E3 - The Final Load Test

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SIGN    Saturday June 27, 2026  San Diego 9 Days before the attack on the Ocean Turtle
[00:14] ---
    Leave this to me!
[00:25] ---
    Time's up, huh?
[00:27] ---
    All teams, retreat.
[00:29] ---
    Move away from Grid 1-9.
[00:32] ---
    That would've been
    the last prey for today, right?
[00:35] ---
    You sure you want to end on a loss, Boss?
[00:39] ---
    Battling an irregular squadron like that
    won't do much good, training-wise.
[00:44] ---
    We wouldn't want any negative effects
    to carry over into the actual operation.
[00:48] ---
    Let's go.
[01:07] ---
    Mr. Miller. The men from the NSA have arrived.
[01:11] ---
    Send them in.
[01:13] ---
    Mr. Miller, we'd like to hire you,
    Glowgen Defense Systems, for a top secret mission.
[01:20] ---
    And the nature of the mission is?
[01:22] ---
    To seize the Soul Translation technology.
[01:25] ---
    What is that, exactly?
[01:28] ---
    It was developed
    by a Japanese company called Rath,
[01:30] ---
    and it's a machine
    that can decipher human souls.
[01:33] ---
    Souls?
[01:35] ---
    Decipher them?
[01:36] ---
    That's right.
[01:38] ---
    Using this Soul Translation technology,
[01:41] ---
    Rath has apparently succeeded in not only
    analyzing human souls, but in cloning them as well.
[01:47] ---
    Should this artificial soul,
    code-name ALICE, be fully developed,
[01:52] ---
    it could be installed
    into unmanned Japanese weapons,
[01:54] ---
    which could disrupt the balance
    of military power in East Asia.
[01:57] ---
    The U.S. needs to take control of that technology
    before that can happen.
[02:03] ---
    I see.
[02:05] ---
    So, tell me the specifics of this mission.
[02:08] ---
    There's a mega-float for research called the Ocean Turtle,
    moored near the Izu Islands.
[02:14] ---
    We'd like your people to break into it
[02:16] ---
    and obtain the Soul Translation technology.
[02:19] ---
    That will require a raid on a Japanese ship...
    one of our allies, you know.
[02:24] ---
    We've made arrangements
    with the JSDF top brass.
[02:27] ---
    Apparently, the JSDF isn't the monolith
    it appears to be.
[02:31] ---
    Use whatever methods you want.
[02:33] ---
    Just remember that the U.S. isn't involved
    in this mission in any way.
[02:41] ---
    Fine.
[02:43] ---
    I'll assemble the team,
    and lead it myself.
[02:50] ---
    ALICE, your soul will be so sweet.
SIGN    The Final Load Test
SIGN    Main Control Room Ocean Turtle  35 minutes after the attack
[04:36] ---
    Critter, you bastard... just try saying that again!
[04:39] ---
    I'll repeat it as many times as you want, Vassago.
[04:42] ---
    Listen up! This console is locked tighter
    than a pile of dried turds.
[04:47] ---
    I could crunch the numbers on the laptop we brought
    until you die of old age, and I'd still never crack it!
[04:54] ---
    You're missing the point,
    you damned four eyes!
[04:57] ---
    You said we got locked out
    because we took too long to break in!
[05:02] ---
    Hey, hey, all I did was point out a fact.
[05:05] ---
    For someone who hung back cowering
    during the battle, you sure are cocky!
[05:12] ---
    Okay, that's enough, you two.
[05:15] ---
    There's no time to point fingers at each other.
[05:18] ---
    We have to consider our next move now, all right?
[05:20] ---
    Yeah, but Bro,
[05:22] ---
    this guy needs to be put in his place.
[05:25] ---
    I'm satisfied with what
    this team's achieved till now.
[05:29] ---
    Our only casualty was Gary getting grazed.
[05:33] ---
    And we succeeded in taking over the control room,
    our primary objective.
[05:37] ---
    Yeah, but if we're locked out
    of the control system itself, what's the point?
[05:43] ---
    Our ultimate target, the Lightcube Cluster,
    is beyond that wall, right?
[05:48] ---
    That's why I'm saying
    we need to come up with a way to breach that wall.
[05:53] ---
    Still, those JSDF guys won't stay holed up forever.
[05:58] ---
    Once the real soldiers come charging in
    from this turtle's escort ship—
[06:03] ---
    I was told that the client
    and the JSDF have a certain deal in place.
[06:07] ---
    Apparently, the naval escort won't make a move
    for 24 hours after the operation's launched.
[06:13] ---
    So this operation's not just a burglary, then?
[06:18] ---
    All right. Now let's go over the current situation.
[06:21] ---
    It's currently 1447 hours, Japan Standard Time.
[06:25] ---
    Forty minutes have passed since we broke in.
[06:28] ---
    Right now, we're inside
    the Ocean Turtle's Main Control Room.
[06:32] ---
    Although we've successfully
    taken over our target facility,
[06:35] ---
    we failed to capture the Rath tech,
[06:37] ---
    and we've been locked out of the system here.
[06:40] ---
    Our next objective is to take over
    the Sub Control Room.
[06:44] ---
    Brigg, do you think
    you can cut through the bulkhead door?
[06:48] ---
    It doesn't look too promising.
[06:50] ---
    It's made of cutting-edge composite materials,
[06:53] ---
    and it would be impossible to cut through it
    within 24 hours using the portable saw we brought.
[06:59] ---
    Hans, what if we used C-4 to blow it open?
[07:03] ---
    I wouldn't recommend it.
[07:05] ---
    The chamber housing the Lightcube Cluster
    is just beyond that wall.
[07:10] ---
    If we blast open the door, there's no guarantee
    that the contents of that room would be left unscathed.
[07:16] ---
    The mission we've been tasked with
[07:18] ---
    is to find a single Lightcube out of a mountain of them,
    and extract it along with its interface.
[07:25] ---
    We already have the cube's unique ID.
[07:28] ---
    Come on,
[07:29] ---
    this scrawny Four Eyes has been giving us this crap
    about hacking into the Pentagon,
[07:35] ---
    and yet he can't even crack open
    a flimsy system lock.
[07:38] ---
    Whoa, what a shock.
[07:41] ---
    I just got told off by a gamer
    who's only fired a gun made of polygons!
[07:45] ---
    You bastard!
[07:51] ---
    Do you guys want to go back empty-handed,
    and get jeers instead of a bonus?
[07:59] ---
    Are you incompetent enough
    to be outdone by amateur techs?
[08:06] ---
    Then start thinking!
[08:07] ---
    Prove that those containers sitting on your necks
    are filled with something other than oatmeal!
[08:22] ---
    The pressure bulkhead leading to
    the Lightcube Cluster chamber can't be breached.
[08:26] ---
    Meaning that our only option
    is to control the system from here.
[08:30] ---
    How's it looking?
[08:31] ---
    No chance of logging in
    with administrator privileges.
[08:35] ---
    About all we can do is peek enviously at the fairyland
    where the Fluctlights live in such bliss.
[08:47] ---
    Goblins?
[08:48] ---
    Hey, you've done your homework, Captain!
[08:51] ---
    Yeah, but they seem kinda big for goblins.
[08:54] ---
    Those are Hobs. They're Hobgoblins, I bet.
[08:58] ---
    Critter.
[08:59] ---
    Yeah?
[09:01] ---
    Are these monsters
    part of the system?
[09:05] ---
    Doesn't look that way.
[09:07] ---
    These guys have artificial souls
    loaded into the Lightcube Cluster above.
[09:12] ---
    They have Fluctlights.
[09:14] ---
    Are you serious?
[09:16] ---
    These Hobgoblins have souls,
    the same as us?
[09:20] ---
    Do those Lightcubes
    all contain goblins and orcs like these?
[09:25] ---
    Is our Alice one, too?
[09:26] ---
    Of course not!
[09:28] ---
    This realm called the Underworld...
[09:31] ---
    is divided into the Human Empire,
    where normal humans live,
[09:34] ---
    and the Dark Territory that lies outside it,
    which is teeming with monsters.
[09:40] ---
    It's pretty much a given
    that Alice lives in the Human Empire,
[09:44] ---
    but since it's so gigantic,
[09:46] ---
    there's no way that we'll ever find her
    by just peeking in like this.
[09:49] ---
    Come on, that's a total no-brainer!
[09:52] ---
    If that's the case,
    all we have to do is dive into this Human Empire,
[09:55] ---
    and ask whoever we come across,
    "Hey, do you know a girl named Alice?"
[09:58] ---
    Wow, we have a dumbass here!
[10:00] ---
    What's that, bastard?
[10:02] ---
    Look, there are tens of thousands of people
    living in the Human Empire.
[10:07] ---
    You really think
    you can canvas them all on your... own?
[10:12] ---
    Wait. Hold on, hold on!
    Maybe it doesn't have to be done by one person.
[10:16] ---
    I see.
[10:17] ---
    The accounts set up
    to log into the Underworld...
[10:21] ---
    It's unlikely that they'd all be
    Level 1 ordinary citizens.
[10:25] ---
    Isn't that right, Critter?
[10:30] ---
    For the Rath operators to log in and observe,
    or else control it from inside,
[10:35] ---
    they must be set up with accounts
    of all ranks and professions.
[10:38] ---
    Hey! How cool is that?
[10:41] ---
    In other words, we should just log in
    as a general or president or some other big shot,
[10:45] ---
    and order them to smoke out Alice, right?
[10:49] ---
    I don't know, hearing you put it like that...
[10:51] ---
    makes this idea sound really stupid.
[10:55] ---
    Dammit, no good, huh?
[10:57] ---
    They have some hard-core protection
    on the high-level account logins as well.
[11:02] ---
    Looks like we can only dive into the Human Empire
    with an ordinary citizen's account.
[11:08] ---
    Damn, what a letdown!
[11:11] ---
    Critter, aren't there any high-level accounts
    set up outside the Human Empire?
[11:16] ---
    Outside it?
[11:17] ---
    But aren't the chances
    of Alice being there close to nil?
[11:22] ---
    Well, yes, I guess so.
[11:24] ---
    But it's not as if the borders
    are totally impenetrable, right?
[11:29] ---
    That's my bro! Thinking outside the box!
[11:32] ---
    In other words, you mean,
[11:34] ---
    go in as general of those monsters
    and attack, right?
[11:37] ---
    That would get me more fired up, for sure!
[11:41] ---
    A-ha, found it, found it!
[11:46] ---
    All right! No password!
[11:48] ---
    Well, well...
[11:50] ---
    First, here's someone with the rank of Dark Knight.
[11:54] ---
    His Object Control level is... 70!
    We can work with that!
[11:58] ---
    Hey, not bad!
[12:00] ---
    That one's mine, all right?
[12:03] ---
    Right, and here's another one...
[12:06] ---
    What's this?
[12:07] ---
    The ranking's blank, and there's no level, either.
[12:10] ---
    The only setting is its name.
[12:13] ---
    Now how do you pronounce this?
[12:15] ---
    Emperor... Vecta?
[12:19] ---
    Emperor... as in ruler?
[12:21] ---
    On second thought, I'll take that one—
[12:23] ---
    No.
[12:24] ---
    I'm taking that one for myself.
[12:27] ---
    I won't argue.
[12:29] ---
    Okay, so you can take on the role of Emperor,
    and I'll be the Dark Knight.
[12:33] ---
    Hey, I'm starting to get pumped up!
[12:36] ---
    Hey! Four eyes! Can we log in yet?
[12:40] ---
    What's wrong, Critter?
[12:41] ---
    Is there some other problem?
[12:44] ---
    Maybe it's just something that's bugging me,
[12:47] ---
    but I'm looking at the data,
    and this odd phrase keeps popping up.
[12:51] ---
    I'm not sure what it means yet.
[12:55] ---
    What kind of phrase?
[12:57] ---
    "Final load test."
[13:02] ---
    Um... let's see.
[13:04] ---
    As far as Kirito's condition
    in the real world is concerned,
SIGN    Sub Control Room  Ocean Turtle  37 minutes after the attack
[13:07] ---
    like I just explained,
    things aren't looking too optimistic.
[13:11] ---
    That said, Kirito still remains
    logged into the Underworld.
[13:16] ---
    In other words,
[13:18] ---
    even though his self-image has been damaged,
[13:20] ---
    his Fluctlight itself is still active,
    and is receptive to various stimuli.
[13:26] ---
    He's lost his own soul
    because he blamed himself so vehemently.
[13:31] ---
    If someone in the Underworld
    were to offer him forgiveness, then maybe...
[13:39] ---
    I'll go!
[13:42] ---
    Ms. Asuna?
[13:48] ---
    I'll go into the Underworld.
[13:53] ---
    I want to go there and tell Kirito...
[13:57] ---
    that he did a good job.
[13:59] ---
    To say, "I know you went through
    so much sadness and pain,
[14:03] ---
    but you did the best that you could."
[14:07] ---
    It's true that we have one more vacant STL.
[14:11] ---
    But the Underworld isn't exactly stable right now.
[14:17] ---
    Because we're about to enter the last stage
    of the scheduled final load test.
[14:22] ---
    Final... load?
[14:24] ---
    What's going to happen?
[14:25] ---
    The Durability of the Eastern Gate,
[14:28] ---
    which divides the Human Empire
    and the Dark Territory, will reach zero,
[14:31] ---
    and an army of monsters
    will flood the Human Empire.
[14:35] ---
    If the humans had sufficient defenses in place,
[14:38] ---
    they would've ultimately
    been able to drive them back.
[14:41] ---
    But during this last experiment,
[14:43] ---
    Kirito pretty much destroyed
    the ruling organization, the Axiom Church,
[14:48] ---
    so who knows what will happen?
[14:51] ---
    Either way, we may have reached the point
    where one of us will have to dive in.
[14:58] ---
    Once the invasion begins,
[14:59] ---
    it's possible that Alice, who's somewhere
    in the Human Empire, could be killed in the chaos.
[15:06] ---
    If someone can enter
    with a superuser account,
[15:09] ---
    transport Alice, under their protection,
    to the World End's Altar,
[15:14] ---
    and from there, eject Alice's Lightcube
    to the Sub Control Room.
[15:21] ---
    Isn't that what you asked Kirito to do as well?
[15:26] ---
    If he'd made it,
    then I'm sure he would've pulled it off.
[15:30] ---
    Because he was right by Alice at the time.
[15:33] ---
    You're saying that several months later
    in terms of internal time,
[15:36] ---
    it's highly likely that those two are still together?
[15:40] ---
    I think it's safe to assume that they are.
[15:43] ---
    Meaning that having Asuna dive in
    might be our best option.
[15:48] ---
    As well as the ability
    to communicate with Kirito,
[15:51] ---
    whoever goes will need combat ability
    to protect Alice in the Underworld, after all.
[15:56] ---
    Then we should have her use
    the highest account level possible.
[16:01] ---
    Well, the choices are endless, then.
[16:04] ---
    A knight, a general, a noble...
[16:07] ---
    There are all kinds
    of superuser accounts to choose from,
[16:10] ---
    Hey, hold on a second.
[16:12] ---
    What is it?
[16:13] ---
    Isn't there a chance that
    our attackers could come up with the same idea?
[16:18] ---
    Oh... yeah.
[16:21] ---
    True, they're just as likely
    to catch onto this method, as well.
[16:23] ---
    But they won't have time to crack the login passwords
    for any superuser accounts.
[16:29] ---
    Their only option would be
    a Level 1 ordinary citizen... that's it.
[16:34] ---
    What's wrong?
[16:36] ---
    Never mind, it's nothing.
SIGN    Everyone, I'm going to the Underworld, too. I'll be coming back with Kirito, no matter what, so don't worry.
[17:01] ---
    Are you ready?
[17:02] ---
    Yes.
[17:03] ---
    Anytime you're ready, please.
SIGN    Monday, July 6, 2026 4:56 PM  Somewhere in Tokyo
[18:23] ---
    Again... the guy from that day...
SIGN    You have a message from Asuna Yuuki
[18:28] ---
    Asuna?
SIGN    Yui
[18:29] ---
    Sinon, there's something
    that I'd like to explain to you all.
[18:33] ---
    Would you mind logging into AOL right away?
SIGN    Sylvain
[18:40] ---
    So you see, in order to repair Daddy's Fluctlight,
[18:45] ---
    Mommy has decided to dive into the Underworld.
[18:48] ---
    Big Brother...
[18:50] ---
    Kirito...
[18:51] ---
    Oh, he'll be fine!
    He's always come back, hasn't he?
[18:57] ---
    So, is the Ocean Turtle all right?
[19:01] ---
    Aren't they under attack by some sketchy guys?
[19:05] ---
    Isn't there something that we can do to help?
[19:10] ---
    Well, about that...
[19:12] ---
    We might need to call on you for help later on.
SIGN    Main Control Room  Ocean Turtle 2 hours and 53 minutes after the attack
[19:29] ---
    All right, let's do this!
SIGN    October 30, 380 HE  Dark Territory  Obsidia Palace
[19:59] ---
    Knight Lipia Zancale has returned.
SIGN    Dark Knight Eleventh Rank  Lipia Zancale
[20:03] ---
    Good work. You can have a seat.
[20:06] ---
    Yes, my lord.
[20:09] ---
    Don't call me "your lord"
    when it's just you and me.
SIGN    Dark Knight Commander  Vixur ul Shasta
[20:13] ---
    Right, but officially, I'm still on duty.
[20:19] ---
    So anyway...
[20:20] ---
    What's this grave incident
    that you had to send a familiar to alert me about?
[20:25] ---
    Right. The pontifex of the Human Empire's
    Axiom Church... is dead.
[20:34] ---
    That immortal being?
[20:36] ---
    Yes.
[20:37] ---
    I also found it hard to believe,
    so I spent a full week making sure it was true.
[20:48] ---
    This is our chance.
[20:50] ---
    Chance for what?
[20:51] ---
    Needless to say, for peace.
[20:54] ---
    Do you really believe that's possible, my lord?
[20:59] ---
    Whether it's possible or not,
    it's something we must do, no matter what.
[21:04] ---
    But...
[21:05] ---
    How do you intend
    to convince the other lords, my lord?
[21:10] ---
    And would the Order of the Integrity Knights
    even entertain peace negotiations?
[21:17] ---
    Regarding the Integrity Knights,
    I believe there's a chance.
[21:20] ---
    If the pontifex has been defeated,
    it must be old man Bercouli at the helm now.
[21:27] ---
    I can't stand the guy,
    but I can have a dialogue with him.
[21:30] ---
    It's the Council of Ten
    that could prove to be a problem.
[21:33] ---
    I know it sounds contradictory, but we...
[21:36] ---
    ...may be forced to eliminate them.
[21:39] ---
    Four of them, at least.
[21:41] ---
    Which four are you talking about?
[21:43] ---
    Would it be both Goblin chiefs,
    the Orc chief, as well as...
[21:49] ---
    The chancellor of the Dark Mages Guild.
[21:51] ---
    That woman's gotten her hands
    on Administrator's immortality secret,
[21:55] ---
    and is most likely desires
    to become emperor herself someday.
[21:59] ---
    No way would she accept any talk of peace.
[22:01] ---
    But...
[22:03] ---
    that would be far too risky, my lord!
[22:06] ---
    The leaders of the Goblins and Orcs
    may not be our enemies,
[22:09] ---
    but as for the Dark Mages,
[22:11] ---
    there's no telling what tricks
    they might have up their sleeves!
[22:22] ---
    Listen, Lipia.
[22:24] ---
    How long has it been
    since you came to me?
[22:28] ---
    Um... it was the year I turned 21,
    so... four years.
[22:33] ---
    It's been that long already, huh?
[22:36] ---
    Forgive me for putting you
    in such an ambiguous position for so long.
[22:41] ---
    What do you say?
    Isn't it about time you, uh...
[22:45] ---
    You know...
[22:48] ---
    Officially... became my wife?
[22:56] ---
    My lord!
[22:57] ---
    Sorry that I'm so much older than you...
[23:09] ---
    Emergency!
[23:11] ---
    It's an emergency!
[23:13] ---
    Th-The Throne Room!
[23:15] ---
    The chain sealing it is shaking!
[23:36] ---
    Next time: "Dark Territory."