20 Across the Ruined Sea
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20 Across the Ruined Sea
A Purifying Force team, led by Vice-Captain Chiko, makes their way through an underwater facility named Copperfield Aquarium. They are investigating a Red Tide-worshipping cult called “Scarlet Revelation” whom the Ascendants tricked into delving further into the aquarium. As the team descends into the facility, they fall into the trap the Ascendants laid out for them.
Days later, the Commandant, Lucia, Bianca, and the rest of the Purifying Force arrive at the aquarium to search for Scarlet Revelation and Chiko's missing team. Bianca has transferred to her new Stigmata frame for the mission. The frame links to the "Phantom Tracer," a lantern-shaped device that allows the user to read past data stored in the Punishing Virus nearby. The Commandant advises Bianca to use the device sparingly because it can cause M.I.N.D. deviation.
As the team continues through the aquarium, they find several survivors from the cult. Bianca receives a call from Vesalius, a Kurono researcher tracking Stigmata’s progress on its first mission. She gives Bianca advice on what the frame needs to maximize its effectiveness. Vesalius’ words result in an argument between her and the Commandant: the former claims that the Constructs are the next evolution of humanity, but the latter believes that they are still human and should cherish their past.
When the call ends, the team enters the hub area of the aquarium. Bianca uses the Tracer to replay the steps of Scarlet Revelation and Chiko’s team. It reveals that one of the latter’s members became corrupted and consumed his teammates.
Bianca reports to Nikola, Asimov, and Hassen that the lowest levels of Copperfield Aquarium pool with Red Tide. Asimov comments that if the Red Tide escapes the aquarium, the Punishing Virus will contaminate the ocean in two months. Hassen mobilizes the teams to transport the Omega Weapons. Bianca and the Commandant prepare to enter the third level of the aquarium while Lucia and the rest of the Purifying Force guard the cult’s survivors.
The aquarium begins to collapse. The halls flood as Bianca and the Commandant retreat beyond the floodgate. Lucia informs the Commandant that she is facing a similar situation with Hetero-Creatures and the Red Tide overtaking her position. Grace, the leader of Scarlet Revelation, sends a distress signal, requesting the team rescue the cult members trapped within the aquarium’s control room. Bianca agrees, and the Commandant reports the change of situation to Lucia.
After the team escorts the survivors to safety, the Red Tide drowns the halls completely. Bianca runs towards the exit, but the tide swallows her.
She wakes up and sees a massive, twisted Hetero-Creature. It caresses Bianca’s cheeks and takes her away from the danger. Bianca realizes that the creature bears a striking resemblance to Chiko.
In the aftermath, Hassen relays the result of the mission to Babylonia’s parliament. General Wells argues that they must deploy as many Omega Weapons as possible to stop the virus from escaping the aquarium. Other councilmen reject the decision, believing it would leave the moon base defenseless. Wells insists that it is necessary to use all of the Omega Weapons at their disposal to decrease the casualty rate on the surface.
The Commandant, who returned to the surface with the rest of their team, comes up with an idea to convince the parliament. Lucia, the Commandant, and every Construct on the surface record a video demonstrating their willingness to fight the upcoming threat. Upon reviewing the video, a scout team on the moon reports that the base is safe from the threat of the virus. With the consent of both the surface and the moon base, Nikola orders the operation on the surface to commence.
Bianca floats in the ocean as the aquarium sinks to the bottom of the sea. She reminisces on her jaded history with the members of the Purifying Force. Her subordinates called her derogatory names because of her decisions, such as “fence sitter” and “witch.”
The Phantom Tracer activates, reading data from the surrounding Red Tide and showing Bianca the visions from potential futures. She first sees the Punishing Virus defeat humanity and bring about the “Eternal Winter.” She then hears the wishes of those the Red Tide consumed, including that of Chiko. Her monstrous form asks Bianca to kill her. Bianca accepts.
On the surface, the Purifying Force, Lucia, and the Commandant defend the coastline from the Hetero-Creatures. Lucia contacts Cerberus, who is en route with the Omega Weapons. Soon after, Strike Hawk joins them in battle. Wanshi notices a massive, pale creature hovering above the sea. The teams place and defend the Omega Weapons. As a storm picks up, Liv and Lee arrive in time to help install more Omega Weapons along the coast. Nikola had permitted them to join the operation, mobilizing multiple squads to help. Karenina and Teddy bring a truck full of Omega Weapons. Rosetta and the ARU start to aid in the fight.
The battle rages on, and the Omega Weapons start failing against the number of Hetero-Creatures. Dark Aries evacuates the remaining refugees of Scarlet Revelation. In a surprising turn of events, Grace and her followers march onto the battlefield to offer their help.
A badly injured Vanessa watches the conflict unfold from a distance. She ushers Bambinata to meet up with the teams on the front lines before a Hetero-Creature attacks them. Teasell saves them and goes to leave, but Vanessa stops him. She takes a picture of Egret with Liv in the background. Teasell declares they will be enemies the next time they meet.
Bianca finally wakes up inside the sunken aquarium, her frame intact. She uses the Phantom Tracer to reveal the conclusion of the confrontation between Lithos and Chiko. After a fierce conflict, the Hetero-Creatures wipe out Chiko’s team. Lithos forces Chiko into a fetus-like structure composed of the remains of the Female Twin. She fuses with it to become the Hetero-Humanoid.
Bianca returns to reality and wears Chiko’s earrings as her own, accepting the “witch” persona. She fights her way through the aquarium to reach the exit.
In the DeLorean-Discovery spaceship, the future version of Nanami sees one of the potential timelines where Chiko kills Bianca, who turned into a “witch” after wielding a weapon made of the Virus. Although humanity averted this tragedy, Nanami observes yet another threat: crimson lights engulf Babylonia, and Lee points his gun at a human as he bids them farewell. Bianca’s Phantom Tracer, the high concentration of the Virus around her, and Chiko’s presence create an opportunity for Nanami to help her friends. Using the Punishing Virus’ four-dimensional property, she transmits information to the past that will help humanity in the upcoming trial.
Bianca exits the ocean as she meets the mainline defense team. Lithos begins his assault on the defense line, but she stops him and forces him back, fatally stabbing him in the chest. He slides off her sword, falling into the ocean. Several Corrupted sweep up the body and take it away. Bianca reveals to the Commandant that Vonnegut used Chiko to complete his experiment. The Commandant realizes that the massive monster that resembles Chiko is buying time for them by devouring the Hetero-Creatures.
Bianca approaches the Hetero-Humanoid using her new CUB, lunges into the air, and deals the final blow. She absorbs the remaining virus fragments into the Tracer.
After the battle, the Commandant and Bianca share a brief moment of respite as she shows them the Hetero-Shard the Tracer absorbed from Chiko. Back in Babylonia, Bianca reverts to her Veritas frame since Asimov fixed its M.I.N.D. deviation problem. He examines the Hetero-Shard Bianca recovered but cannot decipher the message within.
Elsewhere in Babylonia, Noan encounters Rosa. She shows him Lithos’ hairpin and asks if he knows anything about it. Noan denies his involvement with Lithos but offers to draw a picture of him. Meanwhile, Vanessa sits patiently in the Star of Life, reflecting on her final moments with Teasell to herself.
The Commandant, Simon, Bambinata, and Harley Jo visit Vanessa. The four commandants reminisce about their time at F.O.S. Later the Commandant bumps into Bianca with the Purifying Force in tow. Having mended their relationship since the conflict, they welcome the Commandant.
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