We are back to these special chapters.
Once again, you did not skip anything; we are back in Arc VII and will return to the start of Arc III in the next chapter.
Now, I would again like to ensure readers this essential message:
You. Do. Not. Need. To. Know. Anything. About Etrian Odyssey to understand this story.
Let me repeat that.
You. Do. Not. Need. To. Know. Anything. About Etrian Odyssey to understand this story.
Everything will be explained in due time, including how and why this works. If you break this particular cryptogram, you should be able to figure out what has happened up to this point and how and why this is happening.
Trust me, I know what I'm doing with these chapters.
My Hero Academia Untold: The Knights of Fafnir
Saga I: Dusk
Arc VII: The Ephemeral Lands
Chapter XXXII: Anger Part 1
"Anger is a manifestation of a deeper issue...and that, for me,
is based on insecurity, self-esteem, and loneliness."
-Naomi Campbell
The climb had been long as the two daughters of the mark continued to climb the trunk of Yggdrasil.
Ochako and Arianna proved to be quite adept at working together; the former would use her quirk to get through particular jumps between the tree branches. Meanwhile, the latter would use a combination of her whip and magic to clear the way of debris.
Yet, no matter how high they continued to climb, it seemed like they couldn't reach where the tree trunk went past the clouds. Ochako began to feel drained with her continued quirk use alongside the little progress the two had made. Ochako couldn't help but feel anger and frustration slowly building up.
The two companions hadn't spoken much. After all, they were more focused on trying to find their respective loves in these lands. Still, they eventually stopped atop one of the larger branches, where they had plenty of room to walk around and rest without the risk of falling off. Ochako started to lean tiredly against the trunk, taking a moment to look around from their position. From up here, she could see the valley that spread as far as the eye could see; it looked like a great green sea.
It would have been a beautiful sight that, under normal circumstances, Ochako would have appreciated. But right now, all she wanted was to finish this grueling trial, to find him, and to go back home, back to everyone else waiting for them.
"We should wait here for a while to gain our bearings," Ochako heard Arianna's suggestion. "We would need at least a good hour to regain our strength and composure."
'An hour?!' Ochako thought as she turned to look at the sun, already deep into the west. She was about to protest until she saw the look on her companion's face.
It was a mirror of her own, as Ochako could see the same frustration that plagued her now. Only Arianna had waited centuries, while Ochako only had to wait a few days before making this journey. Yet, it was the Princess who was managing to keep a cooler head and suggested the most rational course of action.
"Okay," Ochako managed to sigh, slowly allowing herself to slide down the trunk she was leaning against until she slumped. She glanced at her purple-haired companion, who simply remained standing, looking outward, surveying the lands far below and the still-setting sun.
Yet, Ochako could see the Princess's tiny hands were balled into fists while her whole body shook.
'Arianna...'
Of course, Arianna would understand better than anyone.
Given all of the times, Ochako had reread her journey filled with love and yet so much heartbreak. Arianna was a kind, gentle soul who hated violence but would never hesitate to fight when protecting those she loved or felt responsible for. That was the duty she was born with as a future ruler of a Duchy. All of the sacrifices she made despite her deepest desires.
It was no wonder that Ochako saw her as a role model. Arianna was a hero in her own right, even if Jin was considered the main protagonist. Jin would have never gotten far without her and everyone else at the party.
Jin was her knight...much like Izuku was hers.
"Izuku...where are you?" Ochako asked as tears welled up before looking at the mark on her right hand. That tiny cross-shaped flower made her smile upon seeing it, reminding her of many memories, from their confession to each other to learning the truth about their shared past.
The day Izuku decided to take on his hero name, The Fafnir Knight, all because of her and Eri. Their first date and their first kiss. They made so many sweet memories in such a short amount of time as if to make up for the time they believed to have lost.
Yet this mark also served to remind her of her follies.
"If only I hadn't been a coward," Ochako muttered bitterly, shaking her head and trying her best not to sob. "I could have stopped it all if I had just acted sooner! If I just wasn't a total coward, none of this would have happened."
Ochako took in sharp, deep breaths while squeezing her hands as the memories of that night, that horrible night that played on repeat in her nightmares but now filled her mind right then and there. That night, everything changed when all hell broke loose.
The night the traitor revealed his true colors and betrayed them all...
"Stop blaming yourself, girl." A voice called out to her, making Ochako look up. Only now did she find herself in an empty, dark space. She was no longer on Yggdrasil, and her only company was a tall man cloaked in shadow standing before her.
"Yjdgmsh'w kjdmo wfdew dji wbzlmea de mefjidwi me deaij."
"De iozsmze sbds ew omji sbde dxxjzxjmdsi ds sbi ozoies mt hmy dwc oi."
"Wej?"
"M'o wzjjh. Sbmw wbzyuq bdgi kiie d smoi tzj fiuikjdsmze, sbi sjysb ew tmeduuh zys, Bmwdwbm'w edoi bdw kiie fuidjiq. Mewsidq...li'ji qidumea lmsb sbms...sjhmea sz wdgi bmw wze."
"Meqiiq wej, kys kdfc sz sbi xzmes. Lbds wbzyuq li qz dkzys sbmw? Sbiji jidqmea dji wz wsjdeai."
"Li eiiq sz ki fdjityu. Yeumci Mpycy, li fdeezs dqomemwsij d wiqdsmgi sz sbi odme bzws dw sbds fzyuq idwmuh kjidc sbi fzeeifsmze li'gi odeoaiq sz iwsdkumwb kisliie sbio. Ez, li lmuu wmoxuh bdgi sz sjyws sbds Yjdjdcd'w dgdsdj lmuu ki dkui sz aymqi bij deq fduo bij qzle."
"Lbds mt bij iozsmzew uidc mesz Tdtemj'w ofeq? Li zeuh bdgi omemodu mqid zt Lbds oiesdu fzesdomedsmze fzyuq qz sz wzoizei. Sbi jiwyusw fzyuq li qmwdwsjzyw."
"Ms fzyuq ki, li jiduuh bdgi ez ldh zt cezlmea sbds ryws his. Bzligij, mt sbimj jiudsmzewbmx jiduuh mw sbds qiix, sbie sbms omabs dfsyduuh xjzgi kinitmfmdu. Zeuh smoi lmuu siuu wz tzj ezl, wz li wmoxuh bdgi sz jiodme gmamudes."
Ochako didn't know what to say as the strange man stood before her. As the smoky shadow that cloaked the tall man slowly began to part, a tall man with dark hair wearing some kind of hero costume was revealed before her. It reminded her of Best Jeanist, but the outfit was a deep red and didn't appear to be made of denim.
The mysterious man looked annoyed, and his tone of voice was icy.
"Stop blaming yourself, girl, " the man repeated to her. "I swear you and my successor were meant for each other in more than one way."
Ochako rose slowly; despite his tone, he didn't appear or feel hostile. Rude, yes, but not hostile, which only confused Ochako as several questions started to pop into her head. Perhaps the most pressing of them finally made her say something.
"Who are you?"
"I am the Sixth of the Nine," The strange man answered with narrowed eyes. "My name is En."
"Okay then, En...what do you mean by 'You and my successor were meant for each other in more than one way?'"
The mysterious man, now known as En, gave her a rare, deep chuckle.
"Who else? The one you are looking for, of course."
"Izuku…" Ochako answered almost breathlessly.
"Indeed."
"How do you kn-"
"That's not important right now, child," En interrupted with a raised hand. "My time with you is limited; I'm simply here to serve as a messenger for you. The message is simple. 'Stop blaming yourself.' Others had the chance to act. Even my successor has regrets about that night. You are not alone in these feelings."
"Izuku really feels the same way?" Ochako looked surprised.
"Izuku knew, given everything that happened, the circumstances, and the revelations that came with it. My successor knew he could have handled it better."
"But—"
"If you truly feel like you must atone, then get up and find him...he is closer than you think; do not allow anger and regret to cloud your way. Lest you become like me." En's voice slowly became less cold and much more somber. The look of regret was evident even on his partially hidden face. "Now, I will give you another message. This one is from me to you directly. Trust in yourself, child. Trust in yourself to find the way and remember that even now, you are not alone, and neither is Izuku."
Ochako didn't know what to say to this mysterious stranger. Yet, despite never meeting him before, something about him seemed familiar. Despite sounding so cold and almost indifferent, there was a strength, perhaps a hidden warmth, and a message of hope, not unlike a certain hero and certainly not unlike her knight.
The young heroine-in-training could feel the anger leaving her as a renewed sense of strength and purpose took its place.
"Thank you...En."
"You can thank me by finding him," En retorted as the shadowy smoke slowly cloaked him again and disappeared into the darkness, leaving Ochako standing there for a moment or two. "You're the only one who can save him from himself."
"Ochako. Wake up."
Ochako began looking around. Hearing that familiar voice, she looked around the darkness for the source. She needed to leave and get back to the task at hand. That conversation renewed her resolve, and she needed to return to work quickly.
"Ochako! Please wake up!"
Suddenly, Ochako felt a jolt run down her body as a pair of hands suddenly grasped her shoulders. With a few drowsy blinks, she found herself back upon Yggdrasil, sitting against the great tree's trunk as if she had never moved. Arianna was kneeling in front of her with a worried look.
"Thank goodness! You had me scared for a moment!" The Princess cried out with a sigh of relief. Ochako laughed a bit nervously, resulting in her starting to scratch the back of her head out of habit.
"I-I'm sorry, Arianna!" Ochako breathed out sincerely, bowing her head.
The Princess sighed again, putting her hands to her chest and giving her companion a warm smile.
"I am just relieved it wasn't anything serious. I have seen the results of those who go mad when left alone, without hope, and full of despair."
Ochako remembered Arianna's journey into Yggdrasil in the storybook. The number of dead adventurers that her party alone had found numbered in the hundreds. Often finding notes of regret or telling tales of their descent into madness. She knew that was why Arianna was here for her; to keep her steady and moving forward. Ochako responded by getting up and raising the Princess with her.
"Thank you, Arianna," said Ochako to her childhood idol. "I'm sorry for my moment of weakness."
Arianna shook her head and grabbed her hand.
"It is okay to have moments of weakness, especially when you feel lost. It is okay to want to rest and collect yourself when you feel like the world is collapsing all around you. However, allowing that weakness to stop you from moving forward is when it becomes a problem."
"Something you know all too well, right?" Ochako said with a shy smile. The final battle that Arianna took part in near the end of her tale placed the weight of her whole world on her shoulders. She must have felt guilt when Jin took her place for the ritual, completed his task as a Knight of Fafnir, and broke the curse placed on her lands.
"My friends kept me going after...Jin disappeared into the light..." Arianna answered softly; it hurt Ochako to see that painful expression on her face. Ochako gave the girl a hug, knowing that feeling all too well now. Yet there was hope now. A chance to rewrite and add more to the story of what it means to be a Knight of Fafnir.
"We're going to find them." Ochako declared firmly. Once she broke off the hug, she began guiding her friend back to the trunk.
They had a tree to continue climbing and knights to find.
"Oiesdu fzesdomedsmze bdw kiie qisifsiq! Zeuh...em sbmw fde's ki jeabs, sbiji mw ez ldh sbds sbiwi jidqmeaw fde's ki dffyjdsi! Ioijaiefh! Li eiiq sz wszx sbi xjzfiqyji!"
"Kiudh sbds zjqij! Lbda indfsuh mw azmea ze?!"
"Ms'w Tdtemj! Dffzjqmea sm sbiwi jidqmeaw bmw omeq mw wsdjsmea sz fzesdomedsi Yjdgmsh'w omeq! Ezs sbi zsbij ldh djzyeq umci li bdq zjmameduuh wywxifsiq!"
"Ms fde ki...mw bi jidfbmea zys tzj bij? M sbizjmpiq sbds wyfb d sbmea fzyuq bdxxie lbie M odqi sbi tmjws IQLME xjzszshxi, kys uzzf ds sbi qdsd! M fde's kiueigi sbmw mw jidwwh bdxxiemed! Uzzf, wii lbmfb xdjs zt Mplcl'w kjdme mw dfsmgi?"
"Ldms, mwe's sbds?"
"Meqiiq, sbi tjzesdu fzjsin; sbi xdjs zt sbi kjdme sbds jiayudsiw vymjcw...deq uzzc, igie ezl bmw kzqh auzlmea igij wz tdmesuh."
"Lbds qziw sbew oide?"
"M'o ezs wyji Oiumwwd...kys tzj ezl li ldms deq wii, eyjwi! Ki jidqh sz dqomemwsij dezsbij wbzs sz Mpycy mt eiiqiq!"
"Wej, sbiji ew wzoisbmea iuti. Ms uzzcw umci Yjdgmsh mw...wuiixmea."
"Uis oi wii sbzwi jidqmeaw...d qzykui-JIO xdssije...d qjido lmsbme d qjido? Oh Azq...sbi qdsq li'ji fzuuifsmea...ms'w azmea sz fbdeai igijhsbmia..."
"Mw snds igie xzwwmkui?"
"Li'ji wiimea ms bdxxie jmabs kitzji zyj ihiw."
The duo of Izuku and Jin sat nervously across from each other on one of the branches of Yggdrasil. Jin had barely managed to pull Izuku up after nearly walking off the branch of the great tree. Izuku didn't know why that vision he had seen compelled him to nearly walk off the edge, but he was glad that Jin had managed to pull him out before it was too late.
"Thank you, my friend," Izuku said gratefully as he wiped the sweat off his brow with his clawed right hand.
"No problem...but I have to ask...what exactly happened to you?" Jin managed to breathe out, still trembling from the experience.
"I saw people...ten people, eight cloaked in shadow." Izuku began trying to recollect his thoughts on what he had just experienced. The first eight people were covered in shadow, repeating the same few words, beckoning to come forward.
'Remember...'
All eight, cloaked in shadow, continued to chant until a portal opened between them, revealing two young women climbing up the great tree.
One of them was the reason Izuku tried to reach out. It was a girl, the same girl as before.
"And two others...those two I could see as clear as day...and both looked really beautiful," Izuku confessed with a red face, especially after seeing the brunette.
"Beautiful?" Jin questioned as Izuku began to describe the two he saw.
"One was short with long purple hair and eyes; she looked very kind, and the other was taller with chocolate brown hair and eyes..."
There was a brief pause.
"Arianna/Ochako, " the two boys said in unison, finally linking some details together, their eyes widening. Jin almost lunged at Izuku, placing his hands on his friend's shoulders, shaking with excitement.
"Where did you see her?! Did you really see Arianna!? Please tell me, my friend!"
"I saw them here! On Yggdrasil!" Izuku admitted, remembering that the two were on a branch similar to theirs. "Wait, could that be the reason why we're here?!"
"Only the Knights of Fafnir and their Markers can be here," Jin answered as he was trying to place the pieces together. "Arianna is my Marker, and given how you are towards this Ochako girl, I have no doubt now that she is yours, and if they're both here on Yggdrasil..."
"This could explain why we came here...to find them! They might be further up the tree!"
Izuku was happy as he finally remembered the face associated with the name. The girl he saw in his vision he knew was Ochako; of that, he had no doubt. Some of the details of why she made him feel so happy still seemed fuzzy and blurry. Still, given that, Izuku kept remembering more and more about her as they continued to climb. It only served to jump-start his drive to see her again, to learn more about her, and to remember if she was really here waiting for them.
There was no time to lose.
"What are we waiting for, Jin? Let's go!"
"Tdtemj'w kjdme bdw azei kdfc sz ezjodu xdssijew deq mw ez uzeaij dttifsmea Yjdgmsh'w...Wbzyuq li fzesmeyi?"
"Dodpmea...wmoxuh dodpmea. Oiumwwd, xuidwi odci wyji sz kdfc-yx sbds qdsq. Li lmuu fzesmeyi lmsb sbi xjzfiqyji, igijhsbmea mw dxxidjw sz ki azmea kdfc sz inxifsiq uigiuw."
"Yeqijwszzq wej."
Author's notes
*Cryptogram: Just like before, several lines of dialogue have been hidden behind this cryptogram. Break the cryptogram, and you can discover a ton of what will happen by the time we reach Arc VII proper.
This cryptogram uses the same key as the first. So if you broke the first one, this one should be very easy.
For the rest of you who want to try your hand, but need a little more help, here are your clues.
These are the clues from the first cryptogram.
Clue 1: Q = D
Clue 2: This does not mean that D = Q (That would be boring and easy)
Clue 3: I recommend re-reading the whole story up to this point, as I have left clues on who, what, when, where, and how in previous chapters.
Clue 4: Reading Chapter 2 of Black Dragon Knights will be helpful.
These are your second set of clues that can also be used in the previous one.
Clue 5: T = F
Clue 6: Several familiar names are hidden that have been mentioned throughout the story are in these cryptograms. (Both Japanese and Non-Japanese names)
Clue 7: IQLME is an Acronym that can be found quickly and easily if you follow the advice from Clue 3.
Clue 8: Part 2 of each of these chapters will reveal what the cryptograms are hiding. The Part 2 of these chapters will be shown when we reach Arc VII proper.
That's all for now! Have fun! The next upload won't be as long as of a wait that's a promise!
ZX