Arknights (明日方舟)

...up... Wake up.

You've finally come to.

Thank goodness you woke up.

Can you talk?

Do you know who you are?

Do you remember your name?

Why are you carrying W's gun?

Hey, that belonged to our fallen comrade.

Put that down, will you?

Beastshit. Do that, and you can—

You've been waiting for me to turn my back.

Not a bad answer.

Very well. I'll let you join our squad.

Hold on, Hoederer!

According to the old ways, we'll give her a chance. Hold on, Hoederer!

According to the old ways, we'll give her a chance.

Now follow me, nameless Sarkaz.

You understand what it means to take up the weapons of the fallen, yes?

Of course.

Good.

From today on, you'll be—

"W".

What's that?

A bounty list.

Your name's here, too.

"W, the old one..."

"Taken care of."

"New one is a problem. 10 candies, maybe more."

The candy's a codeword for payout.

That's the kinda price they put on our heads, huh?

The bigger your name is, the bigger the price...

This war gives us worth, and it showed us a path of survival.

How sentimental.

You know this guy?

Yeah, sometimes you have to take out a familiar face.

That's what it means to have more candies on your head.

Hey, who's stronger? Me or the old one?

What?

Are you enjoying this? The war?

Yeah.

She's just like the old W.

That's quite the compliment.

The truth is she's doing pretty well.

But I'm not babysitting her.

You don't trust her?

There's nothing on her mind.

Not when she's lying, not when she's killing.

As a mercenary, she's—

Overqualified? As a mercenary, she's—

Overqualified?

If this is a big mission, all the more reason not to use her.

I'm working with the tools I've got. That's all.

Us mercs have no home to return to.

We have to do whatever it takes to stand out from the crowd and stake out our own position.

Maybe calm down a little. Your shadow is trembling.

That's just the campfire flickering.

All you Sarkaz are like this... always dodging the subject.

Alright, fine.

So? Who's our client?

I can't tell you.

Maybe you should try trusting your own team?

If you knew, you'd have to carry the responsibility.

Hoederer, If you knew, you'd have to carry the responsibility.

don't try to shoulder everything yourself.

In the end, we're all just mercenaries.

I'll keep that in mind.

I mean it. So?

The client's—

Babel.

The heck's this? A company?

Who knows.

I see. So he doesn't trust you either, huh?

Hmph. Trust, huh?

Just so you know, I've never trusted you either.

You're after the candies on Hoederer's head, aren't you?

Maybe.

His head's still attached though. Had a change of heart?

I wonder.

So there's something you want.

No, it might not be a thing.

Stop.

You're shook.

Turns out you're actually quite honest.

None of your business. Now leave me—

That's Babel's...

What a bunch of high rollers.

Most of the convoy are dummies. The main squad's not here, either.

So what? We're bait?

If that's how they use us.

Our mission's to guard the convoy!

We'll reach our destination in three days.

If you see anyone you can't identify, kill them on the spot! No need for warnings!

That's all. Return to your positions!

That's harsh.

Who's going to attack us?

You scared?

Not a chance.

I'll be operating separately.

You two, get your act together during the mission.

Ines, that's a breach of contract. Stop it.

The thing they're transporting...

That's a...

Ines.

How should I put it...

How are the comms?

No good. They're jammed.

Looks like we're the only ones who survived.

Well, thanks to that, it doesn't look like the enemy's reached the main convoy.

I guess that was the extent of their intel.

We need to regroup with Hoederer's squad.

Our enemies are not your average mercs. They're probably Kazdel's...

You were way overusing your Arts.

What does it matter?

With the way things are going, we're boned anyway.

Choose.

The main convoy's location or Hoederer's head.

Give me either of them, and I'll give you a perfect stage to shine.

Well, that's kind of you.

The more tools we have on hand, the better.

Tools?

You mean disposable goods?

No thanks!

Don't let them get away!

Ines!

How foolish. Finish her.

There's no need to stand on ceremony like that.

While you're on the landship, you aren't in Kazdel.

Your Highness...

Come, let's sit down and talk, Hoederer.

I feel bad for him.

There are only monsters in that room with him.

To think our clients are the ones at the very center of Kazdel's succession conflict...

Her Highness Theresa and her private organization.

So? We were carrying parts to their under-construction base and got ambushed by an opposing group?

What's with this place?

It's not a normal ship. I've never seen a structure like this before.

Hmm... The place looks like it's falling apart.

Well, it doesn't matter to... ugh... me.

Stop it.

Heh, I gotta at least look for an escape route.

You're awake. What a relief.

It's my fault that there were more casualties than anticipated.

I apologize.

But the operation was a success. You are an excellent mercenary.

We'll be counting on your help in the future.

For now, rest up and get better.

Now please excuse me.

Scary.

Come on! It'd save us lots of time if we'd just buy new doors!

But we have so many wounded. We don't have the manpower or budg—

Then give me three days! I'll reassemble the whole system!

Can you do it?

'Course I can! Hell, I will !

If we have no clue how to use it, we just have to replace it with something we can ! Easy peasy!

Well... I'll leave you to it then.

Roger that!

You were... W, right?

Your... Highness...

You may call me Theresa.

Your Highness... Theresa?

Um... Thanks for saving us.

I was so worried.

It's such a relief you came to.

Is the construction of the ship not going well?

No, that's not quite it.

You see, this ship was actually lying dormant underground.

We excavated all its parts and are working on repairing it.

Rhodes Island.

That's this vessel's name, hidden deep in the records.

I don't know what the Doctor and Kal'tsit will think of it,

but I want to call it by the name it already had.

People forget names all the time... There's no point.

You don't have a true name, do you?

It's pretty common for Sarkaz born in Kazdel—

I don't want to forget. Not you, not anyone.

No, I mustn't forget them.

In due course, when you no longer need to be "W",

you'll definitely want one.

A name belonging to you and no one else.

Until then, you can stay here as long as you want.

We will welcome you.

Um... Dr. Kal'tsit said it's dangerous to go in there...

I'll be leaving soon.

Okay! Be careful.

What about the other Sarkaz?

Apparently, she's found what she wants to do.

I see.

Mercenaries who seek to be free spirits always advocate for freedom and independence.

It's a shame.

You have done excellent work over the past few months.

Undoubtedly, that which you seek is what those Sarkaz warriors who lost their way yearn for.

It is a path you've chosen for yourself. You must walk it to the very end.

I hope that works out for you.

Hey, Scout.

Hm?

Where's Theresa?

Running after Her Highness again, are you?

Hm?

What's that?

A little camera I yoinked from the spies we caught.