01x06 - The Hero's Battle

[bunniefuu]

[MARCUS] Don't look at me

with those angry eyes.

A reunion

between two old friends

should be a happy event.

So, give me a smile.

You cretin!

When you betrayed

Lord Veltol

any delusion of friendship

was destroyed!

[MARCUS] When

your master was resurrected,

I did some digging into

who his favorite lackeys were.

Of all my potential suspects,

I never thought

you'd be the one to survive.

[MACHINA]

Where did you bring me?

[MARCUS] Directly below

the aether reactor

at the heart of Shinjuku City.

Welcome, Machina

to my golden brainchild,

the Immortal Furnace.

A furnace?

[MARCUS]

A cute name for my program

that uses

immortals' souls as fuel

to generate aether

for the city.

The aether produced here

is drawn into the reactor

and converted into electricity

and magic energy.

It's then funneled

into every business and home.

The entirety of Shinjuku City

relies on my creation.

It uses immortals' souls

as fuel?

[gasps]

Does that mean that

Ornared and Palmlock are

I liked those two.

They served as very

entertaining firewood.

They showed such concern

for one another.

'Twas a beautiful display

of friendship.

Well, no.

Their screams

sounded like love.

-[Marcus laughs]

-[growls]

How dare you?

b*stard!

[fire crackling]

[sighs]

[MARCUS] Your hatred

satisfies me so, my darling.

Do you understand

your own crimes?

[MARCUS]

Of course, I do.

I'm no imbecile.

[footfall]

For our kind,

any sort of physical death

is out of the question.

But once an immortal

is placed inside my furnace

their soul will blister,

bubble, and turn to ash.

In the simplest terms,

my victims face

a spiritual death.

And while you're still up

for conversation,

you remember Duke Zenol,

don't you?

The Karmic Sword?

He was the first

to taste my furnace's fire.

[gasps]

[MARCUS] I've burned

through droves of our brethren

within this facility.

Such beautiful agony!

His body wreathed in fire.

His soul breaking down until

it whispered out of existence.

Can't picture it?

Be patient and you'll see

exactly what I'm talking about.

[MACHINA]

I will end you!

My flames shall

surpass your furnace

and burn you to soot.

[MARCUS]

Oh, scary! I'm trembling!

Don't be mad, it isn't all bad.

Thanks to those

virtuous immortals

who roast their

precious souls away,

we get to enjoy lives

full of energy and bliss.

Try to show

some reverence, Machina.

Do you mean to use me

as firewood?

[MARCUS]

Well, obviously.

You're on the inside now,

my darling.

Even within IHMI

there are only a select few

who know about the existence

of the Immortal Furnace.

Post-w*r reconstruction

caused citizens to grow tepid,

so they're incredibly

hard to motivate.

If this became public,

we'd be plagued

with troublemakers

yapping about "immortal rights"

or whatever buzzword

tickled their fancies.

To keep things tucked away.

I had to climb down

from my throne

and collect you myself.

The firewood currently burning

is just about to peter out.

So, this is perfect timing.

The Immortal Furnace

is the heart of Shinjuku City.

We can't afford

to let it stop beating!

Fortunately for us, you're

one of the Six Dark Peers.

You should buy us enough time

to find an alternative

source of energy.

-Or a new supply

of souls to cook. -[growls]

[footfall]

[KINOHARA]

Lord Marcus was spot on.

He predicted the Demon Lord

would pass

through this corridor,

so he assigned me the task

of delaying your descent.

I trust my lord's judgment,

but I didn't think

you'd actually come.

I certainly didn't expect you

to come with an associate.

What a game changer.

Re: said associate.

You must be the Hero Gram.

Yes.

So, you've heard about me.

I'm honored.

[KINOHARA] There were records

of you in our database.

You're the ageless Hero

renowned for his contributions

during the second w*r.

How peculiar.

Despite their pasts,

the Demon Lord and the Hero

have linked up.

Quite the paradigm shift.

♪

Allow me to take care

of this one.

My spirit faded

but my skills are unchanged.

[GRAM]

Don't you worry.

How foolish.

I do not care

to worry about you.

Though be wary.

[VELTOL]

That woman's swordsmanship

is tremendously impressive.

It may well be

on par with Zenol's.

[sword clanging]

In that case, I'm sure to win.

♪

Enlighten me.

[GRAM] I defeated Zenol,

Duke of the Karmic Sword,

in a duel

of pure swordsmanship.

With experience like that,

there's no chance I lose here.

A fair point.

When it came to the sword

you were the strongest

in the whole of Alnaeth.

[scoffs]

Ghost hunting

isn't in my job description.

[gasps]

[sword clanging]

♪

[swords clanging]

[gasps]

[panting]

I'll circle back

to you later, Hero!

[grunting]

♪

Step aside.

[VELTOL]

Before we part, advice

♪

do not die.

[GRAM]

I won't.

♪

Vestum!

♪

Nothing but a relic.

Your age has long since passed

and you should've

passed with it!

That may be

but I know at least one person

who still needs a Hero.

♪

They will not get one.

[sword clanking]

[KINOHARA]

Due to your associate's escape.

Your deletion will need

to happen A-S-A-P

so I can synchronize

with Lord Marcus.

Slaying a hero will make

a lovely addition to my C-V.

[sword clanging]

♪

Zerobase.

Fire up.

♪

[sword clanging]

[thudding]

[rumbling]

-[metal clanging]

-[GRAM] Armor?

[sword clanging]

[hissing]

[thuds]

It's a Magino Gear.

[KINOHARA]

Precisely.

Meet Zerobase, the prototype

of the next-gen Magino Gear.

We're moving the needle

for all combat tech.

It can be called on

from a catalyst

and instantly equipped.

This is thanks

to our recent innovations

in armament summoning.

♪

Well, it's quite the get up.

[KINOHARA] A non-employee,

such as yourself,

would only be familiar with

our fourth gen Magino Gear.

But our fifth-gen model

is truly a step above.

The Zerobase is smaller,

lighter, and more agile

than its bulky,

dare I say clunky, predecessor.

These changes in conjunction

with the new tech

greatly improve its output

and energy efficiency.

This machine is the primordial

ooze of innovation!

It's code and construction

shall bear new life!

Its only area for improvement

is that unlike

the fourth-gen model,

the Zerobase's operational time

is greatly dependent

on the depth

of the magical reserves

of whoever is piloting.

However, I have no doubt

this slight kink

will be resolved shortly.

[metal creaking]

[expl*si*n]

♪

This battle will provide us

with valuable test data.

You should be honored.

I don't remember

asking about your product.

Both you and your boss

have a dreadful habit

of assuming people care.

[swords clanging]

♪

[KINOHARA]

Your weapon, your body,

they're ancient artifacts!

Even your Familia

is an old model.

Everything about you

is outdated!

I foil you in every way.

I possess the newest machinery

and have gone through the most

cutting-edge training!

Don't lose yourself in gear

or numbers or certificates.

You either win or lose.

It's simple.

♪

[KINOHARA]

Is it now?

[swords clanging]

♪

[gasps]

[sword clanking]

♪

[KINOHARA]

My, my.

Your instincts

are top of the line.

[sword clanking]

I can't find any openings

to attack you.

The progress

of technology terrifies me.

I'm so glad that this came

about after the City Wars.

♪

Saved some pain.

♪

Interesting.

[thudding]

♪

Your standard attacks

aren't very quick, are they?

[KINOHARA]

How bold.

Sure about that?

In order for your magic

to fully activate,

you have to draw that sword

on your hip from its sheath.

[Kinohara chuckles]

I suppose I should

have expected

the battle-hardened Hero

to catch on.

Very perceptive.

You've accurately

pinpointed my magic,

lightning draw.

[metal clanging]

That said,

there's a long way to go

from understanding my magic

to winning this battle.

My victory

is already penciled in.

With the synergy

between my Magino Gear

and lightning-fast

drawing spell,

our difference in combat

potential is evident.

All right.

Now that I've talked

this to death.

I shall put you to death.

[sword clanking]

[KINOHARA]

Prepare yourself.

[swords clanging]

♪

[swords clanging]

♪

[sword clanking]

♪

Why can't I hack your Familia?

[thuds]

So, the old dog

knows my new tricks.

That makes this a challenge.

No worries!

♪

[swords clanging]

I am the chosen one.

There's no way a miserable

Luddite could beat me.

I'm the future!

♪

Summon Earth Glaive!

♪

[sword clanking]

[shattering]

[KINOHARA]

Strive for greater!

Then, Frost Nova!

♪

Cold can't stop the Zerobase!

[crackling]

♪

-That's no great shock.

-[Kinohara grunts]

I didn't expect it to!

♪

[Kinohara grunts]

♪

[Kinohara gasps]

Now, Fireball!

[expl*si*n]

[metal clanging]

[sighs]

[thumping]

Enough, you fossil!

So, I'm still not

breaking through.

Nonetheless, my tactic

seems to be working.

[KINOHARA]

What?

[GRAM] That was

a combination from my past.

Something a darkling used

against me many years ago.

Even against someone

with advanced training

and equipment, the tried

and true are still true.

[KINOHARA]

My bandwidth is immense!

[swords clanging]

♪

[KINOHARA] Why?

Why can't I defeat you?

[swords clanging]

[Kinohara grunts]

[panting]

[GRAM]

I mean no offense.

But if you could defeat me,

I never would've made it

as the Hero.

[KINOHARA]

You're insufferable.

Join the rest of your age!

[crackling]

♪

My victory is inevitable!

I will not lose.

Not to your rusty sword.

Not to a Luddite!

Rusty sword?

[GRAM] Is that really

how it looks to you?

♪

So long as there are those

who seek the Hero's aide

this sword of mine shall

always remember its light.

♪

So, heed my call, old friend.

Shine again.

Ixasorde!

♪

[Ixasorde speaking

in foreign language]

[Ixasorde speaking

in foreign language]

♪

[GRAM] Now, brace yourself,

White Lightning.

My next move is the very attack

that destroyed

the great Demon Lord!

Here's the true form

of my blade!

Now behold the brilliance

of the unsetting sun!

[KINOHARA]

Don't discredit my synergy!

[crackling]

♪

This is Alwing!

[rumbling]

[hissing]

Temperamental, but still

thanks, Ixa.

[GRAM] It let me unleash it

for the first time

in a long while

but it only fired one strike.

[hissing]

That armor served you well.

Your Zerobase

is certainly incredible.

Even if my strike

wasn't as powerful

as when I defeated

the Demon Lord.

I'm surprised Ixa's blow

wasn't enough to k*ll you.

I don't understand why I lost.

[footfall]

[metal clanging]

I'm not sure there's any point

in dwelling on that.

In my opinion,

a better question to ask

is why I won.

Curious reframing.

In that case,

why were you able to beat me?

[GRAM]

Years of experience, I suppose.

Your age doesn't

mitigate my power.

Agreed.

But I've been

at this for a while.

Five hundred years

spent on the b*ttlefield

can't be discredited.

After all this time, I still

have a bit of hero in me.

Don't you need to regroup

with your demonic colleague

to take on Lord Marcus?

[GRAM]

He'll be just fine without me.

Your man will lose.

No question.

♪

[KINOHARA]

Lord Marcus is strong.

Far stronger than me.

And besides, anyone

not equipped with a Familia

would be lucky to stand

a minute against him.

Your Demon couldn't even

beat me without my armor on.

-[Gram laughs]

-Ah?

Whatever could be so funny?

Up until now

you've struck me as clever

but you're making me

question myself.

You really believe he went

to challenge your boss

without a plan?

Then, you've greatly

underestimated him.

Maybe you're not

as clever as I first thought.

Don't question my intellect!

It's why I'm here!

Oh, of course.

You don't know

of his trump card.

Seems only I know that.

His trump card?

Would you care to clarify?

I doubt even Marcus

has the slightest clue.

If he did, he would surely

be cast into immediate despair.

Veltol is strong.

Trust me, for you know

my strength well at this point.

♪

Go on.

Just terminate me.

Terminate?

Corporate for k*ll.

♪

[GRAM] I fail to see any

real reason to take your life.

You're in pain.

You do not have the strength

to continue our battle.

You're no longer a threat.

You took me on

and you survived.

Your skill is clear.

If you had beat me,

I would've failed my task

of holding off reinforcements.

That's my only duty

on this quest.

[GRAM] Veltol will handle

the rest by himself.

So, you're done, too.

[gasps]

[GRAM]

Sanctuary!

[laser firing]

[gasps]

♪

[thudding]

♪

[gasps]

[sword clanking]

[GRAM]

Interesting.

Seems that spray

was aimed at both of us.

Oh, well

the Hero's job

is never truly done.

♪

Not when there's someone

who needs me!

♪

[choking]

[MARCUS]

That was fun,

but I've grown tired

of our little chat.

As soon as I toss you

into the Immortal Furnace,

your soul will begin

to be eaten away.

Be excited at this chance

to serve your neighbors.

[choking]

[MARCUS] I'm eager to see

how your soul will burn.

Perhaps it will glow

even brighter than the rest,

since you're an ignia.

♪

All other Immortals shall burn,

leaving me

as the only one left to rule

as this world's Demon Lord.

[gasping]

Join our brethren

in my growing fire.

[gasping]

[MACHINA]

Lord Veltol

a balanced diet

requires more than udon.

Please cook

at home on occasion.

And be sure

to regularly do laundry.

It's always worse

when it piles up.

So, avoid that at all costs.

Since your work is sedentary,

please don't forget to stand up

and do the stretches

I taught you every hour.

♪

Also

I should mention

♪

I love you, My Lord.

♪

[expl*si*n]

♪

[VELTOL]

You are far too quick

-to give up.

-[gasps]

'Tis a dreadful habit indeed.

♪

I took too long.

Forgive me.

[whimpering]

I came for you, Machina.

[MACHINA] "The Demon Lord's

Resurrection."