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Rosencrantz sighs, looking around at the mess everyone else left and all of the caravan members bar himself unconscious or groaning in various states of pain.
"You know, at this point, I'm not really sure it matters."

Vlad gladly obliges the imminent violence that Asuna is about to perpetrate upon this unfortunate soul.

Vlad performs Asuna!
Asuna can move again!

Asuna is practically emitting a menacing aura worthy of one of the Demon Generals themselves.

Guildenstern almost seems to shrink in fear, his eyes darting about for a way out, settling on Rosencrantz, his brother dearest, the man who would always get him out of any other sticky situation. Hopefully he had just enough love left for him to let him get out of this last one.

"Eheh. Ehehehe....b-brother, would you mind helping me just.....one last time?"

Rosencrantz simply crosses his arms, stepping back to allow Asuna more room.
"Nah. I'll just let the lady get what she wants. Looks like she needs it more than I do."
"W-what?!"

Now Playing: [Boss Overkill Theme ~~Il Vento d'Oro~~]

With the fury of a thousand very angry things, Asuna goes to town on Guildenstern, hailing upon him a rain of blows he can only barely defend against, without even the slightest chance for a retaliatory hit. Whatever anger she's felt at the rest of the world, the world saw fit to give her one place to release just a little bit of it in the form of this repulsive little man.

And damned if she doesn't take it.

(Jarvis' Charisma activates!)
(The Lightning Flash strikes!)

Asuna initiates!
Hit: Autohit!
Guildenstern takes 6 damage!

Guildenstern cannot retaliate!

Asuna attacks again!
Hit: Autohit!
Crit: 3, critical!
Guildenstern takes 18 damage!

Guildenstern is defeated!

With one last blow sending Guildenstern into the air arcing backwards and throwing him, unconscious, in the direction of the gate, Asuna feels a sense of approval upon her from above. The sounds of pained groaning and muttering finally fill the air around you as you look around.

Aside from Rosencrantz, a light smile on his face, and the long-gone goblin baker, the entire rest of the caravan is down. Serena, who's been trembling in the back for the last couple or so minutes, finally takes the chance to step out now that the threat to her beauteous visage is neutralised.

"Hmph. I knew you'd all do it in the end. This is what I hired you all for, after all."


XP: 86/100

Hold

Serena provides some much needed first aid. Well, not exactly 'needed', but appreciated.

Serena heals Keith for 14 HP!

Then Keith turns his attention to the big head honcho, who's currently distracted by having an argument with his brother.

(Jarvis' Charisma activates!)

Keith initiates!
Roll: 18, hit!
Guildenstern takes 8 damage!

Guildenstern cannot retaliate!

"W-what are you idiots doing?! Get them! Even my backstabbing jackass of a brother!"

The wizard next to him doesn't even get a chance to raise that hand before Asuna knocks him out cold with a single hit.

(Jarvis' Charisma activates!)
(The Lightning Flash strikes!)

Asuna initiates!
Roll: Autohit!
Crit: 8, crit!
Wizard A takes 27 damage!

Wizard A is defeated!

Jarvis, perhaps a little too irritated by being surrounded by what can charitably be described as a breakdown in civilized discourse, whiffs.

(Jarvis' Wigglership is blossoming!)

Jarvis initiates!
Roll: 98, miss!

Sniper A cannot retaliate!

Keilee, however, feels obligated to pick up the slack.

(Jarvis' Charisma activates!)

Keilee initiates!
Roll: 1, hit!
Crit: 3, crit!
Sniper A takes 30 damage!

Sniper A is defeated!

And as the last of his goons get knocked down, and Guildenstern stares down a furious Rosencrantz, a bloodthirsty Keith and a very upset Asuna, the reality of the situation finally hits him.
"....I don't suppose you'd be.....open....to negotiations....w-would you?"
The answer to that question, of course, should be very clear.

---

XP: 54/100

"Goddesses above! Five hundred thousand?! Who the hell are you working for?!"
Before Rosencrantz can get an answer to that question, however, Asuna buts in, and Guildenstern turns to his brother.
"See? These guys are just trouble. Bribing you? Who do they think they are?"
"Trouble? You dragged me into you trying to commit a crime! And they're trouble?"
"We're trying to make a living here! Besides, you're my brother, you're supposed to have my back!"

At that point, something snaps in Rosencrantz's head. Something that, as becomes very clear to Asuna and the others, has been stewing for a very, very long time.

"Have your back? HAVE YOUR BACK? You ungrateful runt, I've had your back for ten goddess-damned years! Ever since Mom died, I promised I'd watch you and John's backs, like a GOOD older brother! You know where John is? He's doing a real job! Accounting! Back home! What the hell are you doing with your life, exactly? Running scams, selling people junk and now THIS?!"
"Ross, I-"
"I had your back when I helped invest money in that damn casino. I had your back when you thought you invented that new laundry machine that turned out to be an even more useless water mill. I even had your damn back when you wanted to invest in that bakery business that turned out to be MONEY LAUNDERING! But literally, trying to KIDNAP someone?! I told you, for the last ten minutes, to back out. You don't listen to me. You don't EVER listen to me! I'm just trying to HELP you!"
"But-"
"I'm TRYING to be a good brother, but when you're such a useless runt who keeps trying to take the easy way out instead of WORKING for things, I can't do ANYTHING! You think you've been putting up with this for a long time? Try raising this idiot! I've had it! You chased away three of my girlfriends, you got our house sold for that damn casino and then now you're going to try to kidnap this chick? Screw that! I'm putting an end to this crap, right now! I should've done this a LONG time ago!"

And like that, Rosencrantz suddenly turns towards his brother, fists up. Whatever issues he's had with his brother, it's clear he's had way more than enough.

Rosencrantz has joined your team.

---

XP: 28/100

"Man, what do you think I've been trying to do for the last ten minutes? If I had my way, I'd have given you the whole damn wagon to compensate, not that there's anything worth jack in there."

Trainee Level 2 for everyone not yet in the game:

16, 39, -, 85, 33, 8, 33, 94

Shoes gains HP, STR, LCK, and DEF.

45, 74, -, 12, 3, 38, 81, 37

Gnome Jenkins gains HP, SKL, LCK, DEF, and SPD.

53, 56, 58, 46, 6, 50, 22, 63

42-1 gains HP, SKL, and LCK.

26, 36, -, 71, 54, 87, 12, 72

Yliss gains HP, STR, LCK, and RES.

Auto, -, -, 15, -, 52, 22, -

Marcia gains HP, SKL, and DEF.

38, -, 15, 21, 6, 49, 92, 17

Selene gains HP, MAG, SKL, LCK, and SPD.

38, 28, -, 6, 19, 62, 70, 38

Lilian gains HP, STR, SKL, LCK, and SPD.