May
My name is May.
Mercury and I are the hitmen for the Casa Dei Re.
We answer directly to the boss.
I'll give him your regards after we've finished dealing with you.
Mercury
Sigh
Why would you show yourself?
You were perfectly hidden…
If you hadn't come out of hiding, he would've thought that I was alone…
May
C'mon Mercury, he knew you weren't alone
Mercury
He suspected I wasn't alone.
You just outright confirmed it.
James
(Who is this guy?)
(Did he say they're hitmen for the Casa Dei Re!?)
(Does that mean…this whole time that people have been getting silenced, it was him!)
You…May, am I right?
May
?
Uh, we're kinda in the middle of something here
Can this wait?
James
Tell me…
What were Eve's last words?
May
Eh?
Who's that?
Why would I know some guy's last words?
James
He was saying "Please believe me…"
I thought that he was scared of me at first…
But now? I think the one he was trying to convince was you!
You were the one he was begging to spare his life for.
But you took it nonetheless.
And yet, you don't even have the decency to remember his final words?
Pleading, and begging for his life?
Zoom in on May
Just what kind of monster are you?
May
Snickers before erupting in laughter
Are you saying, you really expect me to remember everyone I kill?
At some point, all of it just blurs together
James
(W-what is this?)
(This cold indifference to life?)
(I don't think I ever met anyone like this…)
(Even Tom had some reservations about his murders…)
(But not this guy, no, he's different)
(He lost all empathy for humans, if he ever had it to begin with!)
May
Well, now that introductions are done, time to say goodbye!
Cetus!
James looks around himself, frantically searching for the Manifesto
James
(Where is it?!)
(There's gotta be some sign it's there!)
(Some sign of where it's attack is coming from!)
James notices the ground in front of him rippling
James
!!
(There!)
James jumps out of the way and hears a snap sound
May
Mercury!
How did he avoid Cetus!
Are you still using Cancer!?
Did you stop its effects!?
Mercury
No…
I haven't
(You must have figured it out on your own)
(Just because you can't see it, doesn't mean the Manifesto isn't still there)
James
(Just now! I definitely heard a snap!)
(Which means…)
(Lacerta must still be here!)
(And if I can't see it, then that means that May and Mercury can't see it either!)
(But how can I use this information to my advantage?)
(For now, I gotta keep looking out for the Manifesto in the ground!)
May
Whispers to Mercury
Are you sure he can't see anything?
Mercury
No, he's still within Cancer's range
The effects of the gas should still be attacking his senses, he can see as much as you.
May
If you say so…
Out loud
Ok then!
I guess that means I gotta get more aggressive!
Cetus!
Rip him to shreds!
James
(There, the floor is becoming wavy again, his Manifesto, Cetus he said, must be coming for me now!)
(I gotta keep my guard up!)
(W-wait…)
(Where did it go!?)
James looks around
(It was right in front of me!)
Mercury
(And he was doing so well…)
May
Gotcha you little punk!
James
What!?
James turns to the wall next to him… only to see the same water-like texture!
James
Son of a—
James falls to the ground
May
Well, another job done!
I wonder how much we'll get for this one?
This guy's been bothering the boss for a while now!
I bet the boss will be ecstatic once he hears the good news!
Hm?
Aren't you coming Mercury?
Mercury stands over James' body, tears swelling up in his eyes
Mercury
I'll meet you back there…
I just need a moment…
May stares at him and then shrugs
May
Then I guess I'll let you deal with the body
Do whatever you want with it
So long as it doesn't show up again, we're good
May turns his back on the two, and hears a cough…
James
Are you writing me off that quickly?
Give me a little more credit than that…
May turns around in surprise, James stands there, his killing intent more visible than ever before.
May
B-but, I could've sworn Cetus took a bite out of you!
James
I'm afraid not…
Maybe you'll be able to see now, but you made me realise something…
I realised that I couldn't see your manifesto, but it was still there, attacking me…
But that also meant, you couldn't see mine
The smoke clears from around James, revealing Lacerta's limbs and tail wrapped around James' body, protecting him
Mercury begins to cry…
Mercury
(Yes! Yes you did it!)
(I'm so proud!)
I thought I lost you!
James
What are you doing?
Though, I guess I should thank you for clearing your fog for me…
So that's your Manifesto
your Cancer emits a fog from in between the seams on its body, not letting other users see their Manifestos…
I guess that's why you always told me to not announce my attacks…
When paired up with your manifesto, any competent user could become a terrifying threat.
May
Y-you traitor!
The boss will hear about this!
You hear me!?
And once he finds out you betrayed him, he won't care if I kill you too!
And if I don't tell him, I can make it seem like you were an unfortunate casualty of the fight!
Yeah, yeah!
That's how I'll do it!
Cetus!
The Manifesto begins swimming though the ground like a shark in water, it scales boxes and walls, changing direction constantly
James
(It won't hold still!)
(I need a steady shot!)
(If I miss, then it's over!)
Mercury!
Can your Manifesto do anything to throw him off!?
Mercury
No, it can't!
Cancer is able to make Manifestos seem invisible, but because of how many missions May and I have done, he's already learned how to move Cetus without seeing it, so you'd only be putting us at a disadvantage.
James
Thought so…
(It makes sense, he's not normally used to seeing his Manifesto, so in that sense, he's the opposite of me!)
(His accuracy isn't affected by not being able to see, his Manifesto will chase us down, no matter what we try to do…)
(How can I stop i–)
Cetus jumps out, attempting to take a bite
James jumps out of the way
Cetus returns into the ground
James
!!
(That's it!)
(The minute it jumps out of the ground to attack, it can't change course!)
(So all I have to do is avoid being next to walls, but keep myself close enough for him to attack from there!)
(But there's still the matter of his accuracy…)
(Even though I can see it now, the calls are getting closer and closer…)
(I need to deal with that now.)
(I have to use Cancer, even if it limits my vision too…)
(So long as I keep Lacerta close to me…)
(And so long as he has to keep getting close to attack…)
(Even when blind, I can pull off a point blank shot!)
Mercury, I have a plan…
I need you to use Cancer again…
Make sure you hit both of us with the fog…
Mercury
What are you saying!?
You know that he has the advantage, even when blinded!
James
Just trust me!
Ok!?
Believe that I have a plan!
Please!