act6d5

Is one woman supposed to be able to wear out the entire L.G.D.?

I'm not one to mince words, so let's get right to it. You're no ordinary warrior. What's your name?

Lava.

What's with people these days? That can't be your name. It's too weird.

It's my codename.

That's kind of a pain. What's the difference between a name and a codename anyway? Is it really so important to express your identity as an independent organism?

You're the one who asked!

Besides, there's no way you could understand us, 'Nian'.

Wow, you recognized me right away.

That's what they used to call me, but I don't think 'Nian' is cool enough. Can we change it? I want a badass codename like 'Lava.'

...You won't get away, the L.G.D. can track you.

I don't have to run. Come, Tinmen.

This is the weapon you took from the Lungmen central database.

What can you do with such weak illusions?

Oooh - you cut through the air with a dagger? I've never seen Arts like that before. Pretty badass!

Thanks for the compliment. Should I teach you?

Ho ho ho——not bad.

I didn't expect to see a massive moving metropolis. You people have some tricks up your sleeves.

And your Arts, well, I've never seen such a skillful and practical approach before.

It's a relief. I was afraid you wouldn't have made much progress.

You used the data in those records to create illusions of Reunion and the L.G.D.

Your power is not like Originium Arts, but you can't fool me. Now that I have you figured out, the monsters that have plagued Lungmen for centuries will be no more.

You're a smart cookie. Where'd you come up with this stuff?

I've been combing ancient records and modern papers in a quest to understand you.

Huh? So all the years I've been sleeping, you've been cramming trivia about me?

Pretty much.

I was born and bred to hunt your kind.

Wha? So you're like, a fan of mine?

...If wanting to kill you counts.

I never thought I'd meet someone like you.... before I forgot myself.

Oh, honey, I'm touched. I'm on the verge of tears here. It's like I'm a forgotten has-been meeting an old fan. How about it? Why don't we call a truce and go get a drink?

Since we're waiting for the Tinmen to overpower the... oh, what are they called again...? That's right! Since we're waiting for the Tinmen to beat down the L.G.D., we might as well find something to pass the time.

...According to the records, it's been decades since you last attacked Lungmen.

You have no idea what we're capable of now, and you're still so sure of yourself?

What are you capable of? You've got taller buildings, a bit more metal in your machines, and your hot pot tastes worse...

What should I be worrying about? What else can you show me?

You seem to be looking forward to it.

That I am.

You'll see. Let's call it... divination.

They're allowing divination these days? Time was, a commoner would be put to death for seeking knowledge of the heavens.

If divination's a crime, then I'm guilty as charged.

You....

I'm even more curious about you. You sure you don't want that drink?

Then make those things stop.

Is this like a 'surrender now and I'll let you live' thing?

I care more about the truth than fighting you.

The truth? What do you want to know? Seeing as we're so in tune with each other, I might consider telling you.

Your goal. And how to defeat all of you once and for all.

All of us?

Nian is only your name. The Catastrophe is far more than just you, I know that well.

What are you going to do when you know the answer? Still going to be all fighty-killy?

Yeah. Maybe. If your true form can actually be killed.

........Ha.

(There's a change in her attitude... A pressure in the air...)

Hey, li'l Lava.

Don't call me that. We're not friends.

Don't say that, you really surprised me, you've learned a lot more than I ever expected.

You're right, you know. At first, I wasn't planning to do anything to this city. As far as I was concerned, you were weak little folk, gradually making your way in the world.

But I have to admit, you made some real progress over the years.

And to think someone's actually been watching us all this time. That's a pleasant surprise.

You left behind horror stories and monster myths in every corner of the world. How could we not look for you?

Sometimes it was a giant, sometimes it was an army, sometimes it was Arts like a Catastrophe...

But we always grew stronger, in order to survive.

What I don't understand is how the people of ancient Yan fought with spears and halberds, while Lungmen today has huge cannons to protect the city, and in the end they all suffered the same fate?

Were you going easy back then? Or are you stronger now?

Or——

You need juuust the right amount of destruction and mayhem to make a point.

Isn't this fun? I wake up to find that the little ones who haven't changed in years are suddenly so close to the truth.

So....

I think it's time to take off the kid gloves and bump up the difficulty.

You won't get away with it.

Ooh, fire——?

So the dagger was just an opening act. The staff is the headliner?

You people have never been willing to use your power efficiently. And that's one thing that hasn't changed.

A shield...?

I've never seen anything like it before. And it's suppressing the range of my Originium Arts, how did she do that...?

Hey! Originium Arts? That sounds pretty badass!

(But my flames just now... She used her power specifically to block them?)

(Spatial Arts are trickier.... but...)

But I do have one teensy little question. How did you come up with all this stuff while I, or I guess 'we,' were snoozing away?

No comment.

Is that right?

Let's change the subject then. A minute ago, you said my power was to use data to do up those toy soldiers.

Sorry, but that's a swing and a miss. How could I figure out something so complicated so quickly?

Turns out, you break stuff down into its simplest parts, language, Arts, anything, and it's all pretty much the same.

And the best possible material I could find was that data. Your past enemies, your fears and anxieties. It's perfect for having a little fun.

Think of it like blowing bubbles in the park.

...What are you trying to say?

When you said you had me figured out, I got this warm, tingly feeling.

I wonder if it's true.

You're...

How... The top of that building... it's melting?

Relax. All the people are gone.

...What are you going to do?

Smelt. Cast. Temper.

This city will make the perfect forge.

Li'l Lava, don't you think you'd make a good blacksmith?

Who wants to be a blacksmith?!

(Hrm, it's just like in those theses. They were so out there, I never thought they could be true. But the Nian can pull off some incredible feats without using Arts, in the traditional sense.)

(Now, just like the conclusions of those papers... I have to try this.)