort you as you flick your M4 to burst mode. These are definitely bad guys who deserve more than death for what they’ve done. Their crimes, and the image of Elly back at Golden Nest, are more than enough to harden your heart and squeeze the trigger.

There was no way he could have seen it coming. The three-round burst slams into the side of the operative’s helmet, shattering sensitive electronics and hydraulic mechanisms. It’s the second round that penetrates the alloy dermis, entering the internals proper with a little puff of blood. He collapses into a limp pile of equipment and blood as the third round blows a crater out the other side of his skull.

Nearby, his demons howl at the death of their master, and the man’s subordinates panic. They fire wildly into the ruins, searching for the origin of the shot, “Contact, contact-!”

“Kuhahahahaha!” Ibaraki sallies forth into the clearing, a mad look of glee dancing within her eyes. With a single snap of her fingers, three of the Pisaca demons burst into flame, yelping and writhing as they desperately try to smoother themselves. “Far from monks though you are, it’s been centuries since I’ve had the opportunity to pillage a temple! Let this be the start of a festival of blood!”

High Pixie yelps as some of the flames get too close. With an irritated huff, she makes a rude gesture and calls down the lighting, all the while angrily shouting, “Watch where you’re aiming that, you drunkard!”

Between the three of you, they didn’t stand a chance. Ibaraki’s sword cuts through armor like a hot knife through butter. Steady bursts of armor-piercing rounds carve up both demons and their human masters. Any chance of contacting their comrades is met with blasts of lighting. The engagement barely lasted longer than a handful of moments...thirty seconds according to the operation clock.

(cont.)

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There’s little left of the temple guard. The man you killed remains somewhat in one piece, in spite of the mess you made of his head. Ibaraki, on the other hand, left a trail of carnage and blood strewn across the courtyard. The last of the demons screams as Ibaraki executes it, breaking apart into data to fly back into its master’s COMP.

[SUBJECT – Deceased]

Ibaraki spits out the man she holds in her neck. Wiping the side of her mouth with the sleeve of her kimono, she pulls her sword out of the third man’s intestines and skips to fall in line beside you. High Pixie gags, and you try not to notice as the oni slurps up a piece of sinew as one might spaghetti.

[SUBJECT – Deceased]

[SUBJECT – Deceased]

There’s little left of the last one beyond a charred ruin of meat, and a barely-functioning COMP. High Pixie’s magic, it seems, has caused a fatal short-circuit of the man’s equipment to beyond the fourth degree.

[SUBJECT – Deceased]

You say nothing as you stalk your way to the entrance of the temple. The more time you’re inactive, the more time you have to think about the kill, and that’s something you don't want. Voltaire might have been proud. Tending to the garden keeps your mind off of more unpleasant things.

The elevator itself is a stark contrast to the rest of the temple. Even in the dim lighting, its sleek surface manages to capture the faded splendor that the temple might have been. You press a cautionary button, and to your surprise, it opens without preamble. That would make sense, considering how a lot of them are now topside among the ruins...

“Keep your eyes peeled,” you warn them, “If I were them, I’d have more than a few nasty surprises for unwelcome visitors trying to get in.”

A single scan of the compartment reveals that it appears to be little more than an elevator. There aren’t any hidden electronics, sensors, cameras or any other sort of authentication devices. The three of you share an awkward look, and prepare to enter the elevator-

“Oh, we wouldn’t do that if we were you.”

In an instant, all weapons are raised. Gun, sword and magic are aimed, and their respective wielders track the source of the noise-

The voice chuckles, “Come now, Son of Adam, if we wanted to harm you, we could do far worse than elevate your blood pressure."

Towards an empty corner of the shrine sits a man, only a handful of heads taller than you. No, not a man...two people? The targetfinder on your H.U.D. struggles to find a targeting solution for a headshot as the person, undoubtedly a demon, stands up to as high as the ceiling would let it...and then you quickly see why.

“I keep forgetting how low it is,” the first head complains, a bearded man with a golden crown, “You think they’d bother fixing it.”

The second head, a woman with long, flowing hair, laughs mirthlessly. “You also forget that humans are so forgetful, inconsiderate of others besides themselves.”

(cont.)

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They aren’t hostile yet, but the COMP is screaming that this thing...whatever they are, is powerful. It couldn’t be the forbidden god. The shapes are wrong, and the intonation is...heavily accented. Somewhere from Europe, and old, accent that you wouldn’t find outside of period films and dramas.

The male clears his throat, and adopts a solemn expression. “Our most sincere apologies...”

“For startling you,” the female completes with a smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes.

“We rarely get visitors...”

“...that doesn’t come with slaves.”

“Thus, our curiosity was piqued...”

“...when the dark ones began to panic.”

“Everything, their little plans and schemes...”

“...crumbling about them like an unstable bridge.”

You aren’t amused at their little show, demanding, “Who are you? What are you?”

“We are Janus,” both heads announce in a singular, resolute voice, “The god of doorways and paths, the beginning and end of conflicts, and change in its most basic form. From Rome to Genoa, the groves of Padua to Philadelphia, we have survived where other gods have not.”

A Roman god...

Ibaraki isn’t nearly as impressed as you are. Baring her fangs, she snarls, “Foreign god...do you stand in the way of our festival?”

“Hardly,” the male drolls, “If anything, we wanted to see who would come and challenge Jack’s Crew in the seat of their power...”

“And warn those using the elevator...” the female yawns, producing what appears to be a coin from...perhaps better left unsaid. “Without this mark of favor, you’ll trigger the automatic defense system...”

As one, they raise their weapons, four arms wielding a spear, sword, mirror and keys. “Which just happens to be us.”

Your eyes narrow. As if in sync, High Pixie raises her hands at the same time as Ibaraki readies her sword. Your hand is ready to summon Arachne. “...you wouldn’t be the first god of antiquity that I’d happen to have fought-”

But to your surprise, Janus...Jana(?) tosses the coin in your direction. Your fairy catches it out of the air before it can get too close, scrambling to stay balanced at the new and sudden weight. “Oof!”

“What trickery is this?” snarls Ibaraki.

“Nothing of the sort,” Janus explains, sitting down on a nearby surface. “Carry that token, and you’ll find yourself gaining full access to the entire facility.”

Jana reclines, stretching like a feline, “Jack paid us handsomely to enchant and ward this complex...redirecting doors and passageways that lead to nowhere, tunnels that drop off into empty space, entrances and exits from the real world into his own vehicle-”

It hits you like a bolt of...well, lighting. But High Pixie reacts first, and in a voice dripping with hate, shouts, “You’re the ones responsible for the kidnappings! When Elly and Miranda said that they’d entered or exited someplace, and came into the hands of Jack-”

(cont.)

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“Responsible?” Both gods shake their heads. “No, Child of Dana. Merely...a facilitator. If you wish to lay the blame at somebody’s feet, lay it at Jack’s for having contracted us. After all, is he not the main target of your ire, and the sole reason for your journey into this realm between reality?”

In an instant, any hesitation of killing evaporates as your anger reaches a dangerous boiling point. “You could have refused, said ‘no’...the fact that Jack was able to get his hands on so many victims is only because of your powers! The way I see it, you’re no more guilty and equally deserving of what’s coming to all of them!”

The god reacts indifferently, shrugging both shoulders. “Yes, we could have refused,” Janus begins.

“...but we didn’t,” Jana continues, “...two doors lay before us: refusing Jack would have meant rousing his anger. And while we could have fought his forces off...”

“The trouble and wounds sustained would not have been worth it,” they both conclude. “We are a god of binary choices, and we made a choice and began a journey that would serve the best of our interests.”

“Now, it seems that journey has ended,” the male sighs, “Just as we are a god of beginnings, so too are we of endings. Jack’s enterprise is doomed to fail now that you are here.”

“No doubt, there will be more from your order come to pursue the renegade,” adds the female.

“Our contract with Jack did not extend to sieges or the defense of the temple, merely the maintenance of the traps and elevator...” they say, gesturing to the coin in High Pixie’s hands. “And we of all should know when something is about to end.”

Ibaraki slams her sword into the floor. “Speak plainly, damn you, before I rip your tongues out.”

The god chortles with both heads. “Take the token, and let us be on our respective ways. Jack and his Crew have nothing more they can offer us, and doubtless, you’ll tell your superiors of what happened here. You’ll have gained prestige and fame for bringing down the man, rescuing his prisoners, and ending the evils within the Devil’s Forge...”

“The choice is yours, Son of Man,” both finish, staring at you with great intent. But at their sides, their weapons remain at the ready. “Unless of course...you wish to fight?”

They certainly live up to the domain they preside over. It’s a binary choice, no two ways about it. They said themselves: Janus and Jana do not want to fight.

Take the token and let them go on their way, leaving you in full health for what lies beneath the surface...or battle them and see them pay for aiding and abetting Jack?

>>How will you respond?
>“One day, I will find and have you answer what you’ve done here.” [Proceed into the temple.]
>“You’re not getting away, not after everything you’ve helped them do.” [Engage the god in combat.]

>>4215478
>>“One day, I will find and have you answer what you’ve done here.” [Proceed into the temple.]
In the long run it'd be for the better, and Janus certainly deserves it, but we're already undermanned as it is. Maybe with Dante and the rest of Carina it would be achievable, but it's best to conserve strength for whatever's ahead.

>>4215478
>>“One day, I will find and have you answer what you’ve done here.” [Proceed into the temple.]

>>4215478
>>“You’re not getting away, not after everything you’ve helped them do.” [Engage the god in combat.]

>>4215478

>“One day, I will find and have you answer what you’ve done here.” [Proceed into the temple.]

>>4215478
>“One day, I will find and have you answer what you’ve done here.” [Proceed into the temple.]
We don't need to go full aggro yet. He'll get what's coming to him eventually whether it's from us or someone else, but part of me wants to know if we're going to have to work together later in some capacity.

>>4215508
>>4215545
>>4215548
>>4215568
>>4215662
High Pixie reluctantly drops the token into your hand, casting a reproachful look to both the god and yourself. “Master...”

“I know, Pixie, I know,” you reassure her, pocketing the coin, “...I don’t like it any more than you do.”

Ibaraki elects to spit to the side. “You’re lucky, foreign god. You did not have a part in the attack against Kin-ki. Had you been, I would have run this sword through your guts.”

Both heads nod understandingly, not unlike a parent regarding a particularly unruly child. “I suppose that is only fair. Now, if you will excuse us...”

But before they can exit, you hold your arm out to bar the door. Janus and Jana pause, regarding you with equal measures of annoyance and curiosity.

“You know that one day,” you warn them, “Someone will find you...and have you answer for what you’ve done here. It might be me, it might be one of the Task Force’s godslayers...but you already know that, right? There isn’t anything short of killing me that would prevent the Task Force from learning about your part in this...”

High Pixie draws a sharp breath, zipping by your side with alarm on her features. But the god makes no hostile movements. Instead, they smile patronizingly as you lower your arm, and let them exit the temple uncontested.

“Killing you would be a chore we’d rather not indulge in,” confesses Janus.

“...it would only delay our departure, and give your friends time to arrive,” Jana concludes.

“That was the choice we made, when we elected to give you the coin...”

“...and we’re glad to see that you made the smarter decision.”

“We have remained hidden from the world,” the two heads proclaim in unison, just one step before the threshold, “Long since before your birth, and long after your death, natural or otherwise. Giving you the coin simply buys what you would call ‘a headstart’ once this debacle with Jack is over...”

“...you better start running, then,” you warn sternly, “Because I’m a pretty fast hand when it comes to completing the mission.”

The female head actually laughs, a melodic sound that is wrong in every conceivable way. “I like this one...can we keep him?”

“No, no,” admonishes the male, “That would be too much trouble.”

They wave their hands, and the air within the doorway seems to distort before your eyes. The god takes one final, patronizing look at you before inclining their heads. “Fare thee well, Son of Adam. We wish you nothing but the best of against what Jack has created...”

And with a single step forward, the god vanishes through the threshold. The only proof of their existence lies tucked away with your pocket, quietly pulsing with magical power.

“...do be a good ally and let me know when you find them,” Ibaraki scowls fiercely, “...not for aniki's sake, but for offending my ears with their prattling byplay.”

(cont.)

File: Quantum Entanglement Comm(...).jpg (676 KB, 1024x576)

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High Pixie, on the other hand, flies up to your helmet, placing a supportive hand against the cold alloy. “Master...?”

You exhale heavily, suddenly more tired than you’ve been during the entire expedition. It turns out that beyond Jack’s Crew and the man himself, the god that aided him got away. The odds were stacked heavily against you, but you can’t help but feel that you’d have let Elly and the others back at Golden Nest down in some way.

“I’m fine, I’m fine...” She doesn’t seem reassured, but the fairy makes no further issue. Clearing your throat, you press the button on the elevator once more, and have the DEMONICA dispense a Tylenol into your bloodstream. “Just...the sooner we get this done, the better...for all our sakes...”

>>Level 1 – Outprossessing

It’s with a significantly harder heart that prompts the grenade. Not quite lethal, as it’s only a flashbang, but still quite mean. You could have sworn you saw somebody unarmored approach the elevator at the sound of the ding, just before you threw the device and retreated behind the panel.

Your helmet does a fine job of filtering out the worst of the effects. Instead of the high-pitched whine and bright flash of light, the polarized glass of your H.U.D. automatically adjusts to the intense brightness, and your commlink EQ’s out the noise with counter waveforms. As far as you could tell, it was as if somebody had turned on a light in a dimly lit room.

Advancing into the lobby, you roar, “Task Force 666. Drop to the fucking ground!”

Your first response is met by a gunshot. It veers off wildly several yards away from you, ricocheting off a wall and embedding itself into a nearby crate. Ibaraki elects to reply, throwing her sword towards the direction it came from. The answer to that is a high pitched scream, followed by an obscenely wet noise.

“Okay, okay, okay!” / “Don’t shoot, don’t shoot!” / “We surrender!”

The smoke and debris clear, revealing a handful of men and women in plainclothes and white coats. Scientists or technicians, you think to yourself as you move to secure them. From your pocket, you produce a number of plastic cuffs and restrain them one by one, relieving them of any COMPs or weapons on their person.

You grab the closest technician, a balding man in his late forties. “Where’s the Q.E.C.?”

The Quantum Entanglement Communicator, as it turns out, is a little platform with a holographic display. There are far too many wires and bits of metal for you to count. You pull your prisoner along for the journey as you come before the control panel.

“When was this last used?” you demand.

“Th-three days ago?”

“Is that a question or an answer?”

“I-I’m just a computer technician!” he protests. “Only operatives and Free Company Troopers are allowed to use the Q.E.C.-”

You cut him off. “Good to know. And if I wanted to turn it off completely?”

(cont.)

One bullet-ridden control panel and communication wiring turns out to be the answer.

>>You have disabled communications towards the [Lightning].

Back towards the main offices, your helmet can pick out the distinct noise of the elevator moving. Going up, up, up...and stopping on the first level?

You drop the technician in an undignified heap, taking cover behind a nearby door. A quick scan reveals five life signs...it could only be a squad of Jack’s soldiers. The energy-readings are iconic to the reactors that power DEMONCIAs.

The first one to step out confirms that, yes, these are not easily-frightened civilians, but hardened enemy troops. “What the hell happened up here?! We heard a noise-”

He doesn’t get to finish his question. A burst of armor-piercing rounds does the trick. You curse at yourself as you dodge the return spray. Bullet fire and magical spells fly up and down the corridor, ricocheting at wild angles and any unfortunates to be caught in the crossfire. Most of the technicians manage to crawl underneath a console or a desk...

...good. Central did ask for extraction. Hostages are one thing, but the cogs of the operation would be more valuable to them...provided that they survive, or otherwise didn't get merc'd by their own comrades. You've seen your own fair share of spy movies to know that asset denial of that level wouldn't be above the level of ruthless pragmatism of your enemyl.

Now, all you had to do was survive the fight to the elevator, and the journey further down.

Ibaraki laughs as she lobs a fireball down range. "And here I thought that you said you were just a healer!"

>>Roll 1d100+30 Combat.
>Best out of three.

Rolled 40 + 30 (1d100 + 30)

>>4216419

Rolled 39 + 30 (1d100 + 30)

>>4216419

Rolled 72 + 30 (1d100 + 30)

>>4216419

>>4216486
Thank you, proving once again that Adrian is a badass that might one day rival Rambo with a doctorate

>>4217265
>rival Rambo with a doctorate
That's Gordon Freeman

>>4217295
So we get our Demonica painted orange and start carrying a crowbar.

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>>4216437
>>4216472
>>4216486
You don’t bother dignifying that with an answer. Fiddling with your COMP, you shout to her and High Pixie, “Cover me!”

They acquiesce, pulling fire away from you as you aim your left arm into the hallway. The corridor is just barely large enough to manifest Arachne with enough space for her to maneuver. In a bright flash of light, the Mother of Spiders leaps from your COMP and lunges with a ferocious smile that splits her mouth and mandibles far too wide open.

The bullets that impact her don’t quite ricochet as much as they simply impact harmlessly, falling to the floor as lumps of metal. That’s all the confirmation you need as you exit cover, spraying over the bulk of the spider goddess.

“Move in!” Gesturing to Ibaraki and High Pixie, you advance down the hallway with methodical caution. Arachne weaves spell after spell, from debuffs to elemental magic. “We’re retaking the elevator!”

The temperature of the passageway drops to somewhere close to freezing as javelins of ice race towards the enemy soldiers. Some are blunt, impacting the operatives to knock them off their feet. Others are as sharp as blades, impaling limbs as they hit their targets or burst from the floor.

It doesn’t take too long for the four of you to make quick work of the response team. Slowly, inch by inch, you more than easily establish control over the passage way, and force the enemy back through the sheer ferocity of your attacks.

“Fall back, fall back!” One of them shouts, grabbing their comrade as they sprint back towards the elevator. What few enemies that aren’t bleeding out or outright dead aren’t so stupid to linger. “We need to get back to the elevator-”

Arachne’s arms seem to blur, and what’s left of both of them is little more than a pile of meat. Gore drips from her talons as she gestures bows low, gesturing towards the door with a mocking voice, “The elevator, master.”

You give her a flat look as you finish stabilizing the last of the operatives. They won’t be awake for a significantly long time, but at least they aren’t in immediate danger of bleeding to death. Stiffly, you reply, “...thank you very much, Arachne.”

The preening look on her face might have passed as genuine if she didn’t take the time to lick her fingers clean. High Pixie gags as you try and fail to step around the mess she made. Ibaraki, on the other hand...

...well, the less you dwell on it, the better.

The technicians and operatives that survived are summarily herded into the communications room. Stripped of all their equipment and cuffed against nearby railings, there’s little in the way for them to actually attempt anything while you’re gone. The hydraulic doors slide shut with a hiss, and a burst of fire from your gun makes quick work of the opening mechanism.

(cont.)

File: Lv. 2 - Manufactory.png (624 KB, 1920x1080)

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>>Lv. 2 – Main Narcotics Manufactory

The main laboratory comes certainly as a surprise. You might have been expecting a dirty, run-down facility associated with Florida methheads or South American cartels. Instead, the first sight that greets you upon opening the elevator is a pristine, industrialized manufactory, furnished with state-of-the-art equipment and technology you’d only heard in concept videos.

“Nice setup they’ve got here,” High Pixie remarks as she follows you into the room. “Almost makes me think that they aren’t some of the worst humans I’ve ever met.”

You can agree with her on that. The stuff Jack’s Crew are outfitted with goes beyond the industry standard, encompassing a wide range of biochemistry and medicinal fields. They have autoclaves, centrifuges, distillation apparatuses...even a CAT scanner and what might be an M.R.I. setup.

But the lab itself is, unsurprisingly, empty. Your footsteps are a sharp staccato through the dull hum of machinery as the four of you advance into the room. The workstations show signs of recent occupation. Machines continue to perform their functions, humming as they spin, distill or otherwise categorize and crunch data. A nearby cup of what you suspect to be coffee is still steaming. The sugar cube hasn’t even finished dissolving.

“Keep your eyes peeled. They could still be close...” You peer down at one of the terminals, squinting to read: “‘Quantifying the Change on Human DNA by the Integration of Demonic Data...by Dr. Serph Sheffield’..”

Before you can skim down to the abstract, what sounds like a labored groan warbles from the direction of what looks like a medical ward. Weapons are drawn, and magic primed as you take cover behind a large table.

“Task Force 666!” you shout in the direction of the noise. “Come out with your hands up!”
Nothing answers your order. You repeat it again, finding a similar response to your query. With a frown, you exit cover, and slowly approach the section. “...I’m coming in...don’t make any sudden moves...”

When you pull back the curtain, it turns out that there was no way the subject could have obeyed.
The man on the table is barely responsive. He stares up at the ceiling with a blank expression, barely moving at your approach. A trail of saliva dribbles from the corner of his mouth, and pools at the collar of his gown.

“Hey...hey!” You snap your fingers in front of the patient. “Talk to me, buddy...you alright?”

He offers no response. Wires run from his body into machines within the table, measuring heartbeat, brainwave function, all manner of biometric data. His BPM is dangerously low, and the EEG measures the kind of neurological function that you’d find in comatose patients.

“Shit!” Years of medical training kick in as you scramble to find the necessary materials. “Hang on, buddy...you’re gonna be alright-”

“...there isn’t anything...we can do...”

(cont.)

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Ibaraki reacts first, not yanking as much as she tears away the curtain from where the voice came from. Her sword, ready to strike, wavers as she lowers it, a faint look of disgust twisting her features.

“...a child?” the oni growls.

The boy couldn’t have been a day over seven, and just a little small for his age. He hangs limply from an upright table, restrained by steel manacles that grotesquely spread his arms and legs. His face is bloody, with one eye swollen shut and another barely half open. The flesh beneath his good eye has been twisted into a hideous mass of scar tissue...a brand of some sort?

“Mister...” the boy pleads, “...I’m so...so hungry...please...you need...”

In an instant, all thoughts about the man on the table are nothing but a faint memory as you rush towards the boy. Your opinion of Jack doesn’t lower as much as it plummets as a righteous fury courses through your veins. “Hey, kid! Kid!”

His head lolls dangerously as he attempts to meet eye contact. “...run...you need to...they said...”

“Don’t worry about that,” you assure him, searching frantically around the table for a release switch, a keyhole of some kind. Fumbling in your pocket for anti-burn cream, you motion for everyone to stay back. “I’ll get you as much as you want to eat, but you gotta stay with me. The ones that did this...Pixie, I need your magic-”

Arachne shoves you out of the way with an uncharacteristically serious look on her face. Ignoring the way High Pixie screeches in her ear, the Mother of Spiders descends upon the boy. A harsh noise rings out through the room as steel groans and buckles under immense pressure. She tears off the manacles with one hand, catching the boy with a surprising tenderness just before he falls to the floor.

“There is nothing for you fear,” she croons gently, “You’re safe now.”

But her warm smile turns into one of confusion as the boy screams as he clutches the side of his face: “No! No, what...have...you need to run...you’re all in...danger..."

Frowning, you shove past Arachne, "What are you even talking-"

"Mister...you need to run-!"

Suddenly, he seizes violently. The pupils of his eyes dilate as they roll up into the back of his head, and his mouth opens in a silent scream. Beneath his eye, the brand glows with an unearthly light, and the noise that comes from his mouth could not have been that of a human’s, let alone a child.

“...sO...hUnGrY...”

The four of you draw back, horrified as the boy changes before your eyes. The brand flashes an eerie green light, spreading across the boy’s body like a fast-acting pathogen. Bones crack, and limbs twist as the changes beneath his skin force the body into a shape larger than it can handle. Clammy flesh ossifies into a pale armor that envelops his limbs, and vestigial growths come to dominate the length of his back like some kind of grotesque parody of a hedgehog or armadillo.

(cont.)

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The transformation ends as abruptly as it begins. The...thing...monster...demon(?) drops to the ground, panting roughly as it scrambles on limbs too long for its body. It turns its head, now resembling a furred skull, to you with baleful, green eyes that match the color of the brand.

Ibaraki shifts nervously. “Uh...brat?”

"ReeeEEEEeddddDDDDsssss...AaaaaAAAAttttttmmmMMMAaaaAAAA..."

It twitches so fast you barely notice its movement. With an unearthly howl, the thing the boy turned into throws itself at the man on the table. The machines ring out a distressed, keening wail as the patient they're connected to is violently torn to pieces. Sinews split, and bone-lappings burst as the monster rips the head clean off its shoulders.

Idly, you're aware of High Pixie screaming and Ibaraki cursing as the thing devours the head with the ferocity of a wild animal. You fumble for your weapon, bringing it to bear as the monster crunches down hard to crack the skull cavity and get into the brains. If this thing wants to make a meal out of you...

But to everybody's surprise, the monster's violent temper abates. It spits out the remains of the skull, licking its chops with a satisfied noise before settling into a comfortable heap on the floor. It raises a lazy eye in your direction, either ignorant or uncaring of the weapons and magic aimed directly at it.

>>What will you do?
>Leave it alone. It doesn't seem to be hostile towards you.
>Initiate combat. It's...no long human and still an unknown threat.
>Write-in.

>>4222458
>>Write-in.
See if we can talk to it

>>4222458
>Write-in.
A half-breed Demi-child maybe? Try talking to em. If he seems unresponsive but harmless then just move on and hope it's still there when we're finished with the place so we can show him to Dante and get confirmation.

>>4222458
>>4222503
>>4222512
We should see if they understand us. Then we can hopefully lock them in, and come back to check on them. Maybe the Task Force can help him master this part of himself.

>>4222458
Hit it with a sleep spell and knock it out, then have someone place it under demon grade restraints.

>>4222458
As has been said, we need to try communication. Whatever the outcome, assuming it stays nonviolent we should try to bring it back alive, sedated if need be.

>>4222458
>Talk
>Check if the dead guy has an ID or name tag
This doesn't look like Reds. Is it something that mainly eats Reds, or what produces it?

>>4222859
Reds is brain juice. Kid's probably as high as a kite right now.
>>Leave it alone. It doesn't seem to be hostile towards you.

>>4222458
>>Leave it alone. It doesn't seem to be hostile towards you.

>>4222503
>>4222512
>>4222575
>>4222817
>>4222844
>>4222859
>>4223478
“Adrian Brown, if you get even within a single meter of that thing-”

“...I must admit that he certainly puts an oni’s appetite to shame-”

“In the long millennia of my existence, I’ve never heard or seen of such a creature-”

Remarks from the peanut gallery go somewhat ignored. Keeping one wary eye on the curled-up demon...child-thing, you scoot your way towards the gurney the comatose patient had been on. It doesn’t seem hostile, but nobody is about to lower their weapons or guard.

You grab the monitors of the EEG and EKG, smearing away the splash of blood that covers the LCD screen. The machines continue to emit a keening wail indicative of a flatline as you search for answers. Why did the beast attack the patient, and not the fresh meat, demon or human, before him...it?

Granted, three powerful demons are certainly any deterrent to even the most aggressive foe. But it didn’t even seem to regard them...it had eyes only for the patient, and couldn’t care less about the panic it elicited among your group. Even now, it seems to content itself as a ball of sinew and flesh, curled around itself no differently from a household pet.

“‘Subject No. 0182-AE,’” you read off the monitor, “‘Seedbed ratio has reached optimum balance, brain activity remains unimpeded. Recommend immediate harvesting...’”

It only raises more questions than answers them, but an uncomfortable weight settles in your gut. There are only a handful of good things to ever come out of “harvesting” when paired up with humans. Bone marrow or blood might be one thing...but with how many wires were strapped into the patient’s brain...

There aren’t any notes for you to consult. As it stands, the gurney that the boy had been strapped onto offers little beyond a simple nametag: [SUBJECT OMEGA].

But, you recall, “...he mentioned something about Reds...”

You can almost envision the sound of breaks as High Pixie stops in the middle of her flight. With a look both fearful and indignant, she deliberately speaks, “Adrian Brown, I will curse you up to your eyeballs in bad luck and have brownies rearrange your sock drawer for the next three months if you even think about-”

“Good thing I do my own laundry,” you dryly reply as you cautiously move towards the creature.

“Hey, hey!” The little fairy zips through the air, cutting an extremely tight angle as she moves to press against your helmet with all the strength she can muster. “I’m not joking! I’m trying to keep you alive! Because if you get eaten, that crazy woman you have for a lover is going to pluck out all my wings with a pair of tweezers-”

“Glad to see you care so much...” You brush her off gently, stopping your approach a solid meter away from the prone form of the creature. It regards you with a single eye as you squat down to its level.

(cont.)

With one hand, you wave towards it, as you keep another on your side arm. “Do you understand me?
It stares, blinking slowly as it rearranges itself. The light within the skull sockets continue to burn a calm green as it inclines its head slowly.

You let out a breath you didn’t realize you were holding. That’s a start, at the very least. “Uh...your name...I saw ‘Subject Omega-‘”

Subject Omega bristles, releasing a low, threatening from its throat as it comes close to standing up. Arachne and Ibaraki tense, and you’re quite sure that High Pixie is having a conniption. You hold up a placating hand, even as your other tightens on the pistol grip.

“Sorry...must be a sore topic...” You’d scratch the back of your head if you could. To your relief, the creature seems to accept your apology as it settles back down into place. “...can I call you John? John Doe? I need something to call you, and I don’t feel comfortable calling you ‘it.’”

It tilts its head, but makes no effort in expressing approval or disapproval. John Doe it is.

“You said something that I couldn’t quite distinguish...and something about Reds before...”

“John” perks up at that. His mouth opens, and a globule of drool runs down its maw and teeth. He gestures to the bloody mess of the corpse, and hisses, “ReeeEEEEEEEddDDDDDDDssssssSSSSS...”

“I’ve heard of Reds used as enhancement drugs,” Ibaraki interjects, “But never as a calming substance.”

“What do you know about them?” you ask.

“Little. Aniki didn’t believe in them. He believed they were beneath him to rely on trickery in order to attain power. I never had one, but I’ve fought against honorless demons who resorted to their consumption. They always energized...never satiated.”

Useful to know. High Pixie mentioned something similar about Titania having even less tolerance than Kin-Ki. And if you recall correctly, the secret of their creation had been lost to history...

You turn to Arachne. “When I shot that pill out of your hand, back in West Virginia...”

“Yes, I know the one of which you speak...” the Mother of Spiders sulks, “You don’t need to remind me-”

“Were the ones who gave it to you Jack’s Crew?”

She actually hesitates, thinking hard before answering, “Perhaps not. I received it through an intermediary who did not wear the black counterpart to your own armor. For all you and I know, they could have gotten it from Jack.”

That’s a fair point, and something to look into later. “And you’ve never seen anything like this before?”

“Never,” she confirms, taking a long look at John, “...but this is a...unique child.”

“How so?”

“He smells of both human and demon...” At the look of alarm you give her, she adds, “But not in the same way of the Son of Sparda...or the life growing within Elly’s womb-”

You cut her off just a tad bit too harshly. “Your point?”

(cont.)

Arachne’s eyes narrow at the interruption, but she continues, “It’s as if someone has forcibly interwoven the scent of a demon within that of a human’s.”

Your blood goes cold. “...like Demon Fusion?”

“No, far more insidious and incredibly more subtle than that...” insists the spider, “Imagine your Demon Fusion Program like a large pot which you throw ingredients into: lintels, meat, vegetables, broth. This child is not soup, but a tapestry, where threads containing demonic essence have been skillfully, but forcefully, interwoven within his human parts...”

She pauses, pointing towards the brand on John’s cheek, still pulsing and running light along his mutated body. “...not unlike some sort of parasite. Or disease. This child was once human, master, but someone seems to have infected him with demonic essence. He is now something beyond both of them, irrevocably, irreversibly and permanently changed.”

“Jesus Christ,” you whisper. “But...why would somebody-”

““mmmMMMiiSSSSssstTttTTeEEeeEeRRrrRR...?”

John taps the ground to draw your attention. He paws over to the corpse of the patient, the headless ruin of meat that he’d torn to pieces in his frenzy. The light in the sockets is no longer content or idling lazily, almost...panicked as he sifts through the remains. The monster is no longer in control.

“...hhHHHUuuurrRRRRTttttTTTsSSSss...” he whines, and just faintly, you can distinguish the voice of the child he once was “...sssssOOOoooOOOo...hUnnNNgggGGrrrRRyyyyY...ssSSSttaAAaRrRRvvEeEEdDdd...”

...you don’t know how to respond. You stare, hapless, as John begins to weep uncontrollably: “...mmMMmMyyyyYYYYYy...ffFFFrRRiIIeeNNnNDdddd...”

The overhead lighting plays off the linoleum floor, reflecting the demonic image of the former child in its gunmetal surface. John shrieks, and smashes the floor in a fit of pique, hard enough to cause the lights to flicker, smashing until the the floor is little more than a lattice work of cracks incapable of reflection. Even though her fear and apprehension, High Pixie manages a pitiful look towards the creature as he roars in agony.

“...hhHHHHuuuUURRRRRtttTTTT...ssSSSSsooooOOO mMMmMmaaAAAaaannNNnnyyYYyy...” he wheezes pitifully, “...d-dDdDooOcCtorrRRR...mMMaaAAAdDDeeEEe...mEEEE...a...a...m-monsster...pPppPuUut...a...m-MmoNsTer...i-Inside...MmEEe..."

>>How will you respond?
>Write-in.

>>4223557
....right. Are we killing him? I'm not putting any trust into our standard list of nonlethal capture methods. Could we drain all the magnetite out of him? Might do more harm than good.

"John"'s fairly self-aware though. We could take the long and hard path of convincing him to remember all this traumatic shit and gain some measure of control. Get him to recall the names of the friends he's killed, find any kind of leverage for strength of will.

>>4223557

I honestly don't think we can deal with this right now.

We just gotta mark him for extraction, close the door and kill Jack