Liberi Reader

Runner Three, down!

Runner Seven, destroyed!

Runner Eight, intercepted.

Raidian, execute the feint! Use your Arts to extend or hit their nervous systems directly!

Pull all the enemies!

*Pant* *pant*... so tough. Is everyone okay?

No problems yet... But... it's really intense. I've never seen combat on this scale before...

I'm due for a vacation if I make it back from this.

Right. I'll approve it.

But first... let's knock out this team! Then if you want a raise, a vacation, a specific assignment, I'll grant anything!

Incoming!

Don't get distracted! Back in formation!

A major firefight by the east exit? Stay calm, push ahead slow. Don't give them an opening!

These don't look like Ursus or Yan tactics. What's going on? Who are they?

After picking off Ursus soldiers for years, now we get ambushed?

No actual fighting...? Cowards! You'll pay for underestimating the guerrillas!

Watch the altar! The protection the Captain gave us only mitigates its effects. He told us a million times not to go near it unless we have to!

Runner, get the other teams on the horn.

...No response?

Where are the mortars? And the devils?

......

Hold on. Something's not right.

Runner Twelve, destroyed!

The guerrilla fighters are closing ranks! Now's our best chance to break through!

...Hmm..

Roger. Rosmontis, let's scan the area with our Arts.

I can't reach it. The enemy... is blocking me somehow.

Sarkaz casters. They're the only ones who could interfere with Arts like Rosmontis's.

Then it's up to me...!

Raidian, how long can you keep it up?

...We'll be quick.

I... I found them. Yes. They have a lot of snipers and casters hidden in those buildings.

They're calm... some agitated. But they're not fanatics. They're... fortifying that point.

...Duty.

The Doctor is right. It's a trap.

I'm nearby. I'm coming.

Can you do it?

Yes. I won't smash the whole building. I'll just destroy the level they're on, so they won't bother us.

Amiya, I can do it.

Right, Rosmontis... I know you can. Definitely.

...Amiya, will you p'ei fu me then?

Err? What?

I heard Blaze say there aren't many people who can make you p'ei fu them.

P'ei fu? Oh... does that mean 'respect?' Sorry, I'm not so good with the Yan language. I'm pretty sure that's what it means?

I don't know, Amiya...

...Doesn't matter. Because I've always 'p'ei fu'd' Rosmontis.

You're amazing, really. I couldn't do what you do...

I couldn't bear that loss and loneliness.

There's no way I could live with it like you do, suffer through it like you do.

You're lying.

......

But it doesn't matter to me. Even if you're a liar, you're still Amiya to me.

Someone could... p'ei fu... a person like me?

It's like you just said, Rosmontis. You're Rosmontis, so I respect you. As both an elite operator and a friend.

Keep at it, Rosmontis.

Okay. We'll keep at it.

Where are they? What are they waiting for?

N-No! We can't leave the area! We strike as soon as they show their faces! No one else falls out of contact!

Hey, is that an enemy on top of that building over there?

...A cat? Just one little Feline...?!

Runner! Tell the casters! The enemy deployed a caster on the building across the way!

We've gotta take her out!

—A sword? A weapon? She's pulling them out of the air...

Huh? Floating weapons?

Slice from here, to there.

Hold it... with my hands. Cut, with the sword.

...Like slicing a potato.

Doctor! Get over here!

Rosmontis is destroying the guerrillas' ambush point. Watch for falling debris!

Assuming you're talking about Rosmontis's Arts, it may be time to explain it to you, now that you've seen it so many times.

It is a state of mind she shapes herself. You can think of it like Rosmontis has a gigantic, second, invisible body that cannot be acted upon.

It is a formless extension of her sense of touch. She can grab, squeeze, lift up, and toss away.

But these Arts lack objective manifestation, as opposed to her subjective mind.

It can act upon us with force, but we cannot act upon it. We only know it exists with the application of special Originium Arts.

You need not grasp it fully. This is not your area of expertise.

Rosmontis was much more destructive before we put a weapon in her hands. A lot like being crushed beneath the treads of a nomadic city. All that's left is a crying young girl alone in the ruins.

Under no circumstances can that be allowed to happen again.

...Doctor, move.

I see it. The command group is coming...

There should be a waterway under the ruins of the park fountain.

They hid in such an inconspicuous place.

...The story of the ambush on Graymane Peak, that supposedly involved seven straight days of stakeout and tricked the strongest of knights, may well have been true.

Let's go, Dr. {@nickname}. No time to lose.

Raidian, cease fire. Find a good place to hide. I need you to focus on keeping our comms up.

Mantra-2, log all our conversations. Every last word.

Runner Group Fourteen, successfully intercepted.

Amiya, Dr. Kal'tsit, I'm ready.

(Are you okay...? Talk to me! Look at me!)

(Good, you're with us. I'm okay. Doesn't matter. You hide somewhere, don't let them find you... we need you to regroup.)

(I know. We'll get them. You stay quiet!)

(I'm fine. No injuries. A little stone is nothing compared to an Ursus Fortcracker.)

(Don't panic! I can stop it, you look for an opening!)

......

You! What are you looking at?! Too scared to fight us?

Whoever you are, you lost the guts to take us on now? Too scared of Patriot's blood? Scared of his witchcraft?

Thinking back to the time you fought the Sarkaz? You had them outnumbered, you could've won, but in the end you just ran up the casualties!

But we'll do you one better! You can't break our shields, you can't crack our armor! You're nothing before the undying Patriot!

The mightiest Ursus warrior... needs no spear or shield. He'll stomp you to pieces.

You... are nothing!

Our fighters will regroup here soon! You can't run. Reunion will put you through hell!

Oppressors who enslave the Infected like us! You will be swallowed up by the Reunion movement!

Reunion—

...Reunion already betrayed you, sir.

—Little girl?

......

...Two... Infected little girls?

What are you doing?!

Out of the way.

There's a man behind you, and I'm going to break the device behind him.

......

You think I'll show you mercy just because you look like a kid?

Don't underestimate Patriot's Guard! We're the Aegis of the Infected... I'm here to stop your attack.

If you attack the Infected, I'll strangle you with my own two hands!

Then my weapons will talk for me.

You... You're the cat from before.

Your sword...

(Get out of here, guardian! Tell the others! I'll be okay!)

(That's your job, not mine! You have to survive!)

Come, try to pierce my shield! Try to break my armor!

Amiya. I'm out of options.

But...

He won't die. But he may never walk again.

Go. Stab...

You, can't.

?!

How... you blocked my sword with your bare hands?

Hm... My hand... numb...

When did you get here? I never felt...

No. Oh... I think... I thought that was a building collapsing, but that was you?

You, no, you and your team... You're like...

...a mountain.

......

Rosmontis, fall back.

But I...

That's an order, Rosmontis.

An order.

Captain...!

You did, well. Go, regroup.

Now, you...

Rhodes Island.

I don't care, who, you are.

You attacked, my men. You, die.

Are you sure you don't care?

Very, sure—

Wait... wait.

You...

...Buldrokkas'tee.

You... how...?

It's been a while.

You... Dame Kal'tsit?