TtOW! - Chapter 103 - Operation: Rescue Friendlies (Patreon)

Magister Vibius heaved a sigh.

“So be it, then. If you will not join us, then you must be destroyed.”

He snapped his fingers and the entire room lit up. A massive magic circle burned through the rug, engraved into the floor below. The room was flooded with mana, which began swirling through the air around NSLICE-00P. The twisting mana would disrupt any attempt to create a magic circle, and even if a spell was cast its power would be spent resisting the mana cyclone all around it.

Meanwhile, a small figure, no larger than a child, appeared right in front of NSLICE-00P, swinging a dagger towards her heart.

Magister Vibius sneered.

“All the magical might in the world doesn’t matter if you can’t cast a spell. Or if you have a dagger in the heart. Goodbye, NSLICE-00P. I just want you to know it wasn’t personal…”

But Magister Vibius’s words died on his lips.

“Hostile intent confirmed. Termination protocols engaged.”

The moment the magic circle triggered, two panels popped up on NSLICE-00P’s shoulders, revealing her auto-pistols. These opened fire at the hidden figure NSLICE-00P had detected in the room. The assassin cried out and leapt back, bleeding all over. Meanwhile NSLICE-00P’s helmet covered her head.

"Observation: Mana distortions observed. Adapting."

NSLICE-00P’s hands transformed into gun barrels and opened fire. The assassin had some ability to endure the un-upgraded shoulder pistols, but the stronger bullets from the assault rifles tore right through them.

[You have slain Dimindum Pendum (Level 73)!]

[Gained 28 Personal XP and 1 Dungeon XP!]

[Level up! You are now Personal level 66!]

Two more Exploratores had burst into the room with swords drawn, making their way towards Estrith. But they had not accounted for NSLICE-00P still being active, and so were not prepared for her to open fire on them, taking one down immediately. The other was distracted by this and so unprepared for Estrith to stab him with her harpoon.

[You have slain Human (Level 76)!]

[Gained 31 Personal XP and 1 Dungeon XP!]

She turned to Magister Vibius but he was already gone, having fled out a hidden door behind him the moment the ambush failed. Estrith turned towards NSLICE-00P, her face grim.

“Imperial dogs, I knew there is no trusting them. What now, Queen of the Dobhar?”

NSLICE-00P’s eye flickered.

“Retrieving friendlies.”

NSLICE-00P activated the Transfer protocol and Ateia and Taog appeared in the room. The pair blinked repeatedly before their eyes widened. Ateia’s jaw dropped.

“Huh? What…Seero?! What?! How?! What’s going on?! Why are you here?! How did we get here?! Is that…is that blood?!”

“Deferral: Explanation of current situation delayed until friendlies evacuated from the combat area.”

Taog just smiled.

“Thanks, Seero. You never disappoint, do you?”

“Statement: Summary of this unit’s mission success rate deferred. Please prepare for evacuation.”

While NSLICE-00P added terminating Magister Vibius to her current objectives, her highest priority was preventing Ateia, Taog, and herself from being terminated. Magister Vibius had displayed prepared countermeasures for her capabilities (to the extend he was aware of them) and she didn’t have full intel on the military hardware he might have available in this city, so there was significant risk to an immediate pursuit. As such, NSLICE-00P calculated she should first evacuate her friendlies from all possible harm. She could then conduct a more thorough and forceful reconnaissance before engaging the target.

So NSLICE-00P disabled the magic circle below with the Equalizer, then surrounded Ateia, Taog, and Estrith with magic barriers and kicked the door open. She ran down the hallway, back towards the entrance hall. Once she entered the hall, she activated her repulsors and boosted over the heads of the waiting crowds. The guards barely had a chance to speak before she shot past them and out into the streets of Velusitum.

***

Magister Vibius swore as he dug into his shoulder. He had been caught by a stray attack from whatever weapon NSLICE-00P had used. He dug out the small metal projectile, then doused the area with a healing potion, swearing as his wound burned. Meanwhile he triggered the alarm, Exploratores on standby arrived to meet him shortly after.

“I guess I should have expected as much from an Amiciti Populi Elteni, Governor Aemilia really undersold her. Activate the defenses, all of them. She’ll be coming for her friends next. We’ll prepare an ambush in the tunnels…”

Just then an assistant ran up to him.

“Magister!”

“What is it? We’re in an emergency here!”

“The Amiciti Populi Elteni just left the building!”

Magister Vibius blinked.

“What? After all that, she just left those two behind?”

“I don’t know sir, but she was apparently carrying several people with her.”

Magister Vibius froze. That…should be impossible. But one did not become a Magister Exploratores without exposure to the impossible. He spoke in a small voice.

“Contact the warden and have him check the cells.”

A few minutes later, Magister Vibius was sweating. By some unknown means that gave no warning and left no trace, NSLICE-00P had bypassed all defenses magic and mundane and retrieved the two Exploratores in an instant. So…Magister Vibius had underestimated and failed to eliminate the Amiciti Populi Elteni after having confirmed the intent to rebel. And she had escaped his fortress, making off with the only leverage he had on her. So a potentially archmage-level spellcaster with powerful physical weapons and the perception and reflexes to foil an ambush by his top assassin was now completely hostile, aware that he could not count on his status within the Empire, and at large within the capital city.

Caelinus would not be happy to hear his next report.

***

NSLICE-00P boosted through the city streets, just above the crowds. Thanks to her covert units and drones, she had a full map of the city, and could head directly towards the nearest exit. Her scans had also indicated a thin barrier around the city and potential air defense installations at key locations, so she had decided to try one of the gates rather than risk challenging the Empire’s currently unknown anti-air capabilities. As such, she kept her height below that of the nearby structures and just above the crowds below.

Estrith was muttering to herself and Taog had his eyes shut, but the pair were under no threat so NSLICE-00P ignored them.

She was just reaching the gate leading to the river when a group of guards began to move. They took up a position in front of the gate, blocking her path. Since the rebellion had not officially begun, NSLICE-00P couldn’t be certain of the loyalty of any given soldier, and was attempting to avoid confrontations. However, if the soldiers were moving to block her evacuation, then they would need to be dealt with. NSLICE-00P was about to activate termination protocols…

“WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME?!”

Suddenly the doors of a nearby tavern burst open and a man flew out into the street. Agedia launched out after him, wrapping her tail around him and shaking him around. Her face was flushed red and her words slurred.

“I’LL SHOW YOU A SLIMY SNAKE!”

His friends came out, moving to intervene. Agedia spun around to face them, accidentally letting go of the man. He soared through the air and crashed right into the gathering guards. Soon, a full-on brawl broke out in the streets, drawing in the guards. NSLICE-00P now had an opening and boosted forward at full speed. A pedestrian on the side of the road tossed something in her flight path. NSLICE-00P identified it as a scroll and caught it before boosting right out of the gate, exiting Velusitum.

She then shot off into the distance. A few ballistae turned in her direction, but they had not been prepared in time, and so NSLICE-00P was out of range before they could fire.

***

Once at a minimum safe distance in a forest beyond the river, NSLICE-00P landed and placed her friendlies on the ground. Estrith and Taog gasped for breath and hugged the dirt, while Ateia just swayed side to side with her eyes wide open. NSLICE-00P opened up the scroll she had caught.

“There’s a safehouse five miles east of the river.”

The rest of the scroll included a basic map, and instructions on how to access the safehouse. NSLICE-00P calculated its likely location compared to her own. Fortunately, it was fairly close by.

“S-Seero…what…what’s going on?”

NSLICE-00P turned to face Ateia.

“Statement: Friendly Taog informed this unit of Target Vibius’s ultimate intentions. Cordial relations with the Empire are currently necessary for this unit’s primary directive, and so this unit declined to support any sort of rebellion. Target Vibius then acted with hostile intent towards this unit and friendlies Ateia and Taog. This unit proceeded to forcibly extract all friendlies, who will be evacuated to a safe location. This unit will now scout the location.”

NSLICE-00P deployed a handful of drones to do just that. Ateia blinked, before sighing and shaking her head.

“I’m sorry, Seero. This is all just…this is all happening so fast.”

Taog placed a hand on her trembling shoulder. Ateia turned to face him.

“It’s ok, Ateia. We’re here now, and we’re all ok. We can figure out everything else going on in a bit, let’s just find a safe place to rest first, ok?”

He then smiled at her.

“Besides, we have Seero here now. She’ll figure out a way, right?”

Ateia’s eyes trembled for a second but then she took a deep breath and nodded.

“Right, ok.”

In the meantime, NSLICE-00P’s drones arrived on sight and located the safehouse. The safehouse itself was protected by wards, and so thermal scans couldn’t confirm the inside, but her drones did determine the surrounding area was clear. NSLICE-00P decided it was worth investigating.

“Update: This unit has concluded preliminary scans of a potential safehouse. Please prepare for transit.”

NSLICE-00P surrounded them with barriers once more, but only lifted them a few feet off the ground. She then carried them to the safehouse.

***

The group came to the location in question, finding nothing there. But NSLICE-00P stepped towards a tree with the branches twisted in a particular fashion, and placed her hand on it. She channeled her mana into it. She spoke the passcode mentioned on the scroll.

A portion of the tree vanished, revealing a hollowed out portion with a staircase leading underground. NSLICE-00P’s dungeon field covered the interior, revealing no life forms inside. And so the group made their way down.

Inside was a stone structure. There was a central room with some preserved rations and medical supplies, and two barracks with a couple of cots set up. Ateia and Taog plopped onto chairs around a table in the center of the room, while Estrith checked out each of the rooms with her spear at the ready.

And so the group took a moment to breathe before taking stock of their current situation…

Author’s Note:

Finished my first Fire Emblem: Engage run. Got to say, I've been pleasantly surprised by Engage. I was worried that the next entry in the series wouldn't live up to Three Houses, and would suffer for the attempt (like Fates and Awakening). Which made me even more worried when I first heard of the Emblem system, I was concerned they might be trying to bank purely on a nostalgia gimmick. But fortunately that didn't happen. Engage is a fleshed out game on its own, if simpler and more straightforward than Three Houses. But that's not bad in my opinion, Engage knows what it is and what it isn't, and so plays into its own strengths. Rather than try to match Three Houses, it goes hard into the over the top action shonen vibe, which works with its more straightforward storyline. Helps too that it is well-executed mechanically and the Emblem system is actually pretty engaging and fun. All in all, a solid entry into the series that didn't get tripped up by its predecessor, though you will enjoy it more if you’ve played the other games.

And it turns out I am very susceptible to nostalgia and crossovers. Once Lyn showed up, it was over.

So, you know, if magic rings summoning Faceless Minion characters show up, now you know why lol. Which...come to think of it...wouldn't Seero be able to do something like that if she had the specs of certain other NSLICE units from her original world...

That, or we can save it for the spinoff of the spinoff so I can just keep reusing NSLICE-00P as the MC!

Now back to the story...well well well looks like someone's earned themselves one free termination. Good luck, Magister Vibius. You're going to need it.

Anyways!

What will the gang do now? How will the Magister report this to Caelinus?