" ": You talking

' ': You thinking

* *: Narrator/Voice-off

Your POV:

Rishia: ... Japan... ?

"This is Japanese... This is the characters used in the world we came from...

Raphtalia: Your world's...

Rishia: The so called heroes' script ! Is, it is Lord Itsuki's message ?!

"I don't think so... It's way too ancient to be from them.

Naofumi: It has worn off in a few places, but... A message from the past heroes, the ones who sealed the spirit turtle... Can't you fix it with your Crazy Diamond ?

"It won't work... I can't fix a stone if parts of it already turned to dust..."

"No need for a spell to translate what is left of that, though... 'Summoned from Japan but this-If you're reading the,-would like you to remember-how rigid this barrier last-time-seven-broke-probably the reason we investigated was-for World's-if possible-meaning-won't break the seal. If there are sacrifices, then probably a return equal to the compensation but-don't-arrogance-end if there is-who can read these characters-rather than the world-human-as much as you can-defeat-to defeat this monster is-of eight-hero-from..."

"A warning... For the next heroes to come, to not release the seal."

Raphtalia: The seal shouldn't be released... Is it something that can be done so simply ?

Naofumi: I don't know. Bitch, or the other three heroes are the best at doing these kinds of things though.

Rishia: Wh- What do you mean by that ?! Don't speak bad of Lord Itsuki...

"For the world's sake... A sacrifice..."

Naofumi: That's what Fitoria said...

Rishia: Is there anything specific written about how to release the seal ?

"Seven... The seal will be broken by the 7th... Naofumi, this new display, the blue hourglass... ?"

Naofumi: It's the same... And speaking about numbers, near the end... Eight, and hero... Aren't there supposed to be only five heroes ?

"We already know that's not the case..."

Rishia: 8... If it's 7, there is a story called the seven star heroes...

Naofumi: Seven star ?

Rishia: They feel closer to us than the five heroes, or should I say more common... ? From what I've heard, rather than having given their consent when being summoned from another world and becoming heroes, anyone can become one of the seven star heroes if they're selected by the head of the seven clans.

Naofumi: ... I don't remember giving my consent when being summoned though.

"We know... But, weren't the four heroes the ones responsible for sealing the turtle ?"

Naofumi: ... Well, right now, even knowing there are even more heroes isn't all that surprising... Either, it's been a long time since I saw Japanese.

"For the world's sake... For life's sake... What could possibly the turtle's mission... ?

*BROOOOOOOOM*

"Okay, WHAT NOW ?!"

Raphtalia: THE CEILING IS CRUMBLING !!

Naofumi: IT'S DANGEROUS HERE, HURRY OUTSIDE !!

"What's the matter ?! What happened ?!"

Soldier: Falling rocks !! Looks like the rock face had become fragile...

Naofumi: Anyone injured ?! Call Filo and the others !

"You got that !!"

Mirellia: Is that so... In any case, it's good that you're okay. It must have been caused by the effects from when the turtle was moving.

"And to add on top of it, the path to the inside is probably buried somewhere now."

King: What about the other three heroes ?

"..."

Mirellia: I understand. We'll resume investigating the turtle depending on the situation. As for you, please prioritize searching for the three remaining heroes...

King: is it necessary to continue investigating the spirit turtle ? Why can't we just leave it alone...

Filo: Master, what's up ?

"More problems, as usual..."

Naofumi: Filo, do you think you could recognize the smell of the other three heroes ?

Filo: Hmm ? I think I can recognize it if they're close by...

"What's the plan ? Tracing the path of the turtle for clues ?"

Naofumi: Yes. After all, if they've correctly sealed it, no need to worry, they can come back by themselves. If not, then...

"I swear, these guys are as much as an annoyance, even when they aren't around..."

Naofumi: There's really nothing in the path that the turtle took... We might be able to get some information from the human settlements around here.

"Well, let's go there first, shall we ?"

Raphtalia: Naofumi !

Naofumi: Yeah. The surrounding villages were also miserable, but...

"The entire country of Reiki is that way... Filled with monsters and familiars... Speaking of."

Naofumi: Whoa... A chimera Zombie... ?

Raphtalia: I'll head out first ! Take care !

Rishia: HIIIII !!

"Just how many of these thing are there... Filo, time for a combined spell !"

Filo: Yes ! I'll use the one Mel told me about !! [WEATHER REPORT], Dreife tornado...

"[RED HOT CHILI PEPPER], lightning control..."

Both: LIGHTNING HURRICANE !!!

"HOW MANY OF THESE ARE THERE ?!!"

Naofumi: Looks like it couldn't reach the bats inside. Once more...

???: It is regretful, but the core hasn't been destroyed yet.

Naofumi: What ?! It's regenerating ?!

"Their movements have..."

???: Hurry. I can't hold it for long !!

"CROSSFIRE HURRICANE SPECIAL !!!"

"Phew. Everyone's alright ?"

???: As expected of you. The holy heroes.

Naofumi: ... We've met once before, right ?

"Oh, so that's the mysterious woman you were talking about."

???: So you did remember.

Naofumi: Frankly speaking, I had forgotten until now.

???: At this time, you haven't fulfilled that promise yet, so I've come to request the same thing yet again. Please, defeat me.

Filo: Master, that person...

"I've noticed. She's not a human."

???: Yes, you could say I'm just a part of it... I'm the spirit turtle's familiar (Human form)

All: THE SPIRIT TURTLE'S FAMILIAR ?!!

Ost: That response is also not unexpected. But I don't have the leeway to keep my identity hidden. Even though I know it's shameful, let me state it again. My body has been taken over and I cannot fulfill my duties. Please kill, this foolish "me".

"Taken over... ?"

Ost: the spirit turtle's original mission has been obstructed. Not only that, but the appropriate steps were not used to properly unseal it. My mission was to collect the "souls" and create a barrier to protect the world from the waves. It was not to cause suffering, like it is doing right now.

Eclair: To protect the world from the wave ?!

Raphtalia: The souls...?!

Eclair: You telling us to kill you is laudable. I'll kill you here just as you wish !

Naofumi: Calm down, Eclair. That's just a familiar, not its real body.

Eclair: It's the same thing, isn't it ?! It has taken the lives of many ! I cannot let it roam free !

Ost: It is as you say. From your perspective...

Eclair: This... Stu-

"That's enough. It can't be that simple."

Ost: If it would all be over with just killing me, a familiar, in place of taking its life then I'd gladly do it. My real body will probably not even fazed by that. If I could've done it myself then, I wouldn't have shown you such a shameful behavior. Someone has done something to my real body, and if it continues to destroy the world it is meant to protect, then there is no other way but to take its life.

"... What reason do we have to believe you ? Anyone could spit out that kind of nonsense."

Naofumi: And, let's just assume we believe you... What will you do for us in return ?

Ost: I'll provide assistance to subjugate the spirit turtle.

"And how do you defeat it ?"

Ost: ... I don't know.

Naofumi: Then it's not even worth considering.

Ost: I do not know much other than how to complete my mission. But, you should need my assistance right now. Now, when the spirit turtle has started moving once again...

"Wait, what ?!"

"Wow... Its... Way more sinister than it was before..."

Ost: It had strong regenerative powers from the beginning, but that is abnormal...

Filo: Master ! I can't follow it from here...

"I'll make a bridge..."

Ost: Please, leave it to me. Reverse gravity, suspend !

Filo: Waaaooh !

Ost: All I did was expand the range of one of my abilities to manipulate my body's gravity. We can now cross the valley.

Naofumi: Were the allied forces annihilated ?

"Thankfully, the main force has already moved on, but the ones remaining to scout the turtle... probably weren't even able to resist..."

Raphtalia: At this rate, the turtle will reach Melromarc.

Eclair: That's right, we need to do something...

Naofumi: Even if you say "Do something"... What about that trap, can you still activate it ?

"We aren't surrounded by mountains anymore, those plains make it quite tricky..."

Naofumi: And that means ?

"... I can still do it. I can't guarantee it'll effectively stop it though, but I can stall for time and slow it down, at least."

Rishia: Um.. If it's just to stop it, then... Decapitating it like before might...

Ost: If you just decapitate it, it'll just regenerate again. That won't solve the problem at hand.

"Beside, you say that like it's easy, we don't even know what did it the first time."

Filo: HYAA ! Close call !!

Ost: This isn't good ! That spine is probably-

Naofumi: Kuh... Is everyone alright ?!

"I'd like to know where is the true 'down' right now..."

Naofumi: What was that, it's like a missile...

Ost: Hurry... GET AWAY FROM THIS PLACE AT ONCE... OR WE'LL BE CAUGHT IN ITS ATTACK !!

Melty: Mother ! So this is where you were, mother !

Mirellia: What is it, Melty ? You've lost your composure...

Melty: By the East, a mysterious burst of light was sighted... And it has happened multiple times too...

Mirellia: If you lose your composure over this, the people will also feel insecure. So that the proclamation about the evacuation doesn't cause chaos, deploy the soldiers as well.

Mirellia: And with that, this place is no longer completely safe. In time, the spirit turtle will arrive here. Something should be done about that...

Mirellia: has the messenger not returned yet ? Then, send a new one. Tell them to reform the allied forces-

Mirellia: Iwatani sir ?!

Mirellia: I see... As I suspected, that light was from the spirit turtle... But what happened to Y/n ... ?

Naofumi: He... Stayed behind. he's trying to stop the turtle by himself right now.

Mirellia: So he's trying to reproduce that trap he came with the first time... I'm really glad that you all are safe.

Ost: Your majesty, it has been a while.

Mirellia: Why are you... Of all people here... ?!

Ost: I've met your majesty a few times before at the world summit.

Naofumi: You've met her ?!

Mirellia: She is one of the king of Hourai's concubines... I know it's rude in front of you to say this but, I don't have a good impression about you.

Ost: I play the role of an unpleasant woman after all... I took the name of Ost Hourai. To be taken by the king and to start meddling in affairs from the inside, and also to bring instability to the country so as to collect as many souls as possible, that was m duty.

Mirellia: To think that... ! So that was the turtle's goal...

Ost: Only when there were no other alternatives available the spirit turtle itself would go out and collect souls. As for me, the heroes would defeat me and then, if they wanted, I'd tell them how to unseal the spirit turtle. And with this, my duty would end. That was how it was supposed to be.

Naofumi: 'So that was supposed to be insurance in case the heroes messed up... But that is what's happening right now...'

Ost: For the spirit turtle to go berserk by itself is something that was not expected... Although it goes against my original duty, I'll provide my utmost assistance wherever possible.

Mirellia: ... ... Under normal circumstances, we'd never see eye to eye... But right now we share the same objective. I won't interfere right now. Let's keep the fact that you're the spirit turtle's familiar just among us, as it will affect the morale of our allied troops. Many people have lost their country or their relatives after all...

Naofumi: We don't have much time. First, we "Stop" that. My party will behead it and this time, for sure, enter and seal it, and all of that while Y/n still has it under control.

Mirellia: The shadows rapidly dispatched in the area has reported that the Staff hero is indeed still fighting and keeping it at bay. Although we do not know how long he will be able to keep going.

Naofumi: So we must act as quickly as possible. Our guide will be...

Ost: Please leave it to me.

Mirellia: The allied forces will deal with the familiars and provide magical support to the heroes' parties. Please do your utmost for the group magic that should be cast while sealing it.

Naofumi: The main problem is how to deal with the spine missiles and the beam like thing...

Mirellia: Given for how long the battle have been going, the Staff Hero must have found a way to counter them.

Ost: The thunder that it releases from its mouth is the Earth's power, more precisely, it is using the dragon vein's power. I think it probably cannot use it where the dragon vein is weak.

Naofumi: Even if that's the case, since Y/n is doing everything he can to maintain it in one place, making it go somewhere the dragon vein is weaker is most likely impossible...

Mirellia: Then we have no choice... The decisive battlefield has already been decided...

Raphtalia: Only us for the attack force, huh ?

Naofumi: That's right. If it's just you guys, it will be easier for me to protect you. The first step is to find Y/n, and only then we'll enter the turtle's body.

Naofumi: I have advised the allied forces to keep their distance from the spirit turtle.

Raphtalia: So you're going with your soul-eater shield this time.

Naofumi: Just to be safe. Isana's magic core shield is weak to thunder after all.

Rishia: Wi- Will we be okay with just us ?

Elrasla: Somebody has done this before, so it's not something that is completely impossible.

Eclair: That's right. Muster up your morale !

Naofumi: ... Filo ? Why'd you... Stop... ?

Filo: I... I can't go on anymore... There's no path...

Raphtalia: I don't remember there was a cliff here...

Naofumi: It's not a cliff... Looks like Y/n could successfully pull off his trap in the end. Filo, we'll let the carriage here and continue on foot.

Ost: Please be cautious. There's no telling it won't unleash its attacks at us.

Raphtalia: Those are... Iron pillars ?! How'd they appear all of a sudden ?!

Naofumi: That was the whole point of that trap... To create countless giants iron rods...

Rishia: Wh- What's that on the ground ?! ... B- BLOOD ?!!!

Raphtalia: What WAS that plan exactly ?! When he said it would get dirty...

*BROOOOOOOOOOMMMM*

Ost: It may be stopped, but the turtle's certainly not out of commission just yet...

Naofumi: We've got to find him, and quick !

*CRASH*

"Urg... That... Thing... I'm not done yet, dammit !!"

Naofumi: Or maybe we don't actually have to...

"Oh, you guys. Since you're here, I take it that..."

Naofumi: The allied forces are right behind us, they're maintaining a distance.

"Good to hear. Things also went as expected on my si- OOF !!

Filo: Master !!!

"Y- Yes, Filo, I'm happy to see you too."

Ost: have you halted the spirit turtle's progression ?

"It wasn't easy, but I managed to. Right now, it is, quite literally, nailed to the ground. Even if all of those beams gave me quite the challenge. Be careful, it's immobilized right now, but certainly hasn't calmed down one bit."

Ost: After all, it all starts now...