The Final Check-up/Floor 1
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For the first part of the story, see Intervallo V: LCB Regular Check-up/Story Episodes.
7.5-14: The Final Check-up - Part 1
Played before entering Story Dungeon 7.5-14.
| Speaker | Dialogue | |
|---|---|---|
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Hohenheim |
We are almost done with the regular check-up. |
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Hohenheim |
Finally, we have a chance for you to overcome an adversity based on what you have learned thus far… |
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Hohenheim |
… and for me to prove my hypothesis. |
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DANTE |
<What hypothesis is he talking about?> |
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Hohenheim |
No need to worry. My hypotheses have never been wrong. Most of the time. |
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Hohenheim |
This experiment is entirely of my own design and supervision. |
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Hohenheim |
And I will faithfully follow my own pure curiosities and instincts as a researcher. |
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RODION |
Guys, I have a feeling we’re not gonna like where this goes… |
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Hohenheim |
Now, do you see this Monolith here? |
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ISHMAEL |
Yep, I do. That’s a Monolith alright. But… |
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Hohenheim |
Ah, don’t you worry. My researchers will be the ones to activate the artifact. |
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GREGOR |
A-activate the artifact? |
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Hohenheim |
Not on you, relax. |
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Hohenheim |
I understand that none of you would be willing participants to this experiment. |
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ISHMAEL |
I swear, if you’re going to force us to distort saying that we have no right to refuse or something, I’m gonna… |
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HEATHCLIFF |
Yeah, hang on. I can’t let you do that, even as your assistant. |
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OUTIS |
Yes. But, if you must, we are willing to send the weakest Sinner among us for— |
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DANTE |
<…….> |
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OUTIS |
Um, forget I said that. That was foolish of me to say. |
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Hohenheim |
I will be the subject of the experiment myself. |
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OUTIS |
You’re going to… distort yourself? Am I hearing you right? |
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Hohenheim |
Aren’t you curious to see what kind of Distortion you’d end up becoming? I’m sure this is a question you have all entertained at least once. |
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HEATHCLIFF |
No. I ain’t curious. It ain’t a very pleasant experience, either. |
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Hohenheim |
Stop gritting your teeth like that, assistant. It will have an adverse effect on your long-term dental health. |
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ISHMAEL |
… What if you just end up turning into a Peccatulum? |
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ISHMAEL |
You could end up becoming a Peccatulum, just another one of the fodder we slaughtered our way through for the ‘tests’ earlier. You’re risking that? |
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Hohenheim |
It is indeed a possibility. |
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Hohenheim |
It would signify nothing more than my very own limitations. |
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Hohenheim |
Just a mediocre shell. |
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Hohenheim |
If such an incident comes to pass, these employees will transport me to a containment unit. We even made a bet on what kind of Peccatulum I would turn into. |
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Marton |
He bet on Gulae, I on Invidiae, and her on Pigritiae. |
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SINCLAIR |
But how could you… |
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Hohenheim |
Think about it like this. If I were to become a Peccatula, it would be akin to… losing at a game of chance. |
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Hohenheim |
Of course, what counts as a 'loss' may depend on what I, at that precise time, consider to be losing. But, the mere fact of turning into a Peccatulum… |
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Hohenheim |
… reaves me of any value to life. |
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Hohenheim |
The company would most likely attempt to transport me to a containment unit, but I disagree with that decision. I would like to ask you to dispose of me on the spot. |
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Hohenheim |
I am well aware that I’m not the kind of congenial person who earns others’ favor at first meeting, if at all. I also don't believe that our brief relationship has been the most amicable kind. Therefore, I see little reason why you would hesitate to cut me down. |
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Hohenheim |
Of course, Sinners with gentle hearts like this young Sinclair here may express certain distaste against this decision… |
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Hohenheim |
… but once I become a Peccatulum, it may as well mean that Hohenheim, the entity, has ceased to be. So I hope no unnecessary emotions like guilt clouds your judgment in killing the Peccatulum, a mere byproduct. |
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FAUST |
……. |
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ISHMAEL |
But… what if something unexpected happens? |
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ISHMAEL |
We’re talking about your life here. Don’t you have any manuals with backup plans or… |
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Hohenheim |
This is a very simple matter. Nothing more than a coin flip. Heads, or tails. |
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FAUST |
It appears that you are still insisting on your absurd 50:50 theory. |
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Hohenheim |
I am a researcher who wishes to humiliate the field of mathematical statistics, unlike the general lay of the academia. |
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Hohenheim |
I believe there is a certain romanticism to research. It is much more exciting to run as many tests and gain as many samples as we can than to be stuck behind a desk, poring day and night over books and paper, isn't it? |
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Hohenheim |
If it’s tails, then you may dispose of me immediately, and the employees here will take care of the rest. Don’t forget to destroy the key inside that coat pocket and the files inside my cabinets, for example… |
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Alyssa |
Yes, we remember. |
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Hohenheim |
If I were to successfully Distort, we would be halfway to success. |
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Hohenheim |
My, for the first time, I am feeling quite the envy for you all. I wish I could be a witness to my very own Distortion… |
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ISHMAEL |
Huh… |
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Hohenheim |
If you’ve been paying attention to my lectures, perhaps you could even come up with a classification code for my Distortion too, going by the standards we have discussed earlier. |
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Hohenheim |
Not that I have a very high expectation that you would. I’ve recently come to a realization that people nodding along to my words is not a signifier of comprehension, but instead an expression of societal niceties. |
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Marton |
…. Nods. |
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Hohenheim |
Then, the manager here will open the entrance to my Dungeon of the Fathoms… |
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Hohenheim |
… and you will progress through the Mirror Dungeon, as you have always done when facing a Distortion, to reach into its deepest fathoms to face my Distortion once again. |
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Hohenheim |
I wish you the best of luck in your suppression efforts. |
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RYŌSHŪ |
Hm. Hexasection. |
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Hohenheim |
And once you’ve made it that far, it is likely that you will find me unconscious. Or, if luck would have it, conscious. |
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GREGOR |
Unconscious? Are you sure this is safe? |
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Hohenheim |
A degree of case-by-case variance is to be expected. It may take some time for a full recovery, but it will happen, should you succeed. |
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Marton |
That reminds me, that’s how this ‘Bamboo-hatted Kim’ was brought back as well. |
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OUTIS |
Bamboo-hatted Kim… He’s recovered? |
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Alyssa |
He is safely contained within our facilities. |
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Hohenheim |
Ah, it seems that they are ready to activate the Monolith. |
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Hohenheim |
I am confident that I, even as a Distortion, will be quite the exceptional specimen. |
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HEATHCLIFF |
Hang on, just like that? |
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HONG LU |
You’re not a Peccatulum. |
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Distorted Hohenheim |
Indeed… and I… |
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Distorted Hohenheim |
… I can still hear them… |
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Distorted Hohenheim |
Yes, I… remember. I still do. |
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Marton |
I know he’ll be back, but… Gosh, this is pretty unnerving. |
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DANTE |
<…Don’t worry. We’ll bring him back, no matter what.> |
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FAUST |
The manager says that ‘we will bring him back, no matter what’. |
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Alyssa |
Sure sounds like a dependable sort, this manager of yours. Very well. Please, take a look at this. |
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DANTE |
<Is this… a note? Did he write us tips on how to do this, or something?> |
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Alyssa |
He says that all you have to do is read what's on that note in front of his Distortion. Apparently it's some kind of… a code. |
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DANTE |
<I don't think he'll hear anything but ticking noises from me… Can you read this, Meursault?> |
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MEURSAULT |
It will be done as you commanded. |
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MEURSAULT |
Lobotomy Corporation. Five Minutes. Potentiality. Anticipation. Right-hand. |
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Distorted Hohenheim |
I suppose I’ll be forced to share my past here. The past I never wanted to share, the past no one cares to learn about. |
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Distorted Hohenheim |
It is something I must endure for the sake of this experiment. However… |
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7.5-14: A Researcher's Fathoms - Part 2
Played Pre-battle on entering the first Combat Node of Story Dungeon 7.5-14.
Pre-battle
| Speaker | Dialogue | |
|---|---|---|
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??? |
……. |
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DANTE |
<What’s going on with them…?> |
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GREGOR |
This is…? |
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YI SANG |
It appears that we… have a passing familiarity with this place… |
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??? |
[Buzzing noise.] You… us… |
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YI SANG |
What is it that they seek to convey? |
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HEATHCLIFF |
Well, then do somethin’ about it! |
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ISHMAEL |
You… used to work for the Lobotomy Corporation…? |
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??? |
… Us… us… |
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DANTE |
<It can't be helped. Let's get ready for a fight…> |
7.5-14: A Researcher's Fathoms - Parts 3/4
Played Pre- and Post-battle on entering the second Combat Node of Story Dungeon 7.5-14.
Pre-battle
| Speaker | Dialogue | |
|---|---|---|
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RODION |
So, how do we know this guy’s actually Distorted? |
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RODION |
He doesn’t sound any different from his usual self… |
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FAUST |
The sanity degradation due to Distortion affects every subject differently. |
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GREGOR |
I mean, yeah, but… censoring his own Fathoms…? |
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HONG LU |
But… Hohenheim, you’re in a Dungeon of the Fathoms. |
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HONG LU |
We will see through it with Dante’s powers, whether you want to show us or not. |
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ISHMAEL |
… This guy’s just telling the story however he wants to, isn’t he? |
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??? |
…eim. |
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??? |
Mr. Hohenheim. |
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??? |
Ey, I wanted to talk to you about something. |
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Hohenheim |
Stop. Are you here to express your displeasure with me? |
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??? |
The what now? |
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Hohenheim |
If you are, do let me know from the get-go. I had a feeling it was about time this would happen. 3 months—not a bad record for working without a workplace conflict. |
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Hohenheim |
Oh, if this is about quitting, then you would find a much better audience among the Human Resources team. |
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??? |
No, I mean… |
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??? |
I’m just here to thank ya. |
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??? |
For picking me, some dude from the Backstreets, to work here. I heard it was you who made the hiring decision. |
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??? |
I dunno how to put this, but—you’re the only one who saw my, what's the word… yeah, my potentiality. You saw something that no one’s cared to look into before, know what I mean? |
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Hohenheim |
… Your greetings are acknowledged, Jimmy. Now, feel free to leave my office. |
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??? |
I ain't Jimmy. |
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??? |
Anyways, I’ve been meaning to ask, Mr. Hohenheim… why do ya always enjoy being alone? |
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Hohenheim |
It may come as a surprise to you, but I am very adept at spending my time all on my own. It is one of the hundreds of distinguishing features that set me apart from ordinary men. |
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??? |
Say, don’tcha need someone to be like, your loyal right-hand man? |
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Hohenheim |
My right hand is doing just fine, thank you very much. |
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??? |
Do you believe in potentialities, Hohenheim? |
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??? |
Thanks to you, I do. And I’ve been thinkin’… if I keep at it, one day I might even find myself living it large in a Nest. Changing’ my world little by little. |
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??? |
Kinda like how a thing like me managed to snag a position here at Lobotomy Corporation. |
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??? |
So, I’m thinkin’ here… that I wanna stick around in your circle. |
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Hohenheim |
To bring about such drastic changes to one's life is in the realm of feasibility for an exceptional researcher like myself, indeed. But you are, like most of the rabble, painfully average in most qualities and therefore unlikely to be the moving force in that change. |
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Hohenheim |
I have no faith in universal things like ‘potentialities’; I have faith in myself and myself alone. Besides, I am not very partial to mathematical statistics like the probability theory anyway. |
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Hohenheim |
So, I would like to keep both my right and left hands as my own. Have a nice day. |
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??? |
… Wanna know something about me? |
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??? |
I’m the kind of guy who doesn’t really ‘think’ about things. Action before deliberation, ya get me? |
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Hohenheim |
Ah, thoughtless and carefree. Possibly the only merit to be found in those who originate from the Backstreets. |
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Hohenheim |
… Or was that a thinly veiled threat of physical assault? |
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??? |
No, I’m talkin’ about the new Abno that just got shipped here. |
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??? |
It's a tricky one to manage, I'll tell ya what. It reads your mind, screwin' up all kinds of strategies or whatever as long as it's based on hard logic. |
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Hohenheim |
……. |
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??? |
Wanna shoot for the Department of the Year award… together? |
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Hohenheim |
… You seem to be rather skilled in the art of transactions. |
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??? |
One of the few merits found in those who originate from the Backstreets. |
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??? |
… You… …le… |
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??? |
… us… |
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Post-battle
| Speaker | Dialogue | |
|---|---|---|
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??? |
It's finally here, the Department of the Year award. |
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Hohenheim |
Indeed, I have finally done it. |
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??? |
……. |
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Hohenheim |
With some minor assistance from you, of course. And… some other employees… |
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??? |
C’mon. Admit it. Don’t ya notice that a lot more employees are saying hello, good morning, and what have you to you in the hallways compared to when your reputation was a bit… y’know? It’s all because I’m just that good of a right-hand man. |
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Hohenheim |
I… will admit that your intuitive and spontaneous eye was of… some assistance when it came to identifying certain observations among Abnormalities. |
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??? |
This is the ‘potentiality’ I was talking about, man! |
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??? |
The same thing you saw in me when you decided to get me on board. |
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??? |
You… …ft us… |
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??? |
You… …left… us… |
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??? |
You… left us… behind… |
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DANTE |
<…!> |
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YI SANG |
The fall of the former L Corp… |
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GREGOR |
… I remember what Miss Yuri told us. |
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GREGOR |
The site crumbled in an instant, trapping the employees in there with the Abnormalities… |
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??? |
What… what is this sound? |
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Hohenheim |
I… |
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??? |
The whole structure is quaking. What the hell is… |
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Announcement |
[INITIATING SITE BURIAL IN 100 SECONDS.] |
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Announcement |
[ANY REMAINING EMPLOYEES MUST IMMEDIATELY EVACUATE THE STRUCTURE.] |
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Announcement |
[COUNTING DOWN. 95… 94…] |
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??? |
The escape pods to the surface are here, but there’s only one seat left. They're saying that the next one's in… five minutes. |
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Hohenheim |
I-I… |
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Hohenheim |
Listen closely. |
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Hohenheim |
At the risk of sounding rather callous, I must inform you that the chance of survival in cases of crises such as this is usually granted only to a very small minority of those affected. |
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Hohenheim |
Some, who prioritize the fairness of the process may settle on primitive methods such as drawing lots to see who gets to escape… |
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Hohenheim |
And in more barbaric groups, the survivor would be decided by none other than the rule of might. |
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Hohenheim |
However, I am glad to find myself among those who are on the side of intelligence. So I make this argument, a suggestion before you. |
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Hohenheim |
Compare yourselves, whose sole, final purpose in life is clinging to your mediocre office jobs and making good on your debt payments… |
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Hohenheim |
… and me, who has produced several groundbreaking, epochal theses and research results at such an early age. |
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Hohenheim |
Whose life, in your eyes, is of greater worth? |
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ISHMAEL |
How… how could you…? Without even a hint of remorse…? |
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DANTE |
<But… just finding and defeating his Distortion in a fight…> |
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DANTE |
<… I don’t think that’ll bring him back. I just know it.> |
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ISHMAEL |
I… agree. |
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ISHMAEL |
We're still in deep waters here… this can't possibly be all there is to it. |
7.5-14: A Researcher's Fathoms - Parts 5/6
Played Pre- and Post-battle on entering the Boss Node of Story Dungeon 7.5-14.
Pre-battle
| Speaker | Dialogue | |
|---|---|---|
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Distorted Hohenheim |
This may be my final order to you. |
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Distorted Hohenheim |
Either suppress me and return safe and sound to where you came from, or… fail the suppression, place me in a containment unit, and perhaps we can observe what happens next. |
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DANTE |
<…….> |
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HEATHCLIFF |
Hohenheim, you… |
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HEATHCLIFF |
Do you still believe in that potentiality? |
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Distorted Hohenheim |
……. |
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HEATHCLIFF |
I do. |
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HEATHCLIFF |
It’s what keeps me going. |
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HEATHCLIFF |
You only hire researchers from the Backstreets, don’t you? I heard from ‘em earlier. |
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HEATHCLIFF |
They told me that you’re a right pompous bloke, but… thanks to you, they can continue to research and believe that there might be things in the world that's worth working toward. |
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Distorted Hohenheim |
……. |
Post-battle
| Speaker | Dialogue | |
|---|---|---|
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??? |
The escape pods to the surface are here, but there’s only one seat left. They're saying that the next one's in… five minutes. |
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Hohenheim |
I-I… |
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??? |
Look, I don’t actually believe you hired me because you saw my potential or something like that. |
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??? |
But I want to believe that you found the hope in potentialities because of me. |
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??? |
A hope, an anticipation that we can make things better as long as we keep at it. |
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Hohenheim |
I can't leave you all behind… I can't just save my skin without… Not without… everyone. |
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??? |
This is what a right-hand man does, isn't it? |
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??? |
Take my potentiality you found and rise. Take it with you to the surface. |
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Hohenheim |
But you, Johann… what about you…? |
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Johann |
Well, maybe next time… some other time. |
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Distorted Hohenheim |
Wrath… is a hideous emotion. |
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Distorted Hohenheim |
That is why I did nothing at the entrance of that branch. |
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Distorted Hohenheim |
Only… |
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Distorted Hohenheim |
… remembering, nothing more. |
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Distorted Hohenheim |
Remembering the ones I’ve left behind. |
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Hohenheim |
Ah, I've returned, safe and sound. |
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Marton |
Welcome back, boss. |
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Hohenheim |
……. |
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Hohenheim |
I… to be frank, I once wished to be someone like yourself, Heathcliff. |
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ISHMAEL |
What are you talking about? We don’t want Heathcliff to be like Heathcliff. |
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Hohenheim |
Because it’s not easy to put my faith not in games of numbers, but in those slimmest potentialities of the world and continue to exist. |
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Hohenheim |
I know it’s not very befitting a researcher to be so, but… it is quite the romantic attitude for a human to embody, is it not? |
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Hohenheim |
Well, the experiment is over. It was… |
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RODION |
A huge success, all thanks to us. Right? |
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Hohenheim |
No. It was a failure. |
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Hohenheim |
I had established this hypothesis that the sole answer was to hold a firm belief in the self, and nothing else. |
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Hohenheim |
Had my hypothesis been correct, I… would have remained a Distortion. |
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Hohenheim |
Thus I would like to extend my gratitude to all of you. Thank you for making me fail. |
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FAUST |
……. |
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Hohenheim |
It seems that the classification for my Distortion was HE-5-SU. |
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Hohenheim |
Disappointingly mediocre, but I don’t suppose it can be helped. |
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Hohenheim |
The world is a place where we must find the ray of potentiality among the mediocre, after all. |
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FAUST |
… Let us move on now. Mephistopheles is prepared to depart. |
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SINCLAIR |
We'll… meet again, right? |
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ISHMAEL |
Ew, no thank you. |
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Hohenheim |
Everything has an end. So, do consider this to be our final meeting. |
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GREGOR |
Down to the last exchange, this guy… |