ER15-25 Family Day
Strike Hawk Lounge
Babylonia
Kamui! You're still gonna resist, after all this?
Across from him, Kamui takes his stance. Unmoved, he squeezes his eyes shut and holds his ground. They hang in the silence, two coiled springs ready to strike.
My mind's made up, Camu. No negotiations.
On this, I will never back down. I'd rather go down swinging than surrender!
Good. Very good.
Camu bends his body and sets his hand on his weapon, adjusting his stance. Across from him, Kamui mirrors the tension, settling into a defensive posture as he braces for the fight.
If that's how it is... then this fateful clash is unavoidable!
Prepare yourself!! Kamui!!
That's my line, Camu!!
Haaargh!
Yawn...
A lazy yawn echoes from the corner of the lounge, where Wanshi stretches his arms. He glances over, roused by the commotion the two of them are making.
Spotting that he is awake, Chrome walks over and sits beside him, giving Wanshi a reassuring pat. The gesture signals that there's no need for alarm. They just need to sit and wait.
...Captain, you're not worried they're gonna wreck the lounge?
Chrome shakes his head.
It'll be over soon.
Just as Chrome predicted, Camu doesn't charge. Instead, he tosses his weapon as a distraction and, producing a camera from seemingly nowhere, makes a beeline toward their position.
Kamui catches the thrown weapon out of instinct, but upon seeing the camera in Camu's hand, realization hits him like a ton of bricks. He snaps his head around to look behind him—
Just as he fears, the position he was supposed to be guarding so "vigilantly" is already completely empty.
—?!!
CAMU!! That's cheating!! You can't just swipe the camera while I'm not looking!!
We were supposed to duke it out! winner gets the camera!!
Tch. Like I care.
Camu squeezes into a tight spot between Wanshi and Chrome, rolling his eyes at Kamui while clutching the camera.
You've been acting shady lately. Time for special measures.
You've been guarding this thing like your life depends on it, refusing to show anyone what you recorded. So now, we're finding out what you're really hiding!
No way!! Don't you dare watch that!!
Kamui rushes forward to stop Camu, but then freezes as a sudden voice calls out from behind him.
Huh?! [player name]? Wait, what are you doing here...?! I was gonna bring the camera to you later, as we said!
I contacted [player name] to meet us here.
That way, we can all watch the commemorative video together, and you won't have to run around everywhere, Kamui.
Ohhh, I get it now! You guys planned this! Camu distracts me, and you, Captain, sneak behind my back to bring [player name] here!
That's so mean, you guys!! Zero honor!!
Kamui, you're acting super nervous today... Got something to hide?
Kamui lunges for the camera, but Wanshi's question freezes him mid-motion. His bravado evaporates, leaving behind a look of suspicious guilt.
Wh-what?! No way!! Wanshi, don't just make stuff up...
Mm. Not making anything up. And I definitely didn't notice you stuttering just now.
Enough chit-chat! Let's just play the damn thing.
I'm hitting play now!
Wait!! WAIT!! CAMU!!
No matter what he tries, Kamui can't stop Camu. He resigns himself to his fate while everyone crowds around, their attention fixed on the camera's screen.
Hello? Hellooo! Is this thing on?
Perfect! We're rolling! Alright, time to execute the plan!
For part one—I, Kamui, the genius creator of this masterpiece, will introduce myself!
Wassup, everybody!! I'm Kamui from Strike Hawk, and what you're about to see is the special "First Family Day Commemorative Video"!
Ever since I got back from my mission, I thought, why not bring the Ezette tradition to Babylonia? So we're kicking things off with Strike Hawk for our very first attempt!
Oh! And a massive shoutout to our volunteer special guest, Gray Raven Commandant [player name]! Appreciate you!!
Aaaand that's it for the intro! Now let's get to the good stuff!
In this video, I'm gonna give you all a sneak peek into the daily lives of every Strike Hawk member!
First up... let's start with Camu!
Check it, there he is, totally locked in on his training!
Okay okay, hear me out! Instead of just walking up like a normal person... what if we sneak up behind him and give him a good scare?! Surprise attack style!
So what do you think? Sick, right?!
Yeah, I knew it! Alright. Shh, gotta be quiet now. Can't let him spot us.
First, I'm gonna hide right here in his blind spot... do some recon...
Perfect! Looks like he's taking a breather. Guard's totally down!
Ready? Three... two...
...one!! YOOO—
WAAAAHHH!! CAMU!! WHAT THE—?!!
Before Kamui's so-called "surprise" cry even finishes, the video feed lurches violently. The camera takes a heavy blow, flickers several times, and then goes completely black.
However, the audio recording function appears unaffected, allowing the group to hear exactly what happens next.
Ah... the camera's on the ground! The screen's dead!!
Idiot. You charged at me from behind. What did you think was gonna happen? Instinct. I thought I was being ambushed.
No no no, this is not working!! If the camera's broken, we can't use any of the footage. Camu, stay right there! I'll run and grab a new memory card. Then we reshoot!
...Reshoot? Like I care!
In fact, we haven't settled the score for that sneak attack yet!
Eh...? Uh... nice weather today, right?! Haha! You, uh, you keep doing you! I'm just gonna... go find the captain now...
Get back here. As compensation, you're my personal punching bag for the rest of the day!
Until I finish my training quota... don't even think about running!
Take this!!
AAAHHH—Camu, let me go!! I've got stuff to do!! Ow ow ow—
You wanna fight back?! You're asking for it!!
...What are you all looking at?! He's the one who acted like an idiot!
Anyway, first video's done. I'm playing the next one!
Captain—Captain!! Hehe, knew I'd find you here! Called it!
Ta-da! Check it out, brand new memory card, fresh out the package, never used! All yours now!
Ahem! Alright, camera's all set up and ready to roll! Captain, we can start filming your part whenever you're ready!
I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to all colleagues and leadership for their guidance... Hmm? Oh, Kamui. Perfect timing.
Since everything's prepared, I'll use this camera to rehearse my public speech for tomorrow.
Wait, a speech? Wait... Captain, hold up! I can totally come back another day—
Whaaat?!! Why are you making me stay?! I don't wanna sit through a speech, nooo!!
Now then. I will structure today's address around six key points...
Chrome's voice fills the room in an unending stream of words, while across the space, Wanshi lets out yet another yawn.
Mmm... can we fast-forward this? Or just wake me when it's over...
I'm playing the next video!!
Man... rough start. Real rough start...
Two days in a row, and everything just keeps backfiring on me...
Heheh... today we're filming Wanshi! There's no way anything can go wrong this time!
See? Told you! He's totally out cold in his sleep pod. Nothing wakes this guy up!
This is awesome! Finally, a smooth filming session!
Okay... I'll just point the camera at his face for now. Maybe he'll wake up in a bit.
In a bit... just in a little bit...
...Arm's getting kinda sore. I'll just... use a stand instead...
Man... he looks so peaceful... kinda making me sleepy too...
...Why isn't he waking up... I'll just lean here for a sec... just a tiny sec... that's fine, right...
Zzzz...
&%? ...Snore!
Mmm. Slept well.
...Why is there water in my sleep pod?
Oh, it's Kamui.
So deep in your sleep... Guess I'll just let you rest.
But since the camera's already set up... might as well use it.
...So how long are we supposed to stare at this idiot's drooling face?
Who the hell falls asleep while filming someone else?!
Hmm. I think this kind of video's pretty good, actually.
Well. All three officially requisitioned memory cards are now completely full. That should be all the footage.
Yeah, yeah, totally! All full! You wanted to see the videos, and you've seen them all now, right? Great! I'll just take the camera back with me!
...Like there's totally nothing to hide.
Camu, you handle this.
Got it!
With just a glance from Wanshi, Camu swiftly pins Kamui in place, leaving him unable to move.
Hey!! C'mon, you guys are taking this way too far!! You've already seen the videos. Why won't you just leave me alone?!
There's something I forgot to mention, Kamui.
Yesterday, as we were passing by your lounge, we happened to find this—
Chrome produces a fourth memory card. In contrast to the pristine, officially issued cards, this one is clearly worn from regular use.
All that sneaking around and hiding. You've definitely got secrets on this one!!
Let's see what you've been hiding!
Oh no, oh no! Last memory card's done too.
What am I gonna do about that thing now... No, can't give up now! There's gotta be another way!
Let's see here... Game cartridges, snacks, comics... nope, nope, nope...
Aha! Yes! Thank goodness there's still a spare card in that old recorder!
Perfect! I'll hide this one away and keep it separate from the other three. Then when I go see [player name], I can give it to the commandant directly!
Huh? It's still recording? Did I forget to turn it off? Eh, whatever, I'll delete this part later. First things first. Gotta take care of the important stuff...
Nice. Perfect camera angle. When opening this video, the first thing [player name] will see is this handsome face. Instant mood boost, guaranteed!
Hellooo! [player name]! What you're seeing right now is an exclusive video. I made this just for you! Only you have it. Only you get to see it.
The reason I did this is... there are some things I wanna tell only you!
Heheh, I've got a lot to say, actually... So I'll record them as short videos, and you can upload them to your terminal. Watch them whenever you want, at your own pace!
That way, no matter where you are, whenever you watch them... you'll think of me.
And... I wanna make a promise with you, [player name]. Just between us!
No matter how many people join our Family Day celebrations in the future... I wanna save the last bit of time for just the two of us. Just you and me. Is that okay?
I'll have everything ready in my lounge! Good snacks, game cartridges, and all kinds of fun trinkets I've been saving especially for you. We'll have it all!
Between you and me? I've been hiding all that stuff specifically for you! Had to come up with all sorts of excuses to keep it a secret from everyone else.
Anyway, that's it for now! Next up, I'm gonna record all the little secrets I wanna tell you—
AAAAH NO NO NO—DON'T PLAY THE REST!! DON'T YOU DARE WATCH IT!!
Breaking free from Camu's grasp at last, Kamui lunges for the player and shuts off the video.
Kamui!! You punk!! Keeping all the good stuff to yourself?!
...And deliberately keeping secrets from us, too. Very heartbreaking.
Hmm... Perhaps it's time for a thorough cleaning of all the Strike Hawk lounges...
Hand over those snacks and games. Now.
No way!! I am not giving those up!!
Then I'll knock you out cold and see how stubborn you are then—
Thanks to this timely explanation, Kamui is saved from the crisis. Glancing at a new notification on his terminal, he shoves the screen right up to Camu's face.
Yeah, that's right!! See, guys?! I'm not making excuses. There's a super urgent meeting I gotta rush to!
Duty comes first, Kamui. You should go.
Mmm... I'm going back to sleep.
Hmph. I'll let you off the hook for now. But when you get back, we're settling this!
Without a second thought, Kamui seizes you and makes a break for it, fleeing the Strike Hawk lounge without looking back. He doesn't dare stop until the lounge is far behind you.
He glances nervously over his shoulder, and only when he's sure you haven't been followed does he finally let out a full, relieved breath.
Phew... That was close! As long as I get back early and hide everything, I'm good!
Hey, [player name]... You totally did that on purpose, didn't you? Helped me make a clean getaway!
Huh? La la la, not listening! I don't care what you say. I know what really happened!
That was brilliant! Totally your style!
Ah! Right, shh—gotta keep it down! Bad news if someone overhears us!
Beep beep—
The terminal's persistent beeping cuts through your conversation. On the other end, the caller notices the delay and fires off another message, urging you to hurry.
Yeah! Let's go!
Conference Room
Babylonia
Can you confirm the security status of the communication device?
Based on what went down at the time, pretty low chance it's compromised.
I just ran tests on the device's protection system. It's fully compliant with Ezette's internal encryption protocols, with no evidence of any outside intrusion.
In conclusion, the intel we got from this device should be considered trustworthy.
...Understood. This gives us enough to work with for now.
You both did good out there. Go grab some rest.
Just need to verify a few more details on our end. Once we've got solid answers, we'll loop you in.
...Things are gonna pick up again soon enough. Use this time to recharge properly, [player name].
You and Kamui both sense that pressing for more information would be unwise. Accordingly, you obey their orders and file out of the meeting room.
Hey [player name]! No time like the present, yeah? Why don't we dig into my secret stash today?
Wait, hold up. Captain's blowing up my messages too? Lemme just—
WHOA!! This is bad!! They're already at my lounge! They're totally gonna raid all my stuff while I'm gone!
[player name], let's move! We gotta book it back and defend our turf before they clean us out!!
Yoooo—Let's roll!!
The commotion gradually recedes from the meeting room, returning it to its familiar silence. Though now, it carries an undercurrent of gravity.
Nikola looks at the communication device brought back from Ezette. On the screen, coordinates are displayed—information they deliberately withheld from Kamui and [player name].
These are no ordinary coordinates. The stakes are too high; they must verify the data multiple times before moving forward with any confidence.
Setting aside what they just told us, what's your take?
Pretty much the same.
Marlis, a former World Government councilor and now a defecting Construct. She is actively recruiting followers on Earth. We've been picking up her presence everywhere since Ezette.
She's not even trying to stay hidden, operating pretty openly, which means she's got backup. Someone powerful, watching from the shadows.
Luna's group?
Not necessarily.
The F.O.S. starship's coordinates aren't just a "pathfinder" to us. They need this intel just as badly.
So they won't interfere, not yet. They need the lead as much as we do.
A pathfinder... But this particular lead seems to be taking us straight to a cliff. These coordinates can't be where F.O.S. actually landed.
But if we treat them as an anchor point instead, they tell us enough.
At the very least, F.O.S. did arrive at this location. It's just that...
In the next instant, it somehow "vanished."
No trace left behind, not making any logical sense.
Like it drove off a cliff and plunged straight into the abyss.
Maybe it's not that we can't "find" it, but rather that we can't "see" it with our current capabilities... The Science Council recovered data from when F.O.S. disappeared. Nearby pulse arrays recorded unusual modulated gravitational wave signals.
Asimov's compiling it now. In his words, the coordinates are hidden by something. We need to find the entrance first.
There must be...
Meanwhile.
White mist constricts around the starship like a living prison. The metal hull shrieks and fractures with a bone-chilling sound as it corrodes.
Deep within the dense mist, countless spectral shadows drift, pale, twisted forms of limbs. Joints bend backward unnaturally, appendages writhing and merging in bizarre patterns as they emanate an inhuman cold.
Fall back! Blow up anything that can explode!
Don't bother saving your ammo! Use it! Lay down fire!
Two pale, twisted specters shriek and lunge. Vanessa raises her weapon, blowing one's skull apart as she dodges sideways. In a single, fluid motion, her boot drives down onto the other's spine, shattering it with brutal force.
We've still got wounded that need evac! So hold the damn line, every last one of you! If you're gonna bleed out, do it inside the perimeter!
Bullets scream through the air. The students' hastily formed defense crumbles, their perimeter shrinking as a tide of white figures surges forward. Eerie shrieks pierce the air, punctuated by the wet sounds of tearing flesh in the narrow passages.
They... they're everywhere!!
Facing combat for the first time, the recruit freezes, paralyzed by the horrific scene before her. Her weapon clatters to the deck as she collapses, trembling uncontrollably. Completely oblivious, she fails to notice the razor-sharp claw that emerges from the mist behind her, now dangling inches from her neck—
You idiot! Get back!
Vanessa kicks her aside in one swift motion, levels her weapon, and blows the monster's head apart. A spray of warm, fetid blood peppers her cheek.
Useless. On your feet!
I... I...
Slap. A hand swings, and a harsh blow strikes her face.
Freshmen! If you've got a death wish, grab a grenade and take one of those things with you!
Don't you dare die like a dog, tucking your tail between your legs and letting them tear you apart from behind!
F.O.S. doesn't bury cowards who die for nothing. You hear me?!
Vanessa grabs the recruit's collar, wrenching her upright. The recruit's vacant stare sharpens instantly in pain as blood begins to bloom from between her tightly clenched teeth.
Y-yes, ma'am!
Under Vanessa's hoarse commands and the students' counterattack, the white tide momentarily halts before their shattered defenses.
But high in the dense fog, unseen by all, a figure in an F.O.S. uniform watches from the bridge, observing their struggle with cold disdain.
I'm already... at my limit...
I'm sorry... but this is a choice I have to make... Please wait for me...
[player name]... Lucia...
